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Introduction:

When African countries gained their independence, they wanted to use their natural resources and economic gains to support social programmes that would improve the quality of life for their people. 
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At the time of independence, market forces meant that these countries were free to sell their natural resources for economic gain, without external constraints.&nbsp; 
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But now the situation has changed. 
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Developed countries control the market for goods. This does not allow poor African countries to take the initiative in creating economic opportunities independently. This means these countries cannot make enough profit to run their government and pay for their social programmes. 
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So what do they do? 
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They take loans from international financial agencies like the IMF (International Monetary Fund). 
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What does the IMF do? It loans money to countries in need if they implement a neoliberal economic program (the Structural Adjustment Program). This program forces governments to reduce public spending (among other things), and lets private companies run public services for their profit. 
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Mozambique and other countries took loans from the IMF. Did their economies grow? No. Their debt increased to such an extent that it became impossible to pay it back and so these countries became dependent on the policies and will of others. 
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We need to look under the surface of some key international financial agencies that claim to promote development for many and improve lives for ordinary people, to see if they really do promote development and for whom. 
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Directive:

This task is scheduled for 6 hours. 
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The World Trade Organization (WTO) (2 hours) 
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<ol>
	<li>Read the files: &ldquo;The World Trade Organization&rdquo;, &ldquo;Globalization for the few&rdquo; and &ldquo;Whose Trade Organization?&rdquo;</li>
	<li>Write a summary of the following points:</li>
</ol>
- What is the WTO? 
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; - Why can it work against the interest of nation states? 
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; - How has it worked against the interest of nation states (give at least 3 
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; concrete examples from the text). 
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; - Who do the policies of the WTO benefit and how? 
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File: 
 
F1. &ldquo;The World Trade Organization&rdquo; article May 2012 by International Forum on Globalization. 
 
F2. &ldquo;Globalization for the few&rdquo; by Michael Parenti, Paradigm Publisher 2011, Page 59-61. 
 
F3. &ldquo;Whose trade organization&rdquo;, Excerpts from the book by Lori Wallach &ldquo;For Richer or Poorer: Fact and fiction about trade and economic gains in the Developed world and economic results of the WTO in US&rdquo;. 
 
F4. IMF and The World Bank from www.globalissues.org. 
 
F5. &ldquo;Globalization &ndash; New rulers of the World&rdquo; Article by John Pilger on Privatization 2008, from <a href="http://www.johnpilger.com/">www.johnpilger.com</a> 
 
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