Why Protest the WTO

Explain to me why people would protest an organization that seeks to
increase the amount and freeness of global trade. I can understand
why the French hate globalization, because it hurts their
social-welfare economic model (even though that's a short-sighted
strategy). I can understand why the unions hate globalization,
because it means less jobs for their members in the short-term (never
mind that it means more jobs for their members in the long-term).

But the anti-WTO crowd, I'm assuming, wants to make sure poorer
countries and smaller companies don't get squashed by richer countries
and bigger companies. But the more trade there is and the freer it
is, the better chance poorer countries and smaller companies have of
succeeding. Restricting trade or putting all sorts of regulations on
it only drives out those the anti-WTO would seem to be lobbying for.

If you really want to look out for poorer countries and smaller
companies, you should be coming alongside the WTO. Of course not to
carte blanche agree with everything they're doing. But rather to make
sure their work in increasing the amount and freeness of global trade
is going down in the right way such that everyone's getting their fair
share. For example, channel that passion towards helping the WTO talk
down richer countries who give into political pressure and prop up
their farmers with subsidies that make it impossible for farmers in
poorer countries to compete.

Why protest the WTO when you can work with them and accomplish more
effectively what it is you're passionate about in the first place?

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