Doug wrote:
> The governing body of the WTO is extremely unlikely to sanction
> anyone for labor rights violations.
You are absolutely right. Let me rephrase. The US is threatening to invoke non application against China on the ostensible grounds of labor violations (right?), though it is clear that the US ruling class is fighting for various other liberalisations. So the AFL-CIO, the EPI and other liberal left organizations are just providing a progressive imprimatur to power politics. I emphatically agree that there will be no bans by the WTO body against the imports of any country as long as the interests of US imperialism are being met. Even if those interests are not met, then super 301 will be invoked, not sanctions by the WTO governing body on the ostensible grounds of labor standards.
So what the liberal left is doing in holding up the WTO is putting pressure on the Chinese govt to kow tow to the US ruling class regarding services, telecom, low local equity participation and supply content or whatever--no matter the horrific effects such policies have on unemployement. The US labor leadership hopes to get some of the spoils from opening China up or 'lowering other countries' barriers', as the AFL-CIO euphemistically puts the reconquest of the semicolonial world. This is clearly not a labor movement prepared for class struggle against its own bourgeoisie--which remains the most difficult and only honorable task of any labor movement. Rather it is simply a junior partner is a new social imperialism. That's what Seattle marked the birth of, not a victory in any sense. I don't see why anyone would expect anything less from the likes of Sweeney, Hoffa and EPI friends who rally to the support of US imperialism even when it is bombing Serbia, provoking trajedy and reinvigorating militarism in Russia (Skidelsky had a wonderful editorial in the FT last week). The American left is in pathetic shape. Indeed it's becoming more American than ever. No wonder the shallow criticism of the Paglia's against the Said's, the Eagleton's against the Spivak's--it's just a reflection in the cultural realm of the new popular US imperialism.
Wouldn't Peter Gowan agree?
yours, rakesh