At 01:12 19/10/98 -0500, David Kidd wrote:
>Albert wrote:
>>My understanding is that the MAI simply requires that exactly the
>>same standards be applied in these areas to multinational capitalists as
>>to local capitalists. What's wrong with that? Why tolerate lower
>>standards for environmental protection, labour, health, safety and human
>>rights when dealing with local capitalists?
Albert - the MAI also has a sort-of highest-common-factor approach - all
labour controls (for example) should be set to the lowest possible for all
countries. This is why socialist organisations opposed it long before One
Nation even realised it existed. ON is somethnig of a johnny-come-lately
in this and other issues. So, the MAI can allow foreign *and* local
capitalists to wind back all sorts of laws. NAFTA forced the Canadian
government to remove a law saying that a carcinogen (can't remember which!)
cold not be used in making petrol (I think - the exact details are hazy).
This is a Bad Thing.
>The hope is that local capitalists will act in ways more beneficial to the
>local scene WITHOUT having to be regulated to the umpteenth degree, simply
Ha! In respect of removing discrimination, I have no problems with the
MAI. There's no difference between a capitalist who has the same passport
as I do and one who does not, and both are deliberately acting against my
interests. I have nothing in common with notable tax-cheat Citizen Packer.
I don't evade tax, for starters, and would not seek to.
And as for ex-Citizen Murdoch... who dropped his Australian passport like a
hot potato when he could make more money from holding an American one, or
ex-Citizen Skase (do we need any more details?), or Citizen Bond... all
fine upstanding members of the local community.
>>What kind of power can a community have to
>>"hold investors to account" if the investors own everything and we just
>>work here. Why ask the Governments of the 29 richest countries to "Give
>>the community effective new powers" when you already know whose side
>>they are on. Why not ask the community to take power from the investors
>>and their governments?
>
>Are you inciting revolution?
I certainly hope he is ;-)
Alister
