But the bloc will be a more credible voice if its members, from the U.S. to host India, confront their own major rights concerns.
Believe It or Not, the G20 Agrees on (Some) Human Rights Issues
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G20
I was Invited to Join the G20 Think Tank Summit. Here’s Why I Declined.
My participation in a session on climate and energy policy hosted by the Saudi government would have “greenwashed” the summit.
‘Get Me Outta Here’: Trump Turns the G20 into the G19
On everything from climate to trade to the international order itself, the failure of the White House’s powers of persuasion were on full display at the G20.
The World’s 20 Largest Economies Just Met, and the Media Reported on Cats
Thousands of government representatives from the 20 nations met recently to deepen neoliberalism and kick the can on climate change, and all we got was another viral cat video.
Taxing Financial Speculation, Raising Funds for Critical Needs
Political discontent simmered for decades in Egypt, but soaring food prices helped push public frustration past the boiling point. As the political drama there continues to unfold, it’s critical to address the complex financial and environmental dynamics that have driven global food prices to record levels.
60-Second Expert: Fighting Finance
Many economic justice activists felt intimidated by the complexity of the Third World debt crisis in the 1980s and overwhelmed by the intricacies of the World Trade Organization in the 1990s. Now people are facing a confounding global financial catastrophe, and though we certainly need more activist education on the workings of financial markets, it’s remarkable to see how much progress civil society has made since the 2008 crash.
China: Already on Top?
“The Communists have taken over the World Bank!” So far, this phrase hasn’t appeared on Glenn Beck’s infamous chalkboard. I’m still waiting for Beck or Rush Limbaugh to make a big stink that the World Bank’s chief economist is from Mainland China. Justin Yifu Lin has been in his position for more than two years and the right-wing crazies have been largely silent. Maybe they’re too busy attacking their fantasy version of President Barack Obama – the Muslim/elitist/socialist-in-chief – to pay much attention to what’s going on in the real world.
Fighting Finance from Below
At the onset of the Third World debt crisis in the 1980s, many economic justice activists were afraid to engage on the issue because they felt it was just too complicated. Then, in the 1990s, the hot issue was trade. And again, many people thought, “I’ll never understand the World Trade Organization.” But eventually, in both of these cases, large numbers of people bit the bullet and learned enough to have a voice in these debates. And they built strong movements for debt and trade justice that continue today.
Hummer Rules
Anti-government rhetoric is all the rage these days. And “rage” is the operative word here. Small-government enthusiasts are like the drivers of Hummers incensed at all the difficulties they encounter on the roadway — pesky speed limits, red lights, construction-related delays. Fuming at these restrictions on their liberty, they suddenly have a profanity-laced meltdown and take it out on those around them.
Our Global Senate and Its Flaws
They used to be seven. They embodied power and relished it. Other leaders envied their photo ops. They were the cream of the cream, the top of the top. They were the G7.
And now they are 20, and they meet in Toronto this week. The G20 is the Senate of our global government. It sets global economic policy, giving direction to an alphabet soup of global executive agencies, from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).