Saturday, October 10, 2015

10/10/15: Who Gains From TTP & TTIP? Not Free Trade!


For all those in need of understanding why TPP (the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement) and TTIP (the Trans-Atlantic counterpart of the TPP) are not about free trade, read this simple summary of the core argument against state-promoted trade.

Key quote (emphasis in italics is mine): "The TPP, like all other trade agreements of its type, was designed to serve the strategic interests of the governments involved, and has nothing to do with opening up new opportunities for free trade among ordinary members of the domestic societies that are taxed to finance the governments involved. There is no doubt that certain large corporate interests with political power will benefit from agreements like TPP. Large interests have the clout and the resources to change and shape these agreements to favor them. Small enterprises and businesses, and small entrepreneurs will only endure greater restrictions."

QED.

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