IS221_Week SIX_2024

IS221/LBST201, Week SIX with dr nazanin shahrokni

working conditions in a deregulated market

Deregulation of Markets

review your first assignment prompt

listen to the song of the week

01

02

discuss neoliberalism and the restructuring of work and the workplace

03

watch a short documentary

04

We will...

Agenda

This one has as its theme the program of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, and it covers the struggle against imperialism (in many cases materialized in special economic zones on the islands)

Space Baby Celebrate the Filipino Revolution

Song of the week contributed by Miguel Anacleto Silva

Regulating flows of people

Deregulating capital flows

Twin flows

History: The Emergence of Maquiladoras

1980s: a new export pattern was forged under the imperialist impetus formalized in the Caribbean Basin Initiative and the economic policies of Reaganomics for Honduras: "we overcome poverty with growth, and we counter violence with opportunity and freedom." Between 1984 and 1998: several constitutional decrees converted Honduran territory into a free-trade zone so that foreign and Honduran transnational capital could operate under the duty-free exemption. 1990: President Callejas announced that the Honduran economy was bankrupt; obtaining as a solution the approval in March 1990 for a mega-package called the Structural Organization of the Economy Act (Executive Decree 18-90), designed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). The program had two main objectives: to create the conditions for Honduras to pay its foreign debt and to generate profitable areas for the operation of transnational companies.

History: The Emergence of Maquiladoras

1998: the duty-free exemption was extended nationwide with the enactment in 1998 of Decree 131-98, the Free Zones Law. The exemption from payment of tariffs, consular fees, and domestic taxes and levies was extended to all companies with a direct or indirect relation to the import or export customs operations. This law paved the way for increased opening to trade. 2013: constitutional approval of the so-called employment and economic development zones, whose platforms were intended to step up the transfer of the national territory to foreign hands to benefit transnational capital. 2016: the Honduras 20/20 Economic Development Program, as “the largest economic growth initiative in the history of Honduras” and whose goal was to convert the Honduran economy’s export sectors, particularly the textile sector, into the guarantors of job creation and economic growth.

The State with these business groups, along with financial institutions such as the IDB, the IMF, and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, celebrate the trade opening and present the export model as an engine for eradicating economic backwardness and the precarity of the labor market.

state neglect of agricultural production & plundering of campesino lands on a national level Wage discrimination against women & a low skilled workforce Extremeley low wages used as a disciplinary tool

Global governance institutions such as the IMF pave the way for the economic transformation of Honduras

actors & tools of global governance

Maquiladora in Honduras

The State coordinates with both the global governance institutions and the domestic oligarchs

Go back to the notion of racial capitalism

The pandemic increased the demand for home-delivered e-commerce bringing Amazon’s global workforce to over 1.2 million workers & making Amazon the second largest company in the US. Amazon’s business model, has further driven consumer demand for expedited, free shipping. Amazon’s logistics system puts pressure on warehouse workers, who are electronically surveilled, to work very quickly, resulting in high rates of turnover & injury on the job. In the US, this workforce is disproportionately black & Latinx.

It's Showtime Folks!

Whot's left out from these definitions & developments?

C.

Capital flows involve the movement of financial resources across borders. These include foreign direct investment (FDI), portfolio investment (bonds, stocks, etc), and remittances. Despite geopolitical tensions, capital continues to flow globally. The liberalization of trade creates both winners & losers. Although economists can demonstrate that the gains to the winners will exceed the losses, some losses can be substantial.. More generally, a more open, competitive global economy can be expected to harm the welfare of low-skilled workers in the industrialized countries.

Deregulation is the reduction or elimination of government power in a particular industry, usually enacted to create more competition within the industry. Deregulation, according to its proponents, lowers costs of operations, allows more businesses to enter a market, and lowers prices for consumers. These factors can help stimulate efficiency and lead to increased economic growth.

Glossary

B.

A.

Outsourcing refers to handing over your functions and services to an external team, which handles operations on your behalf. Outsourcing allows businesses to focus their resources on the products & services for which they were set up. It avails you more time & resources for product development, marketing, sales & other essential business operations.

It's Showtime Folks!

Working conditions & workers' satisfaction with their jobs

Cons of outsourcing

What do you think about....

Discussion points

Question 3

Question 2

Question 1

Pros of outsourcing

25/100 Points

First 750-Word Essay

Assessment

"bKash is a word that resonates with development, people’s prosperity, and social growth. Since its inception in 2011, bKash has become an integral part of the lives of millions today. Through fast, easy, and secure digital transactions, it has become a member of every household in Bangladesh. Catering to people’s daily transactional needs, it is empowering them to fulfill their dreams as well as taking the country forward. Financial inclusion is in the DNA of bKash. Over the years, bKash has built a robust network of nearly 330,000 agents and 550,000 merchants across the country. bKash also integrated with banks, financial institutions and service providers to strengthen the cashless digital financial ecosystem of the country. As a result, bKash is now a trusted platform with a large customer base of more than 70 million. bKash, a joint venture of BRAC Bank, US based Money in Motion LLC, International Finance Corporation of the World Bank Group, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Ant Group, and SoftBank Vision Fund, operates under the regulation of Bangladesh Bank."

Check out this website

watch these two ViDEOS

Write a 750-word essay addressing the following questions:What kinds of inequalities do you see in these videos? What roles does global development play in creating/alleviating these inequalities? (macro level analysis) How has global development shaped the everyday lives of these women? In your essay pay attention both to the enabling and disabling effects of global development. (micro level analysis)

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Do not exceed the word limit. For every extra 10 words, you will lose 1/25 points. So if you write 800 words, you will lose 5/25. Citations and references do not count towards your word limit. Do not delay submission. Essays are due on Canvas at 5pm on Thursday October 17th. Late submission will be penalized. It is your responsibility to make sure essays are uploaded properly. If you submit after the submission deadline on Thursday you will lose 5/25 points. For each day of delay, you will lose an additional 5/25 points. Essays submitted on or after Monday will not be graded. Do not plagiarize. See syllabus for instructions. Do not share your outlines or drafts with me.

Do not....

Structure

Your responses should be written in essay format. So you need an introductory paragraph, a few paragraphs of discussion, and a short concluding paragraph. Engage with the course concepts (e.g., uneven development, gender, racial capitalism, actors of global governance, etc) & draw on at least 4 key readings from the first four weeks. Cite your sources. You can use any referencing style you choose but be consistent.

Rules of the game

Thanks!

Remember, No Class Next Week!