fight against neoliberalism and imperialism

[mdmc]

Anyone know what neoliberalism is? Why are Hugo Chavez and Evo Morales fighting against it?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060103/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/venezuela_morales

I wonder if I'm a neoliberal or just an old liberal.

[SeattleRob]

1. that's right.

Neoliberalism is another term for unfettered "globalisation" and so-called "free trade" which benefits wealthy corporations at the expense of ordinary people.

See also WTO, GATT, NAFTA, and World Bank

[mdmc]

3. I'm an "one world-er", and believe that all humans are equal.

I support free trade, and strive to make it "fair" as well. I am a liberal and believe that government, including the world government, can benefit humanity.

[SeattleRob]

4. there's nothing wrong with what you believe

I also believe in "fair" trade. The problem is when large corporations and monied interests use the government(s) as a tool to look out for their best interests, while ignorling what's in the best interest for everyone. The current structure for seeking "free trade" is flawed and leaves a lot of people out of the loop.

[BL611]

6. The structure is not particularly flawed

It's the political actors who are flawed, there is nothing wrong with what the IMF, WTO, World Bank, etc. are designed to do as institutions, whats wrong is that the citizens of democratic developed nations that hold the power in these institutions aren't holding their representatives accountable (including the anti-globalization left who's views are usually as ridiculous as they are incoherent).

[SeattleRob]

7. indeed

There are many flaws with the political actors at these institutions. Also, these institutions are also undemocratic, so I would argue there are structural problems too.

While the mainstream media, which is overwhelmingly in favor of so-called "free trade", often picks incoherent people to represent those who are opposed to globalization, most of the people from the "anti-globailzation left" that I have encountered have expressed well reasoned and thought out arguements against the current system.

[Greyhound]

9. Sorry, but that is just wrong. They are fundamentally flawed in that

they only exist (the treaties and organizations) to promote corporate interests, period.

[leftofthedial]

10. what the hell is "Free trade"?

It's a common enough ideal, but I've never seen an example of it in recorded human history

and when practice begins to even remotely approach the ideal, the result is always a human and environmental disaster.

[jsamuel]

2. neoliberalism ~= corporate welfare

[BL611]

5. Neoliberalism

tends to get bogged down in semantics, and mean different things to different people, the textbook definition would probably be classical economic liberalism i.e. contemporary libertarianism. In the context of the article, it pretty much means the consensus of developed nations views toward the process of globalization, I pretty much agree with alot of what Chavez has to say on this topic (including his support of a "Tobin Tax"), its too bad he's a dictator.....(by the way I DON'T mean that sarcastically).

[mdmc]

8. I'm a big Chavez fan... how is he a dictator?

Help me to understand...