Standards

This quote seems to sum up my position pretty well:

“Fair trade pays to support relatively wealthy Mexican coffee farmers at the expense of poorer nations.”

Oh, the number of times I’ve made this argument! Not about Mexico, specifically, but the basic point. In fact, I was arguing it at a bar with a communist the evening I met my girlfriend - Exactly two years ago today, December 14^th 2007. ‘Twas a good night… She of course was initially attracted to my infallible logic. …I highly recommend hanging out and debating with communists to make your arguments seem more impressive to women.

Anyways, back to the point: Concerned citizens should avoid fair trade coffee - and other goods traded “fairly” - as much as possible. For the same reason you should not be compelled to give more money to talented homeless people (i.e. panhandlers that play an instrument, sing, perform in some way, etc.) than you would give to untalented ones.