Paul Cockshott argues for national controls on international capital based on the current political backwardness of the US etc relative to Europe. It would seem that a more straightforward approach would be to increase political awareness in the US of the need for international controls--substantial progress was made during the NAFTA debate, with many on the left here opposing the agreement on the basis of its undemocratic nature, as much as on its particular provisions. While demanding some national controls is necessary (immigration issues present some real challenges to the US labor movement), organizing for international policies that are set more democratically must be the basic approach--although if the international policies are not set and arbitrated by an international political body, these policies may rather be policies set and coordinated by several countries. Marianne Hill [EMAIL PROTECTED] Paul Cockshott writes: As a political program it can be countered politically - either assome of the socialist group in the European Parliament are pressingfor, by establishing international political organisations that canregulate the movement of capital, or by a return to national controlson the movement of trade and capital. It seems to me essential to oppose the extension of free trade and free capital movements unless it is accompanied by the establishment of international state structures that gain the powers lost by national governments. Given the difficulty of doing that outside of Europe at the moment, it is better to advocate repudiation ofGatt and the imposition of taxes on currency transations, currency controls designed to impede the flow of capital etc.
