Last week, Seattle, Washington saw one of the biggest protests since the 1970s. Thousands gathered to voice their discontent with the WTO, or World Trade Organization.

The WTO is a non-governmental organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, that oversees international trade. The WTO uses both legislative and judicial power, unrestricted by national boundaries, to facilitate free trade. One of the most frequent responsibilities of the WTO is mandating the elimination of trade barriers upheld by individual nations. The WTO will take legislative and/or judicial action against any nation that inhibits the proliferation of global free trade.

Trade is an ancient human activity, and one out of which much of our culture and society has grown. However, never before has it been conducted on such a grand scale. Because of the macroeconomic disparities between developed countries such as the U.S. and developing countries, free trade is often neither fair nor sustainable.

For example, some countries want to restrict the importation of foreign agricultural products for economic, health or ethical reasons, but they are prohibited from doing so by the WTO. And because there are now so many foreign-owned corporations operating in every country, once the trade barriers are dismantled, the controversial product becomes available in foreign-owned business.

The most relevant effect of free trade on the economy here in midcoast Maine and other similar economic landscapes may be on industry and labor. The elimination of trade restrictions or tariffs on foreign imports means that large corporations will often move their manufacturing businesses to other countries where there are fewer regulations on labor and working conditions.

This means that instead of paying Maine adults a living wage, a corporation will relocate somewhere that still allows child labor, thereby significantly cutting costs. The product is then shipped back to the U.S. at a huge profit; this profit rarely filters down to the workforce, but is rather siphoned off into the corporate coffers.

Free trade has become the economic gospel of the 20th century, and shows only signs of becoming more- so. However, any economic system that either reduces the authority of individual nations and the communities they represent or that takes jobs away from families is neither just nor sustainable, and should not be accepted without careful consideration.

To learn more about some of the arguments against unfettered free trade and global market capitalism, visit the following Websites:

http://www.stw.org/html/ufe_at_the_wto.html www.seattle99.org http://EatTheState.org http://www.globalizethis.org/home2.html

or contact The Morris Farm at 207-882-8017 or write (Madeline B. Cantwell) P.O. Box 136, Wiscasset, ME. 04578.