FIRST AND FOREMOST -

to make global trade "Free" and "Fair", the wealthy (mostly western) economies and companies have to stop supporting unfair, unreasonable and inhuman worker treatment as though slavery was globally legal and accepted.

Apart from being utterly wrong to all, the existence of some sections of the global economy that have workers who are willing to work for near nothing means that workers and manufacturing has become almost non-existent in the west. This means that every worker in the west has work in service and/or specialty sectors (hence the massive unemployment since low-skilled work is ALL gone to Asia).

Besides, what will happen if and when all the poorest Chinese and Indians become more powerful and educated (like happened in Japan and S. Korea in last 60 years) and refuses to be worker slaves? Will we simply shift manufacture-slave-land over to Africa next? What about after that?

To ADD -

Free Trade seems to imply an "open" environment in which almost everything can possible occur.

However, the economists who espouse the notion should remember their history, such that in the west (UK specifically with Industrial revolution etc.) the idea of a Liberalist economy and society and culture implies and requires that the culture in general adhere to a respect of all individual people, their rights and their well-being. This further implies that the liberalist Millean "non-Harm principle" espoused by all liberalists of the day like Locke and Hume and smAITH AND Mill, be a wide-spread reality governing the bounds of this "freedom".

This basis respect for others and belief in universal equality is what allows such a society to function, as without this principle the society would fall into chaos, the war of ALL AGAINST ALL (state of war or NATURE).

NOW, in economic terms a FREE MARKET is not possible without some type of all-pervading "non-HAMR principle" holding people globally to adhere to human rights etc..

But because most of the world has not yet developed to a cultural stage which includes equality and universal freedom and respect for life, a "non-Harm" mechanism IS NOT present in a global market. Predominantly this is due to a general and widespread lack of comprehension of the notion that ALL people are EQUAL and respect should be afforded to ALL unconditionally, this makes it impossible for any true free market globally

Matthew S
The problem is precisely that you have not defined, and cannot define, this non-harm principle to consist of anything other than not aggressing against person or property.

You cannot define the difference between the market rate, for example for wages, and the fair rate in any given case, by any rational criterion. So you're talking nonsense that does not make sense in theory, and therefore cannot make sense in practice.

Do you treat other people equally?

Jardine K. Jardine,

Clearly something is up.

Have I touched a nerve?

For you to even ask and mention that the "non-harm principle" has not and likely cannot be defined is just silly, and irresponsible to pretend in this lie whilst real people remain in this world right now under these slavery condition.

Common sense can define it for us, and the west has managed to construct pretty good legal systems which make serious attempts to uphold these principles of equality for all (in fair treatment) and respect and freedom of voice for all, etc.

Surely you and anyone knows that all is meant by espousing human rights and fundamental equalities to the global community is just what I said.

Western society still has a long way to go to overcome the inherent gaps from inheritance and class distinctions which themselves create enormous unfair gaps of equality.

BUT, in places like Asia and other third-world cultures, forget the concerns we have in our country, the gravity of the sheer inequity and indecency and denial of human respect/life is so enormous that it must take precedence over our own inequities.

Or at least, we can work on both in tandem.

WHY WOULD YOU BE ANGRY WITH MY ARGUMENTS? WHAT POSSIBLE REASON?