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Seminar challenges participants to examine globalization
By: Tina Hartman WASHINGTON — Prior to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), a provision in Mexico's constitution protected lands used by indigenous communities from being sold. When NAFTA was implemented in 1992 , this provision was removed, and large agri-businesses can now buy these lands. This example from John Cavanagh, executive director of the Institute for Policy Studies, is part of the larger picture of globalization. As the flow of goods and people across national borders increases, Mennonites are asking how faith should guide their response to this new system. The MCC U.S. Washington Office's annual Spring Seminar, "Economic Globalization: For Richer, For Poorer?" challenged 75 participants to examine globalization's effects on people around the world. The April 1 to 3 seminar explored the effects of globalization on immigration, women, people of color in the United States, employees in trans-national corporations, communities in the global south and others. Participants discussed workers' rights, unions and the role faith should play in resolving the injustices of globalization. Karen Klaasen Harder, professor of economics at Bethel College, North Newton, Kan., spoke about a faith-based approach to understanding economic globalization. "The market is value-free," she said. The value, whether positive or negative, comes from human interaction with the market economy, she said. Harder described an "ideal" economic globalization: people would connect, racial divisions would dim, the natural resources of each nation would be utilized and distributed evenly to the world's population and the market would be open to anyone. Currently, however, "Globalization primarily protects the interests of international companies and developed nations," Harder said. In post-NAFTA Mexico, for example, small farmers are also struggling because they can no longer compete with foreign imports. Harder suggested that Christians advocate for stricter human rights policies for world markets; study how to balance a locally based, sustainable community with the assets of a global church; advocate for those harmed by the global economy; and realize that the system is to blame, yet individuals make up the system. Seminar participants challenged the idea that globalization is inevitable, and most speakers agreed that current economic globalization has been created through policy decisions. Globalization can be altered, they said, through changing public policy, educating consumers and boycotting the products and companies where human rights are violated. Participants learned of a successful protest consumers organized outside of a Starbucks, the popular coffee retailer, in response to poor working conditions on coffee farms. Because of this protest, Starbucks implemented its first-ever corporate code of conduct for agricultural workers. In group discussion, participants noted that an important piece of the globalization picture was missing: the people most negatively affected were not present. Their voices are not often heard by privileged people, the consumers of the products in the global market. Participants agreed that people negatively affected by globalization should not only be a part of, but should also be leading discussions about the impact of globalization. MCC Washington office staffers noted that they rely on MCC partners in the global south as they formulate advocacy positions. An advocacy trip to Capitol Hill exposed participants to many sides of the globalization issue. Some senators' aides obviously felt that eliminating foreign debts in developing countries would cause turmoil for these economies. Countries such as Uganda, however, challenge this assumption. Since the beginning of debt relief to Uganda in 1997, school attendance has increased by as many as 2 million children, and HIV transmittion rates have been reduced. This year's seminar topic was timely, as illustrated by an unusually high turnout. Attendance to previous seminars ranged from 30 to 40.
Tina Hartman is an administrative assistant for MCC U.S. |
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