The Fair Trade Scandal: Marketing Poverty to Benefit the Rich

by Ndongo Sylla

The Fair Trade Scandal takes aim at an a consumer movement which many assume to be entirely benign. Through a razor-sharp analysis based on insider knowledge, Ndongo Sylla shows that there is a big gap between the rhetoric of fair trade and its practical results.

Sylla shows empirically that Fair Trade excludes those who need it the most and that its benefits are essentially captured by the wealthiest groups in the supply chain. Based on his experience of working for Fairtrade International Sylla shows the flaws in the Fair Trade system which compromise its ethical mission.

The Fair Trade Scandal is both a provocative and deeply informative exploration of the Fair Trade phenomenon, suitable for specialists and non-specialists alike.

Genres: Nonfiction, Economics, Poverty

224 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2014

Reviews

[Darjeeling · Rating 5 out of 5]

The wokest book I have ever read. #Woke

[Matthew Smithies · Rating 5 out of 5]

Comprehensive history and breakdown of fair trade and how it is positioned in the world economy.
The author gives a balanced look at the ins and outs of fair trade. The narration of the audiobook version is clear though very draining to listen to when no pauses are taken between paragraphs/chapters.

[Scott Goddard · Rating 4 out of 5]

An insightful and cogent exposition on how the Fairtrade initiative is not as foolproof and impervious to the alluring influences of Neoliberal theory as one might expect, and that, rather than being the laudable poverty-alleviator, like the Western media purports it to be, it is in fact inhibitive to the eradication of immiseration widespread in the developing sphere. Of course, important to note, the author is not going out of his way to personally destroy the obviously meritorious nature of the Fairtrade movement. Rather, what he convincingly shows is that particular specificities are not conducive to the core ethos of the movement (tackling abject poverty), and thus are in urgent need of being addressed and corrected.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Contrary to the title, this book is actually a triumph for Fair Trade, in my mind at least. I read it for my master's dissertation on Fair Trade coffee. It explains the history behind contemporary socioeconomic inequalities and various arguments against the practice of Fair Trade. Sylla has a background in the industry and does not shy away from discussing the pitfalls of the development model such as fees, certification blunders, the idea of commodifying poverty, the purity of capitalism, etc. Overall, I think its an excellent read, especially if you are interested in history and economics. Definitely worth buying -- I'm sure I will read it again.