Conclusion:
So, Which of these two organizations, the international terrorist organization, or the multinational corporation, does the greatest harm to the sovereignty of the Nation State? While it wouldn’t be accurate to claim that a terrorist organization strengthens the Nation State, it is clear that the Nation State will weather the attacks of the jihadists. Meanwhile the erosive nature of MNCs cause manifold crises of power for the Nation State- from political and economic pressures to bend laws to their will, the wanton disregard of law in the name of profit, and the globe trotting manner in which these corporations seek profits with no loyalty to any state makes the MNC of today a force on par with the British East India Company- and companies like Black Water, Halliburton and Bechtel already closely parallel the British East India Company today.
Which of these two organizations has the widest negative impact on human life, the ecosystem, and social stability? American and the international community is already engaged in a multi-pronged effort to defeat and destroy terrorism. The unnecessary loss of innocent life is a crime no matter how it occurs. That states sponsor, protect and ignore multinationals who cause the deaths of innocents across the world is despicable. That MNCs are allowed to run amok and create generational crises by devastating environments and habitats is equally criminal.
In the end, terrorists will always exist. Their numbers will be small, they will kill innocents across the world, and in whatever just and rational means are available, they should be sought out and brought to justice. But one of the gravest threats to world stability today, much graver than terrorism, is the unchecked power of multinational corporations. If the Nation States of the world do not step up, environments will be ruined, millions will have starved to death or died of preventable diseases, and it won’t be a handful of lunatics with the blood on their hands. It will be everyone who participates in this system of economic exploitation.
“The most powerful statement against terrorism would be for governments of the rich nations to redress the deep inequities in the trade system and reverse the marginalization of poorer countries. The WTO’s current configuration makes this impossible, and extending its work into new areas of the global economy will only make matters worse.
A matter of perspective helps. On September 11, 3000 people died in the towers as a result of terrorism. On the same day, 24,000 people died of hunger, 6,020 children were killed by diarrhoea, and 2,700 children were killed by measles.”
A matter of perspective helps. On September 11, 3000 people died in the towers as a result of terrorism. On the same day, 24,000 people died of hunger, 6,020 children were killed by diarrhoea, and 2,700 children were killed by measles.”
-(faux) WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION (WTO), trade liberalization statistics report
6 This is an incredibly candid and critical analysis of the neoliberal policies the WTO and GATT embraced for much of the last three decades, published BY THE WTO. The abstract really says it all:
“Studies such as those from which the following facts are culled demonstrate that current trade liberalization rules and policies have led to increased poverty and inequality, and have eroded democratic principles, with a disporportionately [sic] large negative effect on the poorest countries. It is such studies that have provided the impetus for restructuring the WTO as the TRO.”
Has the WTO begun to rethink its neoliberal agenda? No, it hasn’t, the page is a hoax, but the statistics are real.
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