Re: MARX ON THE FTAA

["Xxxx Xxxxxx" <xxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

----------
> From: Jim Farmelant <farmelantj@xxxxxxxx>
> To: marxism@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: MARX ON THE FTAA
> Date: Friday, April 20, 2001 1:01 PM
>
> 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.

None of Marx's _actual_ statements back in the 1840s suggest that he gave
uncritical support to free trade (even in the name of developing the forces
of production)


>Marx supported the repeal of the Corn Laws in Britain.

He also said that Ireland needed protectionism.


> 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.

True.

---
Xxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Ph.D Student
Department of Political Science
SUNY at Albany
Nelson A. Rockefeller College
135 Western Ave.; Milne 102
Albany, NY 12222


> 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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