1. Trade Liberalization and Public Health Ronald Labonté Canada Research Chair Globalization/Health Equity University of Ottawa Institute of Population Health [email_address] www.globalhealthequity.ca

4. Background: Comparative Advantage? One billion new low-wage workers from India and China removes that one comparative advantage for newly integrating countries Then Now Finished goods traded across borders Most trade intra-firm between branches in global production chains Capital was immobile Capital is hypermobile Difference top and bottom country quintiles by wealth was 3:1 Difference top and bottom country quintiles by wealth ~ 300:1 Displaced agricultural workers migrated to ‘new world’ Migration by skill-level and need with increasing barriers to lesser-skilled from liberalized developing countries

5. Pro-Trade/Health Argument Liberalization  Increases Growth Increased Growth  Increases Wealth Increased Wealth  Decreases Poverty Decreased Poverty  Increases Health Increased Health  Increases Growth

6. Growth for some, not for others Eastern Europe Latin America Africa World Economic and Social Survey 2006, UN DESA Enter structural adjustment

11. Low-income countries High-income countries

24. Number of financial crises by year, 1971 - 2002 Source: Labonté, R et al. Globalization and Health: Pathways, Evidence and Policy. London: Routledge. 2009.

25. Number of financial crises by year, 1971 - 2002 Source: Labonté, R et al. Globalization and Health: Pathways, Evidence and Policy. London: Routledge. 2009.

29. The truth is that there is as yet no credible, socially just, ecologically sustainable scenario of continually growing incomes for a world of nine billion people. UK Sustainable Development Commission, Prosperity without Growth? 2009