Fair Trade and Governance

Public reasoning, explains Sen, is key in advancing justice.  The ability for all people – producers, consumers, institutions, and governments  - to openly discuss ideas brings greater understanding and justice.  Unfair labor conditions, fluctuating production schedules, women’s time constraints, consumer caution in light of mis-information, all can be openly shared and debated in a global forum through public reasoning.  By working together and hearing voices not easily heard, more understanding and appreciation of each others’ situations is created leading to a much more effective resolution of injustice than a code of laws, for example, and coercive legislation could achieve.  Discussion takes time and space and value needs to be lent to this.

Public reasoning is also dependent upon free and open media.  Free and open media has been greatly compromised in the US (and globally) through media consolidation, the ownership of the press by a few large corporations, the influence of advertising in news, a decline the quality of news, and a lack of diversity in reporters and news covered.  What was once called propaganda is now presented as facts.  This has resulted in a misinformed and complacent public, greater consumer mistrust, and an inability of people (especially minority people) to engage in meaningful public reasoning.  The quality of life in the US has declined due to a lack of personal freedoms associated with the loss of the free press.  Though it seems that new electronic and social media would fill the gap that the US’s compromised press left, there is a lack of cohesion and accuracy in this model too.  It is also not accessible by all.  Sen stressed that justice needs public reasoning.  New ways in which for this to take place on a meaningful, global and local scale need to be explored.

Fair Trade institutions, is was previously noted, can not bring justice on their own.  Government and consumers also need to be involved.  Bolivia created (with CAN) their own Fair Trade (Comercio Justo) guidelines which are similar to, but go further than, those being promoted by Fair Trade institutions today.  CAN Comercio Justo compliments the values of Suma Qamana, (well living) adopted into the Bolivian (and Ecuadorian) constitution. Suma Qamana focus on living in harmony with nature and each other in a shared, non competitive, environment.  It compliments the concept of Solidarty Economy which began in South America and is being rapidly embraced by countries around the world.  Fair Trade is part to of Comercio Justo which is part of Suma Qamana which is part of Soldiarity Economy – they are all complimentary, interrelated, and international.  This resonates with the indigenous way of being, where complex relationships and an openness for collaboration are key values.  It is networks like these which create expansiveness, public reasoning, diversity and lead, according to Sen’s interpretations, to a greater realization of justice. 

The CAN Comercio Justo goes further than western Fair Trade institutions in defining Fair Trade.  They include the important requirement for reciprocity which was missing in the western model.  This means that openness and transparency must be shared amongst producers and retailers and that a place for dialogue, discussion, and mutual benefit be built into the trade relationship.  CAN Comercio Justo also includes more specific language about the environment, granting human rights to the Pachamama (earth mother goddess).  These rights include the right against pollution, genetically modified products, exploitation and the protection of the creatures and plants which are a part of her.  Note: The Bolivian constitution also grants human rights to Mother Earth.  The United Nations recently adopted Bolivia’s language, renaming Earth Day as Mother Earth Day, recognizing the Pachamama (United Nations, 2010).

The ideas of CAN Comercio Justo and the work of Solidarity Economy, though promising in the study of justice, are still new.   It will be interesting to continue to study their implementation and impact to see how they unfold over time.