Brewing Justice: Fair Trade Coffee, Sustainability, and Survival

by Daniel Jaffee

Fair trade is a fast-growing alternative market intended to bring better prices and greater social justice to small farmers around the world. But is it working? This vivid study of coffee farmers in Mexico offers the first thorough investigation of the social, economic, and environmental benefits of fair trade. Based on extensive research in Zapotec indigenous communities in the state of Oaxaca, Brewing Justice follows the members of the cooperative Michiza, whose organic coffee is sold on the international fair trade market. It compares these families to conventional farming families in the same region, who depend on local middlemen and are vulnerable to the fluctuations of the world coffee market. Written in a clear and accessible style, the book carries readers into the lives of these coffee producer households and their communities, offering a nuanced analysis of both the effects of fair trade on everyday life and the limits of its impact. Brewing Justice paints a clear picture of the complex dynamics of the fair trade market and its relationship to the global economy. Drawing on interviews with dozens of fair trade leaders, the book also explores the changing politics of this international movement, including the challenges posed by the entry of transnational corporations into the fair trade system. It concludes by offering recommendations for strengthening and protecting the integrity of fair trade.

Genres: Nonfiction, Sociology, Anthropology, Sustainability

331 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[Yeomyung Yoon · Rating 5 out of 5]

The scale of his research and the fundamental questions the book addresses tackle the inequalities in Mexico as exacerbated by the global market. In the first half of his book, Jaffee focuses on the villages of Yagavila and Teotlasco in the state of Oaxaca, the most socially and economically marginalized areas in the nation. This is the setting for a case study on the impact that Michiva—the indigenous coffee-producer organization—has on small indigenous peasant farmers. Jaffee delves into understanding how coffee farming, more specifically fair-trade organizations in the midst of the coffee price crisis, have influenced families’ lives. Furthermore, the premise of this book, a critique of the global market system, requires him to look at global connections between giant corporations, little corporations, and small coffee producers in Mexico as well as their relationships to fair trade. In doing so, Jaffee is able to evaluate global capitalism as well as current fair trade. Although his rigorous study on local community members in Mexico showed that fair trade does not necessarily make small producers’ lives much easier, Jaffee sees fair trade as “a valuable and forward thinking alternative to the unregulated and insensitive conventional markets driven by purely economic incentives.” While fair trade is a voluntary system in this neoliberal world, which means it gives producers, corporations, consumers a choice to enter or not, Jaffee asserts that in order for fair trade to be able to replace our market system, voluntary organizations need to have definite principles and pursue them without yielding to multinational corporations.

One of the key issues left unexplored in Brewing Justice is the stratification and class conflict that emerge with the segmentation of the local labor market into fair trade and conventional producers. This is an issue that needs to be addressed. Can fair trade become a means to make all trade fair? The power dynamics at play are too complicated and the international intricacies too convoluted to envision a complete answer as of yet. But it seems as though the direction of fair trade is to build upon our market system to make it fairer. Then, people who have more access to fair trade, like large corporations, can become fairer and bigger. Therefore, stratification and class struggle will prevail due to the structure that upholds them. Also, Jaffee does not explicitly include the consumer in this whole picture. He frequently uses consumers and activists interchangeably without addressing the fact that fair trade is neither desirable to everyone nor accessible to everyone. Lastly, I wish he paid more attention to why the fair trade and organic food movements are so intertwined. Organic food is expensive compared to inorganic, mass-produced food. It is also healthier and better for the environment. In a similar vein, fair trade products are more expensive but arguably better produced and more ethically made. This also exacerbates class difference as people with money can consume better and more ethically grown food whereas people without have to settle for food of poorer quality.

Despite its shortcomings, the strength of Brewing Justice lies in showing how multifaceted the issue is. It carries enormous amount of information with in-depth field research in Mexico to following the commodity chain coffee all the way to certifier and breweries in the United States. More importantly, it is the critique of our social structure, especially capitalism and neoliberalism.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read a piece of it for a paper but finished the book cus it was interesting 😂

[Eileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very interesting discussion of fair trade, and the pros and cons of developing alternative markets vs mainstreaming fair trade in exisiting markets. Jaffee highlights the very significant limits to fair trade, while also making clear that producers do (marginally) benefit even as much (but not all) of fair trade remains a top-down, neo-colonial system. His arguments in favour of improving fair trade are compelling.
While an academic book, it is well written and very readable.

[Nichole · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an extremely interesting book which shed light on the fair-trade coffee situation in Mexico. Written from more of a sociological standpoint rather than an anthropological one, this ethnography relates the trials and tribulations of those from a lens pulled back further still than what I would have liked. It would have been wonderful if Jaffee had really gotten to know individual members of the community a little more.

[carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

very thorough and careful analysis of the fair trade industry in the global south, specifically in mexico. the sections on the c price and the unethical role investors play in coffee markets for profit in particular were so, so eye-opening and... absolutely inhumane. the book was a bit dry and dense at times with all the statistics which made it hard to get through though

[Zygmunt Osiecki · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book highlights the incredible division between coffee production and the global markets. Economically, the production of Fair Trade coffee does little to satiate the fears of another crisis for these villagers. The endless stream of production costs associated with Fair Trade, such as inspection fees, and certifications negates the benefit of this form of production. In terms of sustainability this book offers a great chapter on identifying the benefit of organic, Fair Trade coffee production, though in relation to the overall cost it may prove pointless.

The goals of Fair Trade organizations are admirable; however, these organizers are attempting to promote social justice through symbiotic means. Maintaining the fight within an inherently corrupt system which has caused the problem in the first place will have little hope of ever gaining ground. This in depth analysis of the problem provides only temporary solutions in addressing these grievances.

[Yochi]

for all those fair trade movement junkies like me!

this book is an excellent in-description of the benefits and drawbacks of alternative trade markets. it also has a wonderful analysis of inter-movement politics between NGOs, the certifying organizations, business pioneers and producers.

if you're into promoting fair trade products and want to see the movement continue to do good for the farmers of the world, check this book out.

if you're just looking for a simple what is fair trade book, this is not for you.

[Lorina]

The history and economics of fair trade. That we don't have to believe what has been taught that the free market is the best market. We can enter into the paralel market that gives 3rd world farmers a chance to make a fair living.
Still reading, so still deciding on all of this.

[HiThero · Rating 4 out of 5]

Explains the concepts of free trade vs. fair trade very well and gives realistic accounts of the countries and situations where these tensions are realised.

[Erin]

pg. 105

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting book on fair trade coffee. The theory, methods, and data in this book have been extremely helpful in guiding my understanding of the topic. A good sociological work.