Fair Trade
According to Dragusanu et al. (2014), Fair trade refers to an institutional arrangement that helps producers from developing countries to attain trading conditions that are better. It advocates for higher pay for exporters and also improved environmental and social standards. Fair trade focuses on products and commodities from developing countries exported to developed nations as well as consumed in domestic markets such as Bangladesh, India, and Brazil, such as gold, flowers, chocolate, fruit, coffee, handicrafts, and sugar, among others. Fair trade promotes greater international trading partners’ equity through transparency, dialogue, and respect. Sustainable development is also a key factor in better conditions of trading and securing developing countries’ workers and producers’ rights. Producers are unified with consumers, promote equal distribution of wealth, and promote sustainable development through purchasing products from developing countries (Bacon, 2010; Wheelan, 2010). Hire our assignment writing services in case your assignment is devastating you.
Fair trade, though non-egalitarian, is more balanced than free trade. From the readings (Bonello & Lobo, 2015), free trade is where two or more countries have a bilateral agreement that allows for the importation and exportation of goods in an unrestricted manner. While fair trade aims at protecting the worker while also providing a fair living wage, in a global context, it makes things more expensive, while free trade makes them cheaper. Fair trade ensures workers earn more, while free trade results in less earnings for workers. So, although free trade results in a cheaper price for the consumer, the collective lesser income is what consumers have to use in buying cheap products.
What kind of global economy would Jesus advocate for? In my opinion, I believe it would be a fair trade setting. Jesus was an advocate of loving our neighbors as ourselves as well as being just with one another. Micah 6:8, God requires that man is to practice justice, love, and kindness. A laborer should be paid what is just, and that is what fair trade does. Leviticus 25:14 ‘And if you sell to your neighbour or buy from your neighbour, you shall not wrong one another.’
References
Bacon, C. M. (2010). Who decides what is fair in fair trade? The agri-environmental governance of standards, access, and price. The journal of peasant studies, 37(1), 111-147.
Bonello, F., & Lobo, I. (2015). Taking sides: Clashing views on economic issues (16th ed.). Is a Fair Trade Policy Superior to a Free Trade Policy?
Dragusanu, R., Giovannucci, D., & Nunn, N. (2014). The economics of fair trade. Journal of economic perspectives, 28(3), 217-36.
Wheelan, C. (2010). Naked economics: Undressing the dismal science.
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Question
Fair Trade
Discussion Prompt: Free Trade vs. Fair Trade
Readings:
- Wheelan, C. (2010). Naked economics: Undressing the dismal science.
- Chapter 9: Keeping Score
- Chapter 11: International Economics
- Chapter 12: Trade and Globalization
- Bonello, F., & Lobo, I. (2015). Taking sides: Clashing views on economic issues (16th ed.).
- 1 Is a Fair Trade Policy Superior to a Free Trade Policy?
Read the case “Free Trade vs. Fair Trade” in our Taking Sides text. (Make sure you have also read Ch. 12 in the Wheelan text for an understanding of free trade.) Then read Deuteronomy 24:14-15 and Leviticus 19:13 .
In the debate on free trade (low barriers to trade) vs. protectionism (high barriers to trade), countries must determine how open their borders will be. The debate on free trade vs. fair trade takes that concept one step further.
First of all, define “fair trade” and explain how it is a completely different concept than free trade. Once we understand how the goal of fair trade is to provide a fair living wage and protect the worker, we see that there is a justice issue as well as a difference in philosophies involved. What does scripture have to say about this topic?
Notes:
- I need help with the discussion topic I included the readings for the assignment. Thank you