The Introduction To The Fairtrade Foundation Theology Religion Essay Example

be discussed as a cardinal subject, with peculiar mention to chapter 13 poetries 17-18, taking into consideration commentaries from Beale, Sweet and Boxall. Criticisms of the Fair Trade motion will be assessed, every bit good as identify with its effort to countervail planetary unfairnesss and in the procedure consider John Rawls ' theory of Distributive Justice and Kantian moralss. Furthermore, St. Augustine will be shown in relation to the Christian moral principle he puts frontward in the context of religion and 'love of thy neighbors '[ 3 ]. Clement of Alexandria and St. Francis of Assisi 's attitudes towards wealth will be compared, every bit good as Luther 's apprehension of Trade. Lastly, the Radical Orthodoxy of John Milbank will be explored in relation to Graham Wards reading of Augustine 's two metropoliss.

Background - Free Trade vs. Fair Trade vs. Fairtrade

What are the causes of poorness? Are the hapless responsible for their ain place in society or is it due to disadvantageous policies their authoritiess and big administrations have pursued? Less frequently discussed and accounted for are the planetary causes of poorness[ 4 ]; underneath the 'increasing interconnection promised by globalisation ' are policies and patterns influenced by the 'rich and powerful ' , such as richer states or transnational corporations.[ 5 ]Within this context, the rich get richer and the hapless remain hapless to the extent that they are marginalised from society and have small power or political representation to assist them get away their economic and societal loads[ 6 ].

If the 'economy ' is assumed as the meeting point that we buy, trade and sell, it is common to

hear synonymously the term 'free trade ' or globalisation in modern-day society[ 7 ]. Furthermore, free trade in theory makes it easier to merchandise and equilibrate the demands of supply and demand to the planetary market ; albeit in world it is questionable to reason that it fulfils this and is really 'beneficial to everyone '[ 8 ]. Adam Smith ( Wealth of States: 1776 ) , a establishing male parent of modern economic sciences, wrote that the free market exercised an 'invisible manus ' that was self-acting, in so far that greed and self-interest brought about the good of society, as the chase of wealth brings with it a demand for a merchandise of usage to the consumer[ 9 ]. Arguably, in modern-day society, this unseeable manus is non every bit self-acting as one time thought and must now understand ourselves within a planetary context[ 10 ].

Following from this, Robbins high spots the premises that are typically used to back up this free market political orientation. Amongst many, these would include that fiscal additions are the most good to society and that fight is more rational for persons than cooperation[ 11 ]. On the other manus, Jeremy Rifkin ( The Empathetic Civilization: 2010 ) argues contrary to this, in so far that worlds are non of course led by greed ; these are secondary dispositions[ 12 ]. It is the homo 's sense of empathy for our fellow animals that a sense of battle is shared, contrasting this with Adam Smith 's impression of the 'Invisible Hand ' , which, for him, is to 'civilise ' . This

is the acknowledgment that our societal tithes have evolved from organizing immediate blood tithes to religious, national and technological based 1s. He boldly asks whether it is unreasonable to presume that this societal individuality could be extended to an full homo race and that 'human narrative ' must be rethought to get the better of premises such as Robbins.

Krugman 's 'Is Free Trade Passe ' ( 1987 ) considers historically the extent that international trade has been good to a given state regardless of whether it is 'fair ' or non. He speaks of 'comparative advantage ' ( which is an person 's ability to do a good or service at a lower cost over another ) , being at odds with the free trade political orientation[ 13 ]. In recent decennaries at that place has been a turning tendency to set up a 'fair trade motion around the universe '[ 14 ]that truly does let merchandises to be traded reasonably. Regulation has given great power to the few and has caused obstructions that have stopped a state being invested in due to increased costs for illustration[ 15 ]. Deregulation on the other manus can take to corporations presuming limited answerability and undermining basic human rights. A balance between the two is hard to accomplish when sing 'inherent power struggles between assorted organic structures involved '[ 16 ], ensuing in this evident unfairness in trade.

The call for Fair Trade can be seen as a reaction to this quandary, many efforts of which coming from Christian outreaches ; Europe celebrates the biggest alternate trading administration ( ATO ) , Gepa, run by

four Christian administrations. In the United States 'Fair Trade ' was 'pioneered ' by Christian Mennonite administrations that sold peculiar points sourced through 'charitable and missional activities in the underdeveloped universe '[ 17 ]. In Britain there has been a turning tendency towards this and has seen the Fairtrade Foundation go the market leader for selling ethically traded Fair Trade goods[ 18 ]. The Fairtrade Foundation 's mission statement in peculiar purposes to profit those that have trouble merchandising to an international market and to merchandise responsibly and productively[ 19 ]. Manufacturers are expected to utilize increased income and expertness to better the quality of life for those that work 'with ' them and the communities they live in, whilst stigmatization and labelling besides has the aim to 'guarantee the unity of the Fairtrade grade '[ 20 ].

Christian Aid UK claims to hold been a 'big portion ' in organizing the Fairtrade Foundation, 'sharing a vision with likeminded administrations ' and non back uping the greed that lies 'at the bosom of trade constructions '[ 21 ]. Interestingly, there are no other instantly obvious spiritual indexs on the charities website other than the word 'Christian ' ; no transitions or instructions, merely implicitly implied that to be good Christians one should back up assistance undertakings such as this. The Fairtrade Foundation 's website nevertheless does demo undertakings such as 'Fairtrade Churches ' , which have churches commit to purchasing Fairtrade java, tea, sugar and biscuits, besides integrating 'readings about Fairtrade ' into their services[ 22 ]. These transitions mostly reflect upon unfairness and power, such as the fable of

the Window and the Unjust Judge ( Luke 18:1-18 ) , admiting separately we have small power but we should talk out against the unfair Judgess and therefore do unfair companies 'take notice '[ 23 ].

In Catholicism, Pope Benedict XVI 's 3rd encyclical ( July 2009 ) 'Caritas In Veritate ' ( July 2009 ) high spots buying is non merely an economic act but a moral one[ 24 ]. This entails that persons have a societal duty that must be educated into our day-to-day lives with 'respect for moral rules without decreasing the intrinsic economic reason of the act of buying '[ 25 ]. He continues to show support for 'cooperative signifiers of buying ' , which he excessively champions Catholicism as assisting to convey approximately. He encourages a 'decent ' return to the manufacturer and to beginning from 'deprived countries ' , whilst at the same clip naming for 'transparency of the market ' , that is non taken surety by 'partisan political orientations '[ 26 ]which is ab initio ill-defined as to who this is being threatened by ; is it the transnational corporations and authoritiess or is it the turning monopoly the Fairtrade foundations are going? Possibly this is why he does non explicitly use the term 'fair trade ' , although, this could merely be to avoid commitment to one administration. Regardless of this, this now provides a lens to get down sing whether Fair Trade administrations are making what they are so confidently advancing.

Context - Biblical analysis

The book of Revelation 'announces itself as the disclosure of Jesus Christ ' ; by 'revelation ' , this

means unveiling and is tantamount to the Grecian word for 'apocalypse ' , intending bring outing[ 27 ]. Disclosure 13 is portion of a prophetic vision of John that speaks of the Satan ( described here as a firedrake ) citing a animal from the sea that mimics his properties[ 28 ]. This first animal is recognised as the Antichrist, non merely in resistance to Christ, but holds claim to being Christ[ 29 ]. This chapter pays mention to the four animals of Daniel 7 that represent universe imperiums, whilst at the same clip it is the fulfillment of the Satan 's war against adult female 's progeny ( Genesis 3 ; 15 )[ 30 ]. The transition speaks of the whole universe accepting this first animal 's Godhead claims whilst a 2nd animal comes from the Earth moving as 'false prophesier ' or a mock of the Holy Spirit[ 31 ]. This animal has an visual aspect of a lamb but is betrayed by its firedrake like voice ; Sweet refers this to Matthew 7: 15 - 'beware of false Prophetss who comes to you in sheep 's vesture but inside are famished wolves ' and notes that the chapter lampoons Christian dispensation i.e. a three ( the firedrake, animal and false prophesier ) , a decease, Resurrection and a cosmopolitan church[ 32 ].

Johns description of the 2nd animal as holding the ability to take worlds astray, whilst at the same clip, the imagination of it coming 'from the Earth ' suggests that it implies human activity or engagement with the land[ 33 ]. Boxall suggests that

this lamb like visual aspect is the ground that even Christians may misidentify its individuality and promote worship of the first monster[ 34 ]. He besides asks whom the animal should be identified with, analyzing three possibilities ; the first being the priestly subordinates of the Roman Empire and the imperial cult at the clip who saw it their responsibility to advance Rome and its emperors. Second, the designation is made between the false prophesier and the false prognostication it proclaims, functioning as a warning to Christianity that it can lose its ability to talk the 'spoken word '[ 35 ]. The 3rd, takes a general attack that takes elements of the first two, citing Boring who speaks of the 'cultural faith ' being an agent of the monster and that he is against 'all propaganda that entices humanity to idolise human imperium '[ 36 ].

One may get down to pull analogues between the popularity of Fair Trade administrations and the false prophesier of Revelation ; Is Fair Trade this false prophesier and is it in commitment to capitalist economy? After all, Fair Trade does talk in footings of economic linguistic communication yet portrays an ethical image, like the lamb with a firedrakes lingua. Dialogically, one could widen an analogy to the Fairtrade Foundation 's logo ; with one manus raised above the caput of a black silhouetted human signifier, the figure appears to be coming from a grassy-earth like foreground, in contrast to a blue, sea-like background ; Chapter 13: 16 speaks of a 'mark ' on the right manus or brow ' which Sweet sees as a lampoon of the

seal, where in Pagan cults tattoos were used to demo ownership to peculiar Gods, much like the stigmatization of a slave.[ 37 ]

Beale draws attending to Revelation 13: 17, bespeaking that without this grade no 1 can 'buy or sell ' , associating to possible economic steps that were directed against Christians non seen in the clip of John ;[ 38 ]This would look to be citing Revelation 2: 9 which indicates that Christians were 'materially hapless ' because of their deficiency of cooperation with the divinities of the trade clubs and Caesar[ 39 ]. 'Mark ' here is used as the emperor 's seal on contracts every bit good as on mintage and if this was the intended usage of the metaphor, the 'mark of the animal ' would look to associate to this 'stamp of blessing '[ 40 ]. However, from this, one can get down to see that Fair Trade goods are get downing to monopolies the market and there can even be a bolstering of other merchandises off of supermarket shelves that do non advance the grade i.e. all British supermarkets now entirely stock Fairtrade bananas in an effort to look more ethical and non disappoint clients.

The grade in peculiar is associated with 'the figure of its name ' , proposing a signifier of gematria ; the antediluvian technique of geting at a individual 's name through adding the numerical equivalent of each missive[ 41 ]. There is besides a call for 'wisdom ' and invites those with the 'insight ' to cipher the name of the animal. This has posed great argument and dissension as

to who this is meant to be, yet Boxall continues to presume that Revelation was non meant to be read merely one time in history, but to be reread and carefully studied to uncover deeper secrets[ 42 ]. This figure is six 100 and 66 and is thought to match to a human being, frequently indicated, yet non corroborated, to be Nero Caesar[ 43 ]. It is a common happening to seek and place this with illustrations throughout history such as Adolf Hitler or Saddam Hussein, for illustration, but more intriguing is that '666 ' is allegedly printed in merchandise saloon codifications that use the Uniform Product Code System[ 44 ].

Criticisms

Sing Fair Trade consumerism as an mundane pattern, there has been a rise in 'ethical ' or 'political ' ingestion that seems to travel against the position of the consumer as self-interested or hedonic[ 45 ]. This is a reaction against the free market that attempts to reconstruct a sense of morality into economic determination devising ; nevertheless this can be seen as an emergent 'alternative hedonism ' . Specifically, consumers who buy these merchandises frequently speak of a 'warm freshness ' or 'feel good factor ' when they purchase these goods[ 46 ]. This begs the inquiry ; does it contradict the good title in the first topographic point if it is done to do ourselves experience good? Besides, if person wants to pay more for a logo, is it incorrect that Fair Trade administrations are merely reacting to that consumer demand? Similarly, there is research to propose that ethical ingestion has become a agency of showing moral self-identity

class="essay_footnotecitation">[ 47 ]. Fair trade potentially becomes a manner of showing 'morally conspicuous ingestion ' and can take to claims of superior life styles over others, albeit the overruling subject is 'self-reassurance about being a morally acceptable individual '[ 48 ].

Continuing from this, a Christian moral principle can be extracted from the instructions of St. Paul and the centrality he places on love, where Jesus excessively summarises two primary commandments to love God and neighbors ( Matthew 22: 37-40 ; Mark 12: 28-31 ; Luke 10:25-28 )[ 49 ]. Jackson, takes the New Testament Greek 'agape ' and equates it with a 'love of neighbor ' and charity[ 50 ]. Luke may besides be indicated in pass oning a 'provocative and digesting lesson ' from Jesus about Christian charity ; The blessednesss announce that 'Blessed are you pooraˆ¦ ' , giving a particular position of holiness and compassion to the hapless, demoing an early Christian concern for 'social ailment ' through charitable parts[ 51 ]. Luke besides indicates Jesus ' message to 'love your enemies and to give liberally to every mendicant without outlook of return ( Luke 6: 27-31 )[ 52 ]. Here it must be considered that Fair Trade is n't really a charity, instead Fair Trade consumers see themselves as moving charitably. At the same clip, the return Fair Trade consumers are having is that of satisfaction that they are making good people, but is ill-defined whether this counts as a return.

Furthermore, the instructions of St. Augustine can be applied to the practise of Fairtrade ; he excessively begins to sketch what is meant for a Christian

to populate a moral life and what the Godhead jurisprudence permitted and forbid[ 53 ]. This helped him set up an apprehension of ethical duty and an designation of the Christian religion with human motive and Christian love ( 1 Timothy 1:5 )[ 54 ]. When he said 'Love and make what you will ' , this did non intend to advance personal liberty, but that all human action must be seen from the position of God 's love, albeit coercing conformance[ 55 ]. This becomes an ethic that promotes human unity and includes engagement with the organic structure of Christ or Communion with the Church through the love of neighbor. Augustine emphasises Christ 's salvific work and the significance of freedom in relation to divine grace ; the act of the first wickedness has weakened the will and that freedom to make evil is greater than that to make good[ 56 ]. The balance between this godly grace and human activity and its influence is invariably assessed in his work, in so far that human duty is the necessary opposite number to divine grace. Using this to Fair Trade it is a good act if it is done out of love of neighbor and God, advancing a corporate human unity, yet non so much when it is done to advance ourselves and a false sense of grace.

One could besides reason against Fair Trade on the evidences that as an establishment it is 'self-interested ' and is concerned with turning market laterality, selling itself ( or 'educating ' the populace ) as charitable at the same clip[ 57 ]. Interestingly,

it is hard to entree any believable research that shows how much these Fair Trade managers and representatives are really gaining as a wage, oppugning why this is n't more publically known. Booth offers a warning to any company that 'oversells their virtuousnesss ' ; non merely their internal concern practises, but their positive consequence on society[ 58 ]. He makes the differentiation, justly, between the advocators of just trade and the foundation itself, observing that they oversell these successes to parishes and schools, about deflecting from any other alternate signifier of concern practise[ 59 ]. He besides speak of his experience where the Fair Trade grade has been given such position in some Churchs that it is going a wickedness to purchase anything that does non expose the grade.

Undeniably, Fair Trade seeks to decide planetary unfairness and it would be incorrect to state it was amoral, yet when looking at impact studies it can be hard to measure up these celebrated positive effects. One can non wholly govern out biased analysis or even corruptness, sing studies that claim to demo good effects have been conducted on behalf of Fair Trade organisations themselves[ 60 ]. Recent surveies have besides called into inquiry the impact of enfranchisement on little manufacturers ; in so far that it does non needfully back up the marginalised when the cost and restrictive regulations associated with deriving enfranchisement excludes them[ 61 ]. This can besides take to tension between different manufacturers in small towns and at the same clip there are issues when Fair Trade labels do non match to the same quality.

On the subject of justness,

John Rawls ( although he saw no topographic point for faith ) establishes a theory of 'distributive justness ' or merely, equality ; under a 'veil of ignorance ' members of a society in its 'original place ' are incognizant of single features and how these could convey about societal advantages and disadvantages[ 62 ]. When given a pick as to which type of society they would wished to populate in, people will rationally take to populate under the conditions that will look to supply the most benefit to them. This acts as a signifier of 'risk minimization ' for the person, giving an attack that finds a medium between justice/fairness and opportunism. In Kantian moralss, just trade acts as a byproduct of the categorical jussive mood ( i.e. an unconditioned cosmopolitan moral duty ) , to 'treat others reasonably and avoid development ' .[ 63 ]This would look to be strengthened in the context of the inequality in power and information between rich and hapless states, naming for foreign investings and assist accessing new markets with the purpose of bettering overall quality of life.[ 64 ]Rawls ' 'distributive justness ' would besides look to back up Fair Trade as 'no one would take to be paid bellow-subsistence monetary values for their green goods ' and Fair Trade at least on ideological evidences appears to make this.[ 65 ]

Another job associated with this would be when political orientations are forced upon 3rd universe manufacturers and that there can be struggles of involvement ; Ernesto Sirolli 's talk ( 'Want to Help? Shut up and Listen! ' TED 2012 ) refers to

Dambisa Moyo 's book, ( Dead Aid: 2009 ) saying that different civilizations to our ain are merely dealt with in two ways ; either they are patronised or they are treated excessively paternalistically[ 66 ]. This may look excessively scathing at first without sing the center land, yet Sirolli 's logical thinking enforces this when he outlines the Zambian undertakings he participated in between 1971 and 1977 ; instead than inquiring why fertile dirt was non being utilised and the local population unenthusiastic, they would merely state 'Thank God we are here to salvage the Zambian people from famishment! '[ 67 ], merely to happen one forenoon Hippo had returned, lay waste toing the full harvest. He continues to mention to E.F Schumacher 's essays 'Small Is Beautiful ; Economics as if people mattered ' , justly saying that the first regulation of assistance should be to esteem those that do non desire to be helped![ 68 ]

Following from this, Sirolli believes personal growing, non wealth, is most of import, allowing the persons to first come to them and assist them happen the cognition to turn their passions into a life. This is done through what he footings 'Enterprise facilitators ' , where 'family physicians of endeavor ' act as a 'servant ' to the local people merely of all time listening to their demands and supplying a communicating web[ 69 ]. He has helped set-up 40,000 concerns in 300 communities[ 70 ]; non one collective undertaking under an umbrella administration or turning monopoly such as Fair-trade, a incorporate branded logo or even under the pretension of it being

aid or charity. This is an honest and promising challenge to the dominant free market economic system, with the expertness to promote entrepreneurial spirit and take them to purchasers that will make so at a higher monetary value.

However, for the Christian, is material wealth what we should be prosecuting? Clement of Alexandria ( c.150-c.215 C.E ) wrote a pact on poorness and wealth that remains of import to the African Church today[ 71 ]. Using an allegorical method, he interprets the brush between Jesus and the rich adult male. When the adult male asks Jesus what he should make with his ownerships, Jesus responds that he should sell it all and follow him, citing the familiar 'camel through the oculus of the acerate leaf ' transition ( Matthew 19: 23-24 )[ 72 ]. Yet through Clements 's reading, one could non 'feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty or shelter the homeless ' , buy Fair Trade merchandises, if you were in fact hapless and took this literally[ 73 ]. Wealth becomes desirable if it is seen as a gift from God, used to function 'the demands of the neighbor ' , therefore the rich adult male was truly inquiring how he could alter his mentality so that he could utilize his wealth to profit others.

In contrast, St. Francis of Assisi saw poorness as the 'imitation of Christ ' and that it was a manner of 'entrusting oneself to Divine Providence ' as Jesus did to the Father[ 74 ]. This was an straight-out rejection of secular ownerships including money and belongings, following a more 'mystical ' reading of poorness

class="essay_footnotecitation">[ 75 ], instead than the practicality adopted by Clement. This tends to be the acceptable response to poorness in Christianity demoing an overpowering prejudice towards the hapless.

When using Luther to Fair Trade, ambiguities may originate. His 1524 treatise 'Trade and Usury ' shows a disfavor of commercial greed and argues that the so modern-day trade practises did non populate up to scriptural apprehensions of wealth[ 76 ]. He accepted, like Clement, that trade was an ineluctable necessity, but one signifier of maltreatment that was unacceptable was when merchandisers charged excessively high a monetary value for goods ; although there was particular omitting fortunes that made it hard to bear down a merely monetary value[ 77 ]. This was to be left to 'wise honest work forces '[ 78 ]or to the market forces. Fair Trade may represent this exclusion when the consumer has to pay more for this premium good and, mentioned earlier, the self-acting unseeable manus of the market should n't ever be left unattended. The statement can be made here that Fair Trade in its current signifier is non needfully distinct from Free Trade, but instead it is a value added on top of the merchandise and is still runing within the same market that relies on relationships with large retail merchants to sell it ; on ideological evidences it has really honorable purposes and is trying to do a difference, but as discussed there needs to be more effectual appraisal of the positive and negative effects it is holding on these societies.

Last to be considered is John Milbank hypothesises that in 'postmodernity ' no history of the universe

can be right by demoing how thing truly are, where by 'narratives ' in doctrine and divinity prove no more 'valid ' than another, reasoning that this poses an chance to Christian divinity[ 79 ]. In Extremist Orthodoxy the theological model is that of 'participation ' , as any other alternate 'configuration perforce militias a district of God '[ 80 ]. In other words, we must presume a theological position, in so far that subjects are non separate to God ; otherwise they would be 'grounded in nil '[ 81 ]. This can take to nihilism 'in different pretenses '[ 82 ], defined here as the rejection of all spiritual and moral rules and the world of being. Engagement allows for an battle with this 'territory ' that refuses it to hold its ain and at the same clip maintains its ain unity. As has been noted antecedently, Fairtrade celebrates its ain ethicality and charitable position, yet in this context it is claiming its ain district off from God, whilst at the same clip it is can keep unity in its actions.

In relation to Milbank, Graham Ward assumes likewise that there is this turning sense of nihilism, allowing a modern-day apprehension of Augustine 's two metropoliss[ 83 ]; Ward understands love as unifying the earthly and celestial metropoliss, every bit good as spliting it. This division is the resistance of God 's love to self-love, admonishing the separation of God 's metropolis with the secular metropolis[ 84 ]. The metropolis of God is 'to be realised historically ' , where 'requisite institutional constructions ' and 'social agreements ' must

come from 'good patterns ' that 'responds to God 's grace ' where they occur and have already occurred[ 85 ]. Under this context the Fair Trade motion can be to the full scrutinised under a Christian model and would look to measure up as a 'good pattern ' and that it should be a portion of society that we should merchandise reasonably, instead it is let downing that we have had to turn to these flawed homo establishments to remind us to make it.

Decision

In decision, John 's call for 'wisdom! ' , in this context, acts as an illuminating warning that alerts the Christian to measure bold claims that are made to the wider community ; Fair Trade administrations claim to exert an ethical image and even high quality over other patterns, whilst Milbank and Ward argue that this is a embezzlement to divide God from secular world, much like Boring dislikes the 'Cultural faith ' . Aquinas besides indicates a Christian moral principle that implicates love of neighbor instead than ego and takes motor into consideration ; it is felt that Fair Trade 's ethicality is slightly equivocal here when the action makes one 's ego experience good or used as a position symbol. This call for wisdom is utile here as it would look that if Fair Trade does turn out to be a good thing so socially it does non count so much, but the consumer must actively measure if it is accomplishing positive consequences. In Christianity there must non be the outlook of a return. It has besides been shown that from a dissatisfaction of the Capitalist free market,

Fair Trade, as an political orientation, has spawned from it in an effort to reconstruct justness to the manufacturer in countries in demand of economic support and equality. Examples presented show that Christian Aid and Catholicism support this cause and frequently integrate the spirit of Fair Trade back into their church services.

On-the-other-hand, spiritual association with Fair Trade has raised the position of its symbol within the Church potentially looking to touch to the animals of Revelation taking the fold astray. Possibly it is excessively rough a review to state that Fair Trade is a false prophesier, as it is felt that it is trying to work out the planetary inequality between rich and hapless, in a market that looks chiefly to profit the ego. However, Fair Trade administrations are turning in market laterality and as they continue to turn it has possible to concentrate excessively much power and order ethical pattern. Possibly, this laterality may take to clip when all trade is conducted reasonably, yet instead than holding one company organise this it would be far better if this ethicality was built into each organizational constructions and in turn the market. In this sense it is non the Christians duty to purchase Fair Trade goods entirely, instead it should be to back up the growing of ethical trading and ingestion.

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