According the highly perceptive Andrew Alexander, Fair Trade is subject to the immutable Law of Unintended Consequences.Even if he is only partially correct, it would appear that what, on the surface seems a truly excellent way of helping poor in the Third World, is actually working to the detriment of the very poorest..
Oh dear. I do hope he is wrong but suspect that we could be looking once again at a scenario similar to the damage done by simply giving aid to poor nations which made their problems significantly worse. It took aid charities decades to get the point.
If AA is correct, a way out of this must be found sooner than later.
[You do not want to hear what I would like to do to those who use Fair Trade as an easy means for profiteering!]
Read the link below to follow the worrying logic.
LINK: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/columnists/columnists.html?in_article_id=495808&in_page_id=1772&in_author_id=248
