In The News

Capitalism Under Fire

William Pfaff March 30, 2006
Mass demonstrations in France over a relatively minor change in employment policy reflect a deeper and unrealized anxiety about changes occurring over several generations in the international model of capitalism. A recent international opinion poll reports that 74% of Chinese believe the free-enterprise, free-market system is the outstanding option among economic models, while only 36% of French...

Trade With China Primes Cuba’s Engine for Change

Marc Frank March 29, 2006
Despite geographic distance, Cuba has opted to work with Chinese manufacturers for revamping railway cars, buses, trucks and cars. Currently, China-Cuba industrial links include trade in domestic appliances and oil rigs, as well as port-equipment to eventually handle future trade in communications, electronics and precious metals. Chinese products, affordable and reliable, prove extremely...

Free Trade, Minus the Warmth and the Longing

Maria Golia March 28, 2006
Egyptian businessmen once anticipated the free-trade agreement (FTA) with the US as an opportunity to decentralize and privatize the economy. However, the Egyptian cabinet already embraces entrepreneurship and reform, and with FTA negotiations failing, the agreement increasingly seems redundant. This has resulted in high-level disagreements between the Egyptian and US governments, thus rendering...

French MPs Say Song Downloads Must Work on Any Player

Angelique Chrisafis March 27, 2006
France has rejected any monopoly in the music download market, requiring that downloads be accessible to any type of digital player. The legislation would be a blow to Apple’s online music, ITunes, which dominates the global online music market and can only be played on the Apple iPod. The decision reflects a growing sentiment among French politicians against foreign domination of any sector of...

A Floundering WTO – Part II

Balakrishnan Rajagopal March 23, 2006
The goal for the Doha Round of WTO talks is to ease trade for developing nations and eliminate poverty. But the 150 members of the WTO have failed to reach agreements that would lower barriers for small and developing nations. In the second of this two-part series about the WTO, MIT professor Balakrishnan Rajagopal describes the world as more divided than ever before, with relatively successful...

Is Globalization Stealing EU Jobs?

March 23, 2006
Increasingly, Europe finds itself struggling to answer the question of how it can simultaneously endorse free trade and preserve traditional industries and the jobs associated with them. In an age of inexpensive Asian imports, outsourcing, and bids for corporate takeovers from foreign entities, Europe is understandably worried about the effects of globalization on its job base. Europe’s...

Immigration Debate Heats Up

Darryl Fears March 22, 2006
About 12 million immigrants live and work illegally in the United States, according to a recent study by the Pew Hispanic Center. As the US Senate debates tough new laws restricting illegal immigration, a coalition of activists who support immigration – including unions like the AFL-CIO, religious groups like Catholic Bishops and business organizations like the US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce –...