On Fairer Trade between the Poorer Nations and the West
Walk around your nearby branch of Asda, and you are observing the miracle of global market forces. One can purchase just about any item at a very low price. It could be dragon fruit from Indonesia or tobacco from Brazil – it’s acquirable throughout the year. There’s never been a better period of time in the history of humanity to be a consumer in the west. This has come about by just in time stock control, economies of scale, strong competitive forces, and perhaps most importantly, the fact that most goods are located, and frequently manufactured, in second and third world nations.
That final point is quite important, and very contentious. While western shoppers are buying food, drink, clothing and other items manufactured from second and third world nations at low costs, workers and businesses in these producing countries are oftentimes short-changed, and have no real sustainable business model as they are the last stop of a very lengthy line of middle-men who control what they manufacture, how much, and how often. This long chain of middle-men all receive their share too – so there’s not a great deal of money left for the end-of-line manufacturer.
Nevertheless, there is assistance for these impoverished workers and companies. Fairtrade is a cause that seeks to empower these end-producing business organisations in the poorest countries of the planet. It looks to get rid of these middle-men, and pay the end-producer a reasonable price for an item in a much more targeted way. You might have discovered Fairtrade items in your nearest supermarket. Sometimes they’re a bit more dear, but by buying such ethical products – for instance fair trade gifts – you will know the producer is working in a sustainable way that not only pays them evenhandedly via a much more direct revenue flow, but it also allows them to put this extra money into their company through greater profits, which genuinely makes a difference to these poorest parts of the world.
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