Transnational Social Movements, Solidarity Values and the Grassroots: The Fair Trade Movement, Mexican Coffee Producers and a European NGO Coalition

Abstract

This paper explores the points of convergence and digression of the Trade Justice Movement and the Fair Trade Market in Northern countries and the Mexican peasant project, through the framework of transnational social movements. It concerns the way solidarity relations between northern social movements and southern social movements are carried out, the extent they can be conceptualised as social movements, and the level of engagement between north and south movements that share claims. Also, it will analyse the role of values as a strategy, and as an end in itself, framing the broad struggle between opposing actors. It is concluded that, actually both the Fair Trade market and the Trade Justice Movement address one of the longstanding claims of the Latin American peasant movements namely better conditions of access to the market. However there are not visible channels of communication and strong links between northern and southern social movements. It is suggested that a stronger mutual involvement could enhance more effective channels of communication that gives coherence and effectiveness to the movements struggle for equality, rather than repeating within SM’s the political economy’s North-South schema of domination.

Acknowledgements.

Among all the people and groups that contributed to reach this final stage, I would like to thank very much the National Council for Science and Technology (CONACYT), the Ford, McArthur, and Hewlett Foundations for the economic support provided in the graduate program, and the Institute of International Education for the kind assistance provided before, during and after the academic studies. Also, I am very grateful for tutorials and suggestions made by my supervisor Richard Wilson, Peter Luechtford and specially Jutta Blauert, who gave insightful advice and sincere comments for the shaping of this final work. I express also my gratitude to the people from the Brighton WDM and Christian Aid local groups, some of whom offered and provided their time and experience through the interviews in which they kindly contributed. However, nobody but me is to blame for any mistake done throughout the document.

* MA in Anthropology of Development and Social Transformation
Dissertation, 2002
University of Sussex at Brighton.