Message-ID: <6CF334C05@ae.agecon.wisc.edu> Date: Thu, 23 Mar 1995 00:34:17 +1900 From: John E Peck/Barrows <mailto:PECK@AE.AGECON.WISC.EDU> Subject: Free Trade = Free lunch To: Multiple recipients of list DEVEL-L
Given some peculiar comments of late on this list about "free
trade" as a supposed "solution" to Africa's food crisis, I thought
these figures from a March 7, NY TIMES article on "corporate welfare"
might serve as a reality check for any self-identified neoliberals.
Personally, I find it disgusting to see my scarce tax dollars
earmarked for such corporate carpetbagging in the South under the
guise of "development assistance." Don't these companies already have
enough "free market" economic incentives to exploit other peoples and
their resources without requiring government subsidies?
$0.5 million to Campbell Soup Co. to advertise its products
(like V-8 juice) in Argentina
$1.0 million to the Pet Food Institute to help convince Japanese
that Friskies products are better than table scraps
$3.0 million to the USA Rice Federation to promote Uncle Ben's
Rice among consumers in Turkey, Poland, and Saudi Arabia
All told, the Foreign Agricultural Service doles out $100 million
per year in public funds to facilitate corporate agribusiness'
penetration and cooptation of foreign markets. Hmmm - just think how
much real food security could be bought at that price, if the money
were earmarked for local grassroots projects. - John Peck