teoretikern
11-15-2008, 04:41 AM
In Sweden there has been in recent years a campaign to make sure that the third world get paid "fair". Fair trade. Coffe and other articles get a specific stamp if they are fair traded. I am not sure if the people behind this campaign think that the wealth in the western world is a cause of the poverty in other areas. But it would not surprise me. Sometimes in swedish newspapers this view pops up, from a do good leftist journalist or from a do good member of parlament who spreads his/her view in media. The view that swedish trade is not fair, and that we in the western world consume a value that should belong to poor/er people. We owe poorer regions something, ths is actually the view I learned in high school, from an otherwise excellent teacher. We exploit the third world.
First, did Sweden in the 17th century colonize other parts of the world, an action that made resources flow from their rightful owners?
No, Sweden did owe parts of Germany, the Baltic states, Finland, a part of Norway, but no other areas. Other Nordic countries too never colonized any third world country. If colonization actually draws a value to the colonizing country, maybe Sweden would pay Germany a fine?
Second, do swedish companies transmit a value from low paid workers to Sweden?
This is where swedish multinational corporations employ workers (2004):
USA: 21,7%
Western Europe: 51,1%
Asia: 6,4%
Latin America: 5,1%
Swedish companies may employ workers in Japan and Israel, two countries that, according to do gooders, do not need fair trade, so the statistics is probably lower for Asia. Does really a small minority in Latin America produce Sweden's wealth? It is more likely that american workers transmit a value to Sweden. I am very sorry USA!
Third, do swedish citizens pay third world citizens less?
Sweden has an excellent board of statistics where one might search for international trade. But still I, or anyone else, have not the possibility to accuratly calculate if third world countries got paid fair. There is one method: This is how Sweden paid it's foreign trade in thousand swedish crowns per tonnage in 1994:
Germany: 11 800
France: 24 600
USA: 17 000
England: 8 600
India: 41 000
Brazil: 3 300
China: 30 000
Mexico: 30 000
Pakistan: 47 000
Australia:1 300
Thailand: 18 000
Uruguay: 25 000
Colombia: 10 600
Bolivia: 47 000
What value do I exploit if I buy an australian lager or an american Coke? I urge other members here to check your country's international trade, it actually may be contrary to do gooder's view.
First, did Sweden in the 17th century colonize other parts of the world, an action that made resources flow from their rightful owners?
No, Sweden did owe parts of Germany, the Baltic states, Finland, a part of Norway, but no other areas. Other Nordic countries too never colonized any third world country. If colonization actually draws a value to the colonizing country, maybe Sweden would pay Germany a fine?
Second, do swedish companies transmit a value from low paid workers to Sweden?
This is where swedish multinational corporations employ workers (2004):
USA: 21,7%
Western Europe: 51,1%
Asia: 6,4%
Latin America: 5,1%
Swedish companies may employ workers in Japan and Israel, two countries that, according to do gooders, do not need fair trade, so the statistics is probably lower for Asia. Does really a small minority in Latin America produce Sweden's wealth? It is more likely that american workers transmit a value to Sweden. I am very sorry USA!
Third, do swedish citizens pay third world citizens less?
Sweden has an excellent board of statistics where one might search for international trade. But still I, or anyone else, have not the possibility to accuratly calculate if third world countries got paid fair. There is one method: This is how Sweden paid it's foreign trade in thousand swedish crowns per tonnage in 1994:
Germany: 11 800
France: 24 600
USA: 17 000
England: 8 600
India: 41 000
Brazil: 3 300
China: 30 000
Mexico: 30 000
Pakistan: 47 000
Australia:1 300
Thailand: 18 000
Uruguay: 25 000
Colombia: 10 600
Bolivia: 47 000
What value do I exploit if I buy an australian lager or an american Coke? I urge other members here to check your country's international trade, it actually may be contrary to do gooder's view.