Democracy Uprising
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      Trump’s backpedaling shows he’s not invincible

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      It’s going to take multiple strategies to win…

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      A new wave of movements against Trumpism is…

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      How to make sure your disruptive protest helps…

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      Trump’s backpedaling shows he’s not invincible

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      It’s going to take multiple strategies to win…

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      A new wave of movements against Trumpism is…

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      Harold Washington’s lessons for taking on a political…

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      Think #MeToo didn’t make a real difference? Think…

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      Four Ways of Looking at an Aztec Eagle

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  • Translations
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      Translations

      Jordlösa kombinerar radikala visioner med praktiska reformer (Swedish)

      Español

      Hacer Que Nuestras Demandas Sean Tanto Orácticas Como…

      Italiano

      C’è più di un modo per colpire il…

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      As reformas não reformistas de André Gorz mostram…

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      Die nicht-reformistischen Reformen von André Gorz

      Italiano

      Richieste dei movimenti: sia pratiche che visionarie

      Chinese

      泛美洲人 爱德华多·加莱亚诺的世界 (Chinese)

      Italiano

      C’è più di un modo per colpire il…

      Italiano

      Richieste dei movimenti: sia pratiche che visionarie

      Italiano

      La strategia di Gandhi per il successo –…

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      Le promesse infrante di Obama

      Italiano

      Guantanamo deve sparire

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      IL BANK TRANSFER DAY: UN SUCCESSO

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      Come il movimento Occupiamo Wall Street si sta…

      Italiano

      Economia tabù

      Japanese

      ガンジーはどのように勝利したのか? (Japanese)

      Japanese

      Truth Versus Superpower (Japanese)

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      Japanese

      Revenge of the Combat Cartoonist (Japanese)

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      As reformas não reformistas de André Gorz mostram…

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      Arabic

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Democracy Uprising

  • About
    • About Mark Engler
    • About Democracy Uprising
  • Books
    • This Is An Uprising
    • How To Rule the World
  • Topics
    • All Social Movements Religion U.S. Politics / Elections War / Militarism Book Reviews Environment Essays / First Person Global Economy Immigration Labor Latin America
      2023-2025

      Could we be entering a ‘movement moment’ against…

      Social Movements

      Trump’s backpedaling shows he’s not invincible

      Social Movements

      It’s going to take multiple strategies to win…

      Social Movements

      A new wave of movements against Trumpism is…

      Social Movements

      How to make sure your disruptive protest helps…

      Latest Articles

      Why protests work, even when not everybody likes…

      Social Movements

      Harold Washington’s lessons for taking on a political…

      Social Movements

      Strategy is a Craft

      Social Movements

      Could we be entering a ‘movement moment’ against…

      Social Movements

      Trump’s backpedaling shows he’s not invincible

      Social Movements

      It’s going to take multiple strategies to win…

      Social Movements

      A new wave of movements against Trumpism is…

      Social Movements

      How to make sure your disruptive protest helps…

      Social Movements

      Why protests work, even when not everybody likes…

      Social Movements

      Harold Washington’s lessons for taking on a political…

      Social Movements

      Strategy is a Craft

      Religion

      In God’s Country

      Religion

      Reverend Billy’s Holiday Shopocalypse

      Religion

      Toward the “Rights of the Poor”

      Religion

      The Pope and the Poor

      Religion

      Will the Next Pope Embrace Liberation Theology?

      Religion

      Remembering Romero

      Religion

      John Paul II’s Economic Ethics

      Religion

      Against the God of Free Trade

      U.S. Politics / Elections

      Could we be entering a ‘movement moment’ against…

      U.S. Politics / Elections

      Trump’s backpedaling shows he’s not invincible

      U.S. Politics / Elections

      It’s going to take multiple strategies to win…

      U.S. Politics / Elections

      A new wave of movements against Trumpism is…

      U.S. Politics / Elections

      Harold Washington’s lessons for taking on a political…

      U.S. Politics / Elections

      Strategy is a Craft

      U.S. Politics / Elections

      Think #MeToo didn’t make a real difference? Think…

      U.S. Politics / Elections

      This new model for upholding labor law may…

      War / Militarism

      Does It Make Sense to Protest a President…

      War / Militarism

      Lessons from the Pledge of Resistance

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      Is Rambo Still A Republican?

      War / Militarism

      War: The Wrong Jobs Program

      War / Militarism

      The Ascent of Niall Ferguson

      War / Militarism

      Those Who Don’t Count

      War / Militarism

      Six Essays About War and About Peace

      War / Militarism

      The Dangerous Dignity of War

      Book Reviews

      The Pan American

      Book Reviews

      The Godfather of Microcredit

      Book Reviews

      Capitalism as Catastrophe

      Book Reviews

      Four Ways of Looking at an Aztec Eagle

      Book Reviews

      The Ascent of Niall Ferguson

      Book Reviews

      Ordinary Outrages

      Book Reviews

      No Better Place

      Book Reviews

      In God’s Country

      Environment

      Why Wendell Matters

      Environment

      The Gulf at the Gas Station

      Environment

      Climate Disobedience

      Environment

      Farming the Everglades

      Environment

      The Winter of the Climate Denier

      Environment

      Climate of Change: An “Inside-Outside” Strategy Against Global…

      Environment

      Provoking an American Climate Crisis

      Environment

      The Real “Farmer” Story: So God Made High-Fructose…

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      Is Rambo Still A Republican?

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      On the Price is Right

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      Six Essays About War and About Peace

      Essays / First Person

      Republicans Among Us

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      New York Says “No”

      Essays / First Person

      The Sideshow Rebels

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      Global Economy

      Meet the Bailout’s New Slush Fund for Corporate…

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      The Seattle Protests Showed That Another World Is…

      Global Economy

      Jeff Bezos Has Enough! It’s Time for a…

      Global Economy

      The Amazon Effect: Sweat, Surveillance, Exploitation

      Global Economy

      The Godfather of Microcredit

      Global Economy

      Capitalism as Catastrophe

      Global Economy

      Immigration Economics: An Interview with Professor Giovanni Peri

      Global Economy

      The World Is Not Flat

      Immigration

      When Undocumented Activists Infiltrated ICE

      Immigration

      The Children of Intervention

      Immigration

      Immigration Economics: An Interview with Professor Giovanni Peri

      Immigration

      Science Fiction From Below

      Immigration

      Four Ways of Looking at an Aztec Eagle

      Immigration

      Treated Like a Criminal

      Immigration

      When Sanctuary is Resistance

      Immigration

      The Massive Immigrants Rights Protests of 2006 Are…

      Labor

      This new model for upholding labor law may…

      Labor

      Democrats Won Power in Several States. Will They…

      Labor

      The Case for a Social Distancing Wage

      Labor

      The Seattle Protests Showed That Another World Is…

      Labor

      Reviving the General Strike

      Labor

      Jeff Bezos Has Enough! It’s Time for a…

      Labor

      There’s Still Power in a Strike

      Labor

      The Amazon Effect: Sweat, Surveillance, Exploitation

      Latin America

      How movements can maintain their radical vision while winning…

      Latin America

      The Pan American

      Latin America

      Lessons from the Pledge of Resistance

      Latin America

      The Children of Intervention

      Latin America

      Against Shithole Nationalism

      Latin America

      The Last Porto Alegre

      Latin America

      Kissinger Is Not Our Friend

      Latin America

      Even If You Have Nothing to Hide

  • Translations
    • All Italiano Japanese Português Arabic Thai Chinese Deutsch Español Français
      Translations

      Jordlösa kombinerar radikala visioner med praktiska reformer (Swedish)

      Español

      Hacer Que Nuestras Demandas Sean Tanto Orácticas Como…

      Italiano

      C’è più di un modo per colpire il…

      Português

      As reformas não reformistas de André Gorz mostram…

      Español

      Las reformas no reformistas de André Gorz

      Deutsch

      Die nicht-reformistischen Reformen von André Gorz

      Italiano

      Richieste dei movimenti: sia pratiche che visionarie

      Chinese

      泛美洲人 爱德华多·加莱亚诺的世界 (Chinese)

      Italiano

      C’è più di un modo per colpire il…

      Italiano

      Richieste dei movimenti: sia pratiche che visionarie

      Italiano

      La strategia di Gandhi per il successo –…

      Italiano

      Le promesse infrante di Obama

      Italiano

      Guantanamo deve sparire

      Italiano

      IL BANK TRANSFER DAY: UN SUCCESSO

      Italiano

      Come il movimento Occupiamo Wall Street si sta…

      Italiano

      Economia tabù

      Japanese

      ガンジーはどのように勝利したのか? (Japanese)

      Japanese

      Truth Versus Superpower (Japanese)

      Japanese

      Bush’s Bad Business Empire (Japanese)

      Japanese

      Revenge of the Combat Cartoonist (Japanese)

      Japanese

      Bush’s Uneasy Mexican Visita (Japanese)

      Japanese

      Mark Twain in Iraq (Japanese)

      Japanese

      Globalization’s “Lost Decade” (Japanese)

      Japanese

      Hawks Say the Damnedest Things (Japanese)

      Português

      As reformas não reformistas de André Gorz mostram…

      Português

      A vida na Nação Prisão

      Português

      Outro pretexto?

      Português

      Imigração tem efeito positivo sobre emprego e salários

      Português

      O império hipotecado

      Arabic

      Abandoning the World Bank (in Arabic)

      Arabic

      The Return of Daniel Ortega (in Arabic)

      Arabic

      Where’s The Jubilee? (in Arabic)

      Arabic

      The Last Porto Alegre (in Arabic)

      Arabic

      Seattle At Five (in Arabic)

      Arabic

      Is Market Access the Answer to Poverty? (in…

      Arabic

      Mexico’s Democratic Transition Still Incomplete (in Arabic)

      Thai

      Progressive Good Tidings of 2007 (in Thai)

      Thai

      2006: A Global Justice Year in Review (In…

      Thai

      WTO: Best Left For Dead? (In Thai)

      Thai

      Is Market Access the Answer to Poverty? (In…

      Thai

      Bush’s Bad Business Empire (In Thai)

      Thai

      The Last Porto Alegre [Thai]

      Thai

      Globalizers, Neocons, or… ? (in Thai)

      Chinese

      泛美洲人 爱德华多·加莱亚诺的世界 (Chinese)

      Chinese

      Why Wendell Matters (in Chinese)

      Chinese

      Globalization’s Watchdogs (in Chinese)

      Deutsch

      Die nicht-reformistischen Reformen von André Gorz

      Deutsch

      Als Martin Luther King seine Feuerwaffen aufgab

      Deutsch

      Mikrokredite: Die Entlassung eines Nobelpreisträgers

      Deutsch

      CAFTA – am besten stillschweigend beerdigen

      Deutsch

      Bush in Mexiko

      Deutsch

      Das globale Duell in Evian

      Deutsch

      Die Rückkehr des Daniel Ortega

      Español

      Hacer Que Nuestras Demandas Sean Tanto Orácticas Como…

      Español

      Las reformas no reformistas de André Gorz

      Español

      ¿Adoptará el nuevo papa la teología de la…

      Español

      Wall Street quiere que les estemos agradecidos

      Español

      Si Las Monjas Se Fueran a una Huelga,…

      Español

      ALEC retrocede; a la derecha le da un…

      Español

      ¿ALEC disgustado ante la pérdida de patrocinadores? Se…

      Español

      La vida en la nación prisión

      Français

      La révolution non-violente a-t-elle échoué en Egypte?

      Français

      Le pari risqué du populisme au Pérou

      Français

      Hong Kong Phooey

      Français

      Bush Nuit Même Aux Compagnies U.S.

      Français

      Le dynamisme du mouvement pour la paix

      Français

      La déroute de l’ALCA dans une Miami en…

      Français

      Ceux qui ne comptent pas

      Français

      La guerre en Irak : une expo des…

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TranslationsItaliano

CAFTA — Il libero commercio contro la democrazia

by Mark Engler January 29, 2003
written by Mark Engler January 29, 2003
CAFTA — Il libero commercio contro la democrazia

All’inizio di questo mese, il delegato USA per il commercio Robert Zoellick si è incontrato con i ministri degli esteri di Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras e Nicaragua per dare il via ai negoziati ufficiali relativi al Trattato di Libero Commercio Centro Americano (CAFTA), un accordo che estenderebbe la riduzione delle barriere doganali, sullo stile del NAFTA, al Centro America. La prima seduta di trattative per il CAFTA ha avuto luogo a San José, Costa Rica, il 27 Gennaio.

Zoellick e altri delegati della Casa Bianca vorrebbero che credessimo che i loro sforzi per aprire i mercati in tutto l’emisfero serviranno a “rafforzare la democrazia” all’estero. Cavalcando l’onda del sentimento patriottico, vedono loro stessi come “Commercianti di Libertà”.

C’è solo un problema con la loro retorica: il CAFTA fornisce l’esempio perfetto di un trattato di “libero commercio” che in realtà indebolisce le libertà democratiche.

La Casa Bianca afferma che il CAFTA obbligherà le nazioni centro-americane ad “una ancora maggiore apertura e trasparenza”. Ironicamente, le trattative stesse per l’accordo commerciale sono tutt’altro che trasparenti. Nonostante le richieste da parte di diversi comitati di vigilanza, le bozze delle proposte per il CAFTA non sono state rese disponibili al pubblico in Centro America o negli USA, soffocando una discussione ed un dibattito aperti. La natura anti-democratica delle trattive per il CAFTA oscurano problemi più sostanziali. I sostenitori del “libero commercio” mantengono le loro posizioni negoziali segrete perché hanno molto da nascondere. Se attuato, il CAFTA eroderebbe norme democratiche chiave quali i diritti dei lavoratori e la capacità di legiferare sulle protezioni ambientali.

Funzionari dell’amministrazione Bush sostengono che le riforme del mercato produrrebbero “condizioni lavorative migliori.” Nelle zone di libero commercio attualmente esistenti in Centro America, tuttavia, il curriculum delle maquiladoras relativamente ai diritti dei lavoratori suggerisce altrimenti. Nel caso del Guatemala, Human Right Watch ha pubblicato un rapporto all’inizio dell’anno in cui si leggeva che “gli sforzi per formare dei sindacati nel settore manifatturiero hanno incontrato la resistenza devastante dell’industria al completo e, nel migliore dei casi, la negligenza da parte del governo. Gli sforzi di sindacalizzazione sono stati contrastati con licenziamenti di massa, intimidazioni, ritorsioni indiscriminate nei confronti di tutti i lavoratori, e chiusure di impianti.”

Poiché il CAFTA minaccia di indebolire gli standards lavorativi stabiliti dal Sistema Generalizzato di Preferenze (GSP) dell’era Clinton e dal Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act, non farà altro che incoraggiare gli sforzi da parte dei proprietari delle industrie diretti a impedire la libertà di associazione ed il diritto di formare un sindacato. Questo è il motivo per cui al CAFTA si oppone non solo la AFL-CIO, ma anche un ampio spettro di organizzazioni sindacali centro-americane.

Anche norme di tutela ambientale istituite democraticamente sono minacciate dal CAFTA. Precedenti disposizioni commerciali, come il Capitolo 11 del NAFTA, assicurano alle grandi imprese il diritto di citare in giudizio un governo nel caso in cui leggi a tutela dell’ambiente – e qualunque altra legge — intacchino i loro profitti futuri, in quanto queste costituiscono una barriera commerciale sleale. Nel 1998 la Ethyl Corporation ha citato in giudizio il Canada a causa della messa al bando, per motivi di salute pubblica, lo MMT, un additivo per carburanti. Il Canada decise di stravolgere la sua normativa ambientale e pagare 13 milioni di dollari, piuttosto che rischiare di pagare danni per 251 milioni. Lo Stato di California si trovò sotto un attacco analogo per la messa al bando dello MTBE, un comprovato inquinante dell’acqua che pone a rischio la salute umana e animale.

Il CAFTA amplierà il campo applicativo delle disposizioni del Capitolo 11 del NAFTA? Probabile. Ma poiché i negoziati sono segreti, non lo sapremo per certo sino all’ultimo minuto.

Ancora peggio, quando l’accordo dovrà essere votato, i nostri legislatori non potranno utilizzare il meccanismo degli emendamenti per eliminare dei principi così ripugnanti. Lo scorso Luglio il Presidente Bush ha fatto passare alla Camera la disposizione “Fast Track” sui negoziati commerciali nonostante il voto contrario di 212 deputati. La legge impone al Congresso di accettare o rifiutare in blocco le politiche commerciali. Come spiega il membro del Congresso Sandy Levin (democratico del Michigan), questo lascia “al Congresso un ruolo minimo, insignificante, all’ultimo minuto, in un momento in cui le politiche commerciali sono sempre più intrecciate con tutte le aree di politica interna”.

Con calcolata fretta, i ministri del commercio vogliono terminare i negoziati per il CAFTA entro il Dicembre 2003, prima delle nuove elezioni in America Centrale che potrebbero produrre capi di governo contrari all’accordo. Una preoccupazione chiave è El Salvador, dove manovre pre-CAFTA per privatizzare i servizi pubblici – come l’assistenza sanitaria e i servizi di base – hanno largamente screditato l’attuale regime di destra. Nel caso in cui i Salvadoregni dovessero eleggere un presidente dell’opposizione nel Marzo 2004, alla Casa Bianca piacerebbe se il nuovo governo si trovasse costretto nella stessa politica commerciale approvata dai leaders sconfitti.

E sulla libertà questo è tutto. La verità è che il CAFTA non promuoverà la democrazia. E la democrazia è forse la migliore speranza rimasta per affondare il CAFTA.

Mark Engler

Mark Engler is a writer based in Philadelphia and an editorial board member at Dissent magazine. His latest book, written with Paul Engler, is entitled This Is an Uprising: How Nonviolent Revolt Is Shaping the Twenty-First Century.

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Mark Engler is a writer based in Philadelphia and an editorial board member at Dissent magazine. His latest book, written with Paul Engler, is entitled This Is an Uprising: How Nonviolent Revolt Is Shaping the Twenty-First Century (Nation Books). Mark’s full bio is available here.

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