Re: MARX ON THE FTAA

[Jim Farmelant <farmelantj@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Marx gave provisional support to free trade back in the 1840s as a way
for
spurring industrialization, thereby leading to a more rapid development
of the forces of production, an expansion of the size and strength of
the proletariat, and thus an intensification of the contradictions of
capitalism.  Marx supported the repeal of the Corn Laws in Britain.
However, none of this implies that Marx would necessarily support
"free trade"  in out time as prepresented by FTAA, GATT, or NAFTA,
which after all constitutes quite a different stage in the development of
capitalism.
in the development of capitalism and where "free trade" is a weapon for
pitting workers of different nations against each other.

Jim F.

On Fri, 20 Apr 2001 12:16:35 -0400 Xxxx Xxxxxx <xxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
writes:
>
> At 10:46 AM 4/20/01 -0400, you wrote:
> > >MARX ON THE FTAA
> > >
> > >More than 150 years before NAFTA and the FTAA (Free Trade Area of
> the
> > >Americas--the focus of the demonstrations now taking place in
> Quebec
> > >City), Karl Marx analyzed the significance of "free trade" in a
> way that
> > >is entirely relevant today.  Here are brief excerpts from a
> speech he
> > >delivered in Brussels on Jan. 9, 1848.
> > >
> > >Jack Smith
> >
> >Jack, this is interesting. Although I never actually checked what
> Marx
> >wrote on the topic before, Doug Henwood argued that Marx was
> "pro-free
> >trade" in 1848, even if "perversely so". In light of what you
> posted, this
> >seems like a misrepresentation:
> >
> >          At 12:17 PM 5/8/96, DOUG ORR wrote:
> >
> >         >I have a student who is working on a "pro and con" paper
> on NAFTA
> >and GATT.
> >         >She wants to find Web sites for both sides of the issue.
> Does
> >anyone know
> >         >of any?
> >
> >         For a perversely pro argument, try Marx's 1848 speech on
> free trade.
> >
> >         Doug
>
> I guess Doug has not fully read Marx's statement in 1848, saying:
>
> "If the free-traders cannot understand how one nation can grow rich
> at
> the expense of another, we need not wonder, since these same
> gentlemen
> also refuse to understand how within one country one class can
> enrich
> itself at the expense of another."
>
>
> bye, Xxxx
>
> >         --
> >
> >         Doug Henwood
> >         Left Business Observer
> >         250 W 85 St
> >         New York NY 10024-3217
> >         USA
> >         +1-212-874-4020 voice
> >         +1-212-874-3137 fax
> >         email: <dhenwood@xxxxxxxxx>
> >         web: <http://www.panix.com/~dhenwood/LBO_home.html>
> >
> >Louis Proyect
> >Marxism mailing list: http://www.marxmail.org
>
> ---
> Xxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx
> Ph.D student
> SUNY at Albany
> Nelson A. Rockefeller College
> Department of Political Science
> 135 Western Avenue, Milne 102
> Albany, NY, 12222
>
>
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