Chile and Free Trade

It has been a great pleasure to read Jorge G. Castaneda’s intelligent and perceptive June 18 commentary, “Chile Is Region’s Economic Indicator.”

As an American who spent the years between ages 18 and 33 in that wonderful and totally European country, I have followed its political history since I left in the 1950s.

I am familiar with the ideas of Ricardo Lagos, who undoubtedly will become Chile’s next president. Unlike Salvador Allende, Lagos will attempt to combine the issues of constitutional democracy established a century ago with socialist reforms which will improve the life of the lower classes and give more stability to a nation that is the most hard-working and progressive in the hemisphere.

It is only to be hoped that this time an American president will not overreact when he hears the word “socialism.” Our country will never be able to live down the foolishness of Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger, whose actions turned into a grotesque and tragic situation.

HENRY S. WATERS

Beverly Hills

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The June 18 articles by Castaneda and Robert Reich point out the importance of rethinking the effects of free trade. In neither article, however, did I see any reference to one of the worst effects of free trade on developing countries.

Traditionally, local farmers in every country have produced food sufficient to feed the population. With free trade, however, developing countries have been flooded with mass-produced grains from the U.S. Small farmers could not compete against such an influx.

In a few cases, for example in some parts of Colombia, farmers have turned to cash crops such as cocaine, for which there is a ready market in the U.S. But in most cases, the farmers have had to leave their farms and move to the cities looking for jobs. This increases the ranks of workers desperate for any job they can get. Just as in the U.S., wages in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean are lower today than before protective tariffs were lifted.

Meanwhile, agricultural land falls into the hands of corporations whose mono-cropping methods bring environmental havoc.

Free trade is a benefit to wealthy investors and corporations. But for working people in developed and developing countries, it is a recipe for impoverishment.

PATRICK BONNER

South Gate