Its that time of the year again, where my life is literally made up of waking up, going to uni to revise (eat) going home to revise (eat) and sleep. OK, that should be what its made up of anyway. In reality I spend more time doing things like writing in my blogger than concentrating on the impact of the World Trade Organisation’s trade talks.

But I tell you, it is quite interesting once I start reading about it.

For instance, what ignorant soul like myself would have thought that environmentalists, human rights activists and labour union leaders would be against the WTO’s proposition of free trade? Their argument consists around the same principle, that allowing developing countries to export their goods into advanced nations would be detrimental in some way or form. Be it an increased rate of deforestation, the tolerance of poor labour, health & safety standards, and stunted economic growth for advanced nations who have better human rights records, but consequently higher production costs.

That, I would say is understandable, but I don’t feel it is justifiable for all this to cloud over the notion and principles behind free trade. Such activists need to look at the bigger picture – sorry to stoop so low but if we kept hugging those trees, we’d all be out of a job. How can countries like Peru and Indonesia work themselves out of poverty and low living standards if they are unable to trade to places which want their goods? Whilst they should definitely strive towards more stringent labour and health/safety standards, this is more of a future objective rather than an immediate one, which is of course, economic growth to achieve all other things.

Perhaps if I had taken my other academic interest at school (Geography) I would have sided with the other guys, but the capitalist business mentality has long took a stranglehold over my reasoning and I don’t believe its a bad thing. It would be fantastic to work in the WTO though, an international organisation promoting global trade and diplomatic relations. (which unfortunately, but interestingly don’t seem to go together too well) At least with some exposure to such issues in the Home Office, I can be one step ahead with these possible aspirations?