Globalize This!: The Battle Against the World Trade Organization

by Kevin Danaher, Roger Burbach

A powerful argument against the World Trade Organization and the movement toward globalization in general. Contains contributions from some of the leaders in the movement, including Walden Bello, the Environmental Research Foundation, Deborah James, and Paul Hawken. Softcover.

Genres: Politics

218 pages, Paperback

First published January 15, 2000

Reviews

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of essays is a pretty good reader on both what happened on the ground at the 1999 Seattle protest against the WTO as well as into the activities of the WTO itself. I would recommend it much more than the other similar piece I read, Ale Cockburn and Jeff St. Clair's "Five Days That Shook the World." Whereas Cockburn and St. Clair mostly just rampantly criticized other activists with whom they disagreed, these essays provide constructive approaches to responding to problems present in the activist community at the WTO as well as further suggestions for dealing with the WTO itself.

The book does presume a bit of previous knowledge on the WTO. You can tell that it was printed almost immediately after; strong familiarity with the news coverage of the protests is also sort of assumed. But I sort of enjoyed reading about the protests from a pre-9/11 perspective - there's so much hope about the ability of working people to challenge those corporate and government structures which are harmful, and a lot of that hope and enthusiasm is definitely waning in post-9/11 reflections about the importance of what happened in Seattle. (There's good reason for that; since 9/11 the government has been doing a lot to label non-violent civil disobedience as a terrorist tactic, and even when it's against corporations and not against the state.)

Anyhow, it's a good read, I think especially if you're like me and at the time of the protests were in junior high or early high school, and so have vague memories of the hype around the event but perhaps weren't paying attention to the issues very much.

[Steven H · Rating 5 out of 5]

ESSAYS ABOUT THE "BATTLE OF SEATTLE" AND ITS AFTERMATH

The editors wrote in the Introduction to the 2000 edition of this book, "This book is designed to be a tool in the struggle to democratize the global economy. It provides an analysis of what actually happened in Seattle, in stark contrast to the partial and distorted version presented in the corporate media. We also address many of the questions that now confront the movement: how do we bridge divisions of race, class, gender and nationality... We conclude the book with resources and ways you can get involved in this historic movement." (Pg. 11)

They also note, "There were actually two battles in Seattle. The unity of the opposition movement in the streets exacerbated the disunity among the elites inside the WTO conference." (Pg. 8)

One essayist notes that under WTO agreements, child labor, prison labor, forced labor, and substandard wages and working conditions "cannot be used as a basis to discriminate against goods. Nor can environmental destruction, habitat loss, toxic waste production, and the presence of transgenic materials or synthetic hormones be used as the basis to screen or stop goods from entering a country." (Pg. 17-18) Another argues that we must be free to give preferences to products that "have not been made by children or semi-slaves." (Pg. 57)

Concerning the violence that broke out, one essayist states, "There was almost none until police attacked demonstrators..." The UK environmental minister said that the Seattle Police Department "single-handedly managed turn a peaceful protest into a riot." The writer adds, "In the end, more copy and video was given to broken windows than broken teeth." (Pg. 24) Starhawk commented in her essay, "when we chanted, 'The whole world is watching!' we were telling the truth... (but) Most of what has been written is so inaccurate, that I can't decide if the reporters ... should be charged with conspiracy or incompetence." (Pg. 35)

One writer perceptively notes the "direct connection" between the elimination of millions of jobs here, and the exportation of jobs "into countries without unions, environmental and safety standards." (Pg. 83) Vandana Shiva observes dryly, "Globalization is not like a bicycle; we can get off bicycles." (Pg. 120)

This is a very useful and enlightening collection for anyone interested in the WTO and other globalization protests.

[Loki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read, a lot of stuff I didn't know.

[Soph Nova · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up after finishing a campaign because I wanted to read a movement history published shortly after a huge victory to hear the perspective of folks that feel like they're winning. This was simultaneously thrilling to hear stories, tactics, and critiques from folks at the high point of a movement, and terrifying because we've fallen so far behind while facing such huger odds now 17 years later.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first glimpses into the significance of the 1999 WTO protests in Seattle, and what we're really up against. Includes many perspectives, gives a nice general overview of the problem(s) and proposed actions/solutions. Very thought provoking.

[molly]

A good mix of personal accounts, informative essays, and calls to action. Now I feel a little more prepared for the upcoming 10th anniversary of the Seattle WTO protests.