NationStates Jolt Archive

Free Trade
Mild

Resolution:
Cotton Production Free Trade Agreement

Cotton is produced in regions of the world where it is tropical or subtropical. In these tropical and subtropical regions the plant Gossypium flourishes widely and is the plant that is processed into Cotton.

Removal of the seeds and wax from the Gossypium plant is nearly pure cellulose, a natural polymer thus resulting in cotton being one of the most efficient, durable, absorbent and strong thaT MAKES cotton fibers that creates many clothes that U.N member states members is one of the most efficient.

This resolution notes that Cotton production is produced in varying U.N members states. Some U.N member states are extremely poor, and some U.N members states are extremely rich who produce cotton for clothing. Some U.N member states ensure that tariffs protect their cotton industry and some U.N member states do not have protections for their cotton producers leaving them at the hands of the U.N community. Therefore this resolution the adoption of Free Trade of Cotton Production and Trade.

Article 1:

The disestablishment of tariffs or measures by U.N member states that protects cotton production and trade between U.N member states. With all tariffs and measures disestablished free trade based on Cotton Production and Trade can start.

Article 2:

Cotton because it is such an important commodity this resolution urges the establishment of a single price for Cotton with regards to all U.N member states. This one price that would be created because of a free trade agreement would decrease and increase with market value of cotton but would effect all U.N member states. Cotton prices will not be beneficial or difficult to just some U.N member states, but cotton prices will effect all U.N member states in its rises and falls.

Article 3:

The establishment of cotton is an enormously important commodity throughout the world. One fixed price for U.N member states with regards to the price of cotton production will assist in closing the gap between poorer U.N member states and richer U.N member states.


OOC: This resolution does need work. I can tell it needs work. However, it is mild and it deals with free trade of a valuable resource and with protectionist barriers down, the richer nations would be happy.

Hmm. Well, cottonseed oil would already be covered under GFDA. Cotton would have been covered under the Clothing Supply Pact (http://ns.goobergunch.net/wiki/index.php/Clothing_Supply_Pact). Why stop at cotton? Why not write a proposal covering all textile products?

Aüþgæþ Spøtyiú
Attache, Yeldan Committee For State Security
Acting Ambassador
Re-animator of dead puppies
Currently reading Tropic of Cancer

I have to stand opposed to this proposal. The United Socialist States of Ellelt believes its the right of indivdual nations to establish tariffs, or to abolish them. We stand opposed to so-called free trade because it is disasterous for the poor countries which are trying to industrialize and could even be worse for poor countries who are not.

There are many economic factors to consider when writing trade proposals and deals and it is best if the actual countries that are involved with the trades negotiate them separately.

I have to stand opposed to this proposal. The United Socialist States of Ellelt believes its the right of indivdual nations to establish tariffs, or to abolish them. We stand opposed to so-called free trade because it is disasterous for the poor countries which are trying to industrialize and could even be worse for poor countries who are not.

There are many economic factors to consider when writing trade proposals and deals and it is best if the actual countries that are involved with the trades negotiate them separately.
Marx had this to say (http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1848/01/09ft.htm#marx) on the subject of Free Trade.

Aüþgæþ Spøtyiú
Attache, Yeldan Committee For State Security
Acting Ambassador
Re-animator of dead puppies
Currently reading Tropic of Cancer

Be that as it may comrade,

We again stand opposed to free trade on an international level. Ellelt cannot impose socialism on the capitalist countries, what we can do however not trade with them.

We trade freely within our own region which is entirely communist, we will also trade with any communist or Marxist-socialist nation freely, be it cotton, grain, iron ore, whatever. Ellelt is fortunate to have vast resources due to its large size and we have in fact shipped our cotton to our allies at heavily discounted prices (sometimes lower than the cost of production) because of their needs and our desire to not waste the fruits of our productive capacity which was under-estimated by the local soviets responsible.

In exchange for this we have received military aid, commodities of various kinds that our nation either because of technological backwardness, or lack of a specific resource cannot make at all or can not make with a good standard of quality or efficiently.

Each of the governments, capitalist or not, are capable of making those determinations. That is not to say we are against trade regulations at all...rather the so-called free trade, which by its nature assumes that every country is equal in its productive capacity...which it is not.

Ellelt produces cotton fabrics of a fine quality thanks to our southern regions, we also produce gold, uranium, iron ore, coal, petroleum indeed we can by ourselves supply most of our industrial needs with the notable exceptions of tin, and rubber. In effect if we were to openly sell our cotton products on the world market the price would drop tremendously. And what of those cotton producing countries where that is their main source of income? With the drop in price, their GDP would drop...now if we take that into consideration they would either go into foreign debt or they would have to plant more hectares of cotton which would take away from the arable land used for food production.

International free-trade is but one link in the chain of capitalist globalism which is just the latest incarnation of imperialism. In other words where as before there was explicit force used to acquire raw materials for industrial purposes, there would be an implicit force used...Debt.

This is not a new phenomenon at all. And as stated before hand each country knows its economic strengths and weaknesses better than the UN as a whole does.

Our opposition to "free-trade" does not mean that we are opposed to fair-trade, or trade where the workers would get the largest share of the fruits of their produce. This measure is a method by which the capitalist classes in the capitalist nations could exploit the workers in my homeland, and I was appointed to represent them to this body. To vote in favor of this measure would be a dereliction of duty if not out right treason against our socialist revolution.

We don't need no cotton-pickin' free trade resolution.

Stop trying to muck up our economy (http://ns.goobergunch.net/wiki/index.php/Ariddian_economy).


Cotton because it is such an important commodity this resolution urges the establishment of a single price for Cotton with regards to all U.N member states.

Leaving aside the bad grammar, this reveals a very poor grasp of basic economics. A same price worldwide is illusory. One West Ariddian credit may not be much for an average member of the West Ariddian middle classes, but for a poor person in a poor country the equivalent in their currency could be a fortune.

Christelle Zyryanov,
Ambassador to the United Nations,
PDSRA


(OOC: To take an RL example: 1 Cuban peso will get you a bloody good fruit juice on that little corner shop in Havana, but its equivalent in Euros [0.03€] won't get you much of anything anywhere in Europe. Conversely, a handful of Euros converted into Cuban pesos will get you a hell of a lot in Cuba [if you buy in shops for Cubans, not just shops for tourists]. See why your idea doesn't work?)

I support the basic idea, but it does need some drafting work. My suggestion would be to look at the Global Food Distribution Act and the Nuclear Energy Research Act, and see how they are structured: in particular, permitting the UNFTC to arbitrate disputes would be prudent.

~Rono Pyandran
Mean bad person

A fixed price - which destroys the righteous and godly market mechanism.
Free trade - which wreaks havoc on member economies and compromises employee rights.

Congratulations, both the commies and the kists will hate this.

Marx had this to say on the subject of Free Trade.

If you're saying he supports free trade you need to read the whole thing.

We don't need no cotton-pickin' free trade resolution.

Bravo.

If you're saying he supports free trade you need to read the whole thing.
Are you honestly implying that I haven't read the whole thing? I'm not in the habit of posting links to things that I haven't read.

Well I suppose Ellelt hasn't, then.

Edit: Agh, shit, sorry. Now I realise what was wrong. Brain not verey working today. My apologies. I'm not sure how I mixed you up.

Hmm. Well, cottonseed oil would already be covered under GFDA. Cotton would have been covered under the Clothing Supply Pact (http://ns.goobergunch.net/wiki/index.php/Clothing_Supply_Pact). Why stop at cotton? Why not write a proposal covering all textile products?

I think that in addition to cottonseed oil and cotton based apparel products that in some nations cotton is used for things beyond clothing (string for example), so the failed Clothing Supply Pact isn't a catch all.

My government, a cotton importer, is happy with this basic concept.

Cassandra Thonberger

Well I suppose Ellelt hasn't, then.

Edit: Agh, shit, sorry. Now I realise what was wrong. Brain not verey working today. My apologies. I'm not sure how I mixed you up.

OOC:

Actually Kelssek, I have.

Comrade Marx supported "free-trade" because of its power to destroy the "curtains" that masked the enemy of the proletariat..IE the bourgeoise. However, the NS enviroment, does not operate as the RL enviroment does. In RL i would support this because of the reasons described by Comrade Marx, On NS I must oppose it because I dont want capitalists meddling in our wonderfully crafted soviet system.

Also Im doing a search of Lenin and Stalin on the matter of free trade. Reading Marx is fine and dandy but unless you put on the glasses of Lenin and Stalin the theorums are usually out of focus...hence why so many socialist attempts have failed.

However much i would like to debate the history of the USSR (and its present incarnation) it isnt approprate to this thread...but you may contact me by private means if you wish to discuss it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

IC:

The reasons that I have previously stated concerning Ellelt's opposition remain. However, I would like to thank Yelda for pointing out that article to me.

Vladimir Khernyko
Elleltian Ambassador to the UN