When confronted with growing joblessness, Americans and Europeans often blame competition from low-wage Third World countries, or the influx of immigrants from those countries. In fact, this chapter argues, it is more directly the new round of economic colonialism that is the culprit, as it sets into motion the kinds of changes that cause the immigration and also have dire effects on the poorest countries themselves – countries whose economies have fallen under the control of foreign corporations and whose resources are raided and shipped north to the wealthiest industrial nations. The new trade rules leave Third World countries with little ability to resist or protect themselves, or to seek alternative economic strategies. In this chapter, Martin Khor presents a summary review of the negative impacts on the environment and social structures.
