What happened to the free market paradigm?

  • Context: News 
  • Thread starter Thread starter Dissident Dan
  • Start date Start date
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the implications of economic policies implemented in Iraq post-war, particularly regarding seed ownership and the influence of transnational corporations like Monsanto. Participants explore the broader themes of free market principles, government intervention, and the impact on local farmers and food sovereignty.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express concern that new legislation in Iraq prevents farmers from saving seeds, effectively transferring control to corporations, which they view as detrimental to food security and sovereignty.
  • Others mention similar practices in other countries, suggesting a broader trend of corporate control over agriculture.
  • One participant recounts a personal anecdote about genetically engineered plants that do not allow for seed regrowth, attributing this to corporate strategies.
  • Some participants argue that the economic policies in Iraq, particularly privatization and job losses, contradict the stated goals of promoting democracy and freedom.
  • A few participants engage in a back-and-forth regarding the political implications of these policies, with some attributing blame to "liberals" while others argue that both political sides can enact similar policies for financial gain.
  • One participant challenges the accuracy of the claims made about seed saving laws, referencing specific legislation and suggesting that the interpretation may be distorted.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of views, with no clear consensus on the implications of the policies discussed. Disagreements arise regarding the interpretation of legislation and the motivations behind corporate practices.

Contextual Notes

There are references to specific legislation (Order 81) and anecdotal evidence regarding seed regrowth, but the discussion does not resolve the complexities surrounding these issues or the accuracy of claims made about them.

Dissident Dan
Messages
244
Reaction score
1
http://www.vegsource.com/articles2/iraq_seeds.htm
As part of sweeping "economic restructuring" implemented by the Bush Administration in Iraq, Iraqi farmers will no longer be permitted to save their seeds. Instead, they will be forced to buy seeds from US corporations -- which can include seeds the Iraqis themselves developed over hundreds of years. That is because in recent years, transnational corporations have patented and now own many seed varieties originated or developed by indigenous peoples. In a short time, Iraq will be living under the new American credo: Pay Monsanto, or starve.

...

A new report [1] by GRAIN and Focus on the Global South has found that new legislation in Iraq has been carefully put in place by the US that prevents farmers from saving their seeds and effectively hands over the seed market to transnational corporations. This is a disastrous turn of events for Iraqi farmers, biodiversity and the country's food security. While political sovereignty remains an illusion, food sovereignty for the Iraqi people has been made near impossible by these new regulations.

Why do governmetn and business "leaders" love to extoll the virtues of the "Free market" why actually promoting vicious, draconian restrictions? Isn't this extortion of the most sinister degree?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
In a word: Liberals.
 
We were just talking about this in anthropology class today - except the teacher was talking about the same thing going on in other Third World countries. She didn't mention Iraq. I'll have to send her this link. Thanks.

She told us another interesting story about Montsanto. A few years ago, her neighbor was growing basil plants on her patio and she saved the seeds. She decided to replant the seeds and grow new plants on her patio, but out of the seven pots she planted them in, only two grew full mature plants. The other five just sprouted and died.

She thought this was strange so she asked her brother, who has a PhD in agriculture, about it. He said that Montsanto had genetically engineered many plants to prevent people from being able to regrow new plants from their seeds. I was stunned.
 
Math Is Hard said:
He said that Montsanto had genetically engineered many plants to prevent people from being able to regrow new plants from their seeds. I was stunned.


That is what i call a free market strategy! :smile:
 
The problems in Iraq certainly stem from sources in economic policy emplaced there in the first few months after the war by Bremer's government. Privatizing all the public property and basically ripping off the Iraqis and the Americans is a stupid strategy for the proclaimed political goals: democracy, freedom.
Firing most of the middle class who made up the public service jobs is idiotic. Iraq is America's Palestine.
 
franznietzsche said:
In a word: Liberals.

Will you get a clue as to the facts before you spout memorized nonsense? Did you even read the article?
 
Dissident Dan said:
Will you get a clue as to the facts before you spout memorized nonsense? Did you even read the article?

Even republicans can do some pretty liberal things when it benefits them monetarily. Neither side is immune.
 
Truth!

franznietzsche said:
In a word: Liberals.

And nonsense!

Dissident Dan said:
Why do governmetn and business "leaders" love to extoll the virtues of the "Free market" why actually promoting vicious, draconian restrictions? Isn't this extortion of the most sinister degree?
 
Dan, do a search of General Discussion: this story was posted before and its a pretty severe distortion of the truth.

And people wonder why I dislike environmentalists so much...
 
  • #10
russ_watters said:
Dan, do a search of General Discussion: this story was posted before and its a pretty severe distortion of the truth.

And people wonder why I dislike environmentalists so much...

i don't wonder.. i know.. you dislike enviromentalists becouse you read too much FOX NEWS...

EPA to Allow Pesticide Testing on Humans
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,140334,00.html
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #11
? What does that have to do with this thread?

For the record:

1. I do not watch Fox News (I don't watch much news at all).
2. That article is quite appropriately located in the opinion section.
3. I share that opinion. And that policy (which I didn't know about) is yet another reason to dislike Clinton and radical environmentalists.
 
Last edited:
  • #12
Hmm, that article claims that saving seeds will be illegal, but I did not see that when I looked over Order 81. The only way that might be the case is if corporations have or will be able to patent varieties farmers already use, but Order 81 has language that seems to have the intent of precluding that possibility.
 

Similar threads

News Ahmadinejad's speech at Durban II
  • · Replies 38 ·
2
Replies
38
Views
8K