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michaelbaez

Listed below are comments made by michaelbaez between Wednesday, 4th June 2008 and Wednesday, 4th June 2008.

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Food on the agenda 06:45am on 04 Jun 2008 Freeborn-John: Your first point that claims Eu subsidies drive food prices up in local supermarkets and, your second point, about how it does not allow African farmers to "earn a living", contradict each other. Neoliberal trade thinkers say EU agricultural subsidies drive food prices downward, which may very well be the case, however, claiming that as a result EU subsidies make it harder for African farmers to earn a living is a dubious assumption. There are a number of factors that prohibit African farmers to compete in the global market, not just EU and American agricultural subsidies, and even suggesting the EU should drop a very controversial and pivotal domestic policy and substitute it as a (ineffective) foreign aid policy is ludicrous. National governments should serve the interest of its people, therefore if liberalizing certain industries and protecting fragile pivotal industries maximizes the interest of the country, then it should be done. Neoliberal trade theory is too sweeping, and lazily used as a one size fit all remedy, when in reality, only bits and pieces of it seem useful. In any case, i commend Mardell for posting yesterday's piece as a counter to what was posted this time.

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