Expanding Fair Trade to Garment Production in Ciudad Sandino, Nicaragua

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Expanding Fair Trade to Garment Production in Ciudad Sandino, Nicaragua Expanding Fair Trade to Garment Production in Ciudad Sandino, Nicaragua A thesis presented to the faculty of the Center for International Studies of Ohio University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Arts Linda J. Ellersick March 2009 © 2009 Linda J. Ellersick. All Rights Reserved. 2 This thesis titled Expanding Fair Trade to Garment Production in Ciudad Sandino, Nicaragua by LINDA J. ELLERSICK has been approved for the Center for International Studies by Yeong-Hyun Kim Associate Professor of Geography Betsy J. Partyka Director, Latin American Studies Daniel Weiner Executive Director, Center for International Studies 3 ABSTRACT ELLERSICK, LINDA J., M.A., March 2009, Latin American Studies Expanding Fair Trade to Garment Production in Ciudad Sandino, Nicaragua (120 pp.) Director of Thesis: Yeong-Hyun Kim Despite challenges the movement is having and may continue to have, fair trade has proved itself a viable grassroots alternative to neoliberal free trade for farmers in the Global South and has gained legitimacy in both literature and consumer markets. Producers and consumers are becoming increasingly aware of fair trade as an economic and social alternative. While there exist set standards for fair trade agricultural products, no standards yet exist for fair trade garment manufacturing. Through a case study of COMAMNUVI (Cooperativa Maquiladora Mujeres de Nueva Vida) in Ciudad Sandino, Nicaragua, this research analyzes the application of fair trade principles to the garment production industry. Claiming to be the first garment production cooperative in the world to operate within both the fair trade and free trade markets, COMAMNUVI has contributed an unprecedented prototype of how fair trade garment production may extend to other communities. However, the cooperative has yet to be considered a success and has encountered many problems that challenge the very goal they set out to achieve. Approved: _____________________________________________________________ Yeong-Hyun Kim Associate Professor of Geography 4 To the workers of COMAMNUVI and others venturing to make positive changes 5 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS A special thank you to my parents, Steven and Tricia, and my dearly loved Tony for your unconditional support, love, and humor while undergoing this project in the US and abroad. To my committee chair, Dr. Yeong-Hyun Kim, for her guidance and being a great coach. To my committee members, Dr. Brad Jokisch, and Dr. Amado Lascar, for their encouragement and immense willingness to help at every turn. To Tatiana Arguello and her family in Nicaragua, which without their generous hospitality, this research venture would not have been possible. To all other Ohio University faculty who contributed their guidance and support. To Beth Clodfelter and Leah Vincent whose vast assistance and patience helped me to hone my writing and editing abilities. To my friends and family here in the US and the new friends I met while in Nicaragua for showing true interest in my work. To Pavel and Mitya for uplifting me while I was away from home and welcoming me back so warmly and enthusiastically. 6 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Abstract ............................................................................................................................... 3 Dedication ........................................................................................................................... 4 Acknowledgments............................................................................................................... 5 List of Tables ...................................................................................................................... 9 List of Figures ................................................................................................................... 10 Chapter 1: Fair Trade as an Alternative to Free Trade .................................................... 11 Emergence and rise of fair trade .............................................................................. 13 Fair trade organizations ........................................................................................... 16 Fair trade in Latin America ...................................................................................... 19 Challenges and drawbacks of fair trade ................................................................... 21 Conclusion ................................................................................................................ 23 Chapter 2: Garments and Handicrafts in Fair Trade ........................................................ 24 Typical fair trade channels ....................................................................................... 24 Fair trade garment production ................................................................................. 26 Research methods ..................................................................................................... 30 Conclusion ................................................................................................................ 33 Chapter 3: Nicaragua’s Economic Development and Challenges ................................... 35 Nicaragua’s historic economic difficulties ............................................................... 35 Dilemmas of neoliberalism and zonas francas ......................................................... 42 Conclusion ................................................................................................................ 49 7 Chapter 4: COMAMNUVI as a Worker-Owned Fair Trade Organization ..................... 50 A new type of fair trade arises .................................................................................. 51 The Nueva Vida community ...................................................................................... 58 Production operations of COMAMNUVI ................................................................. 60 Workers of COMAMNUVI ........................................................................................ 66 COMAMNUVI as an alternative to other zona francas ............................................ 70 Conclusion ................................................................................................................ 72 Chapter 5: COMAMNUVI’s Marketing to the Global North ......................................... 74 Global understanding ............................................................................................... 74 Global markets and demand for products ................................................................ 75 Conclusion ................................................................................................................ 78 Chapter 6: Impediments to Global Market Expansion .................................................... 80 Difficulties with business principles ......................................................................... 80 Conceptual problems: fair trade and fairer trade ................................................... 84 Support from fair trade organizations ...................................................................... 87 Conclusion ................................................................................................................ 90 Chapter 7: Conclusion...................................................................................................... 92 References ......................................................................................................................... 96 Appendices ...................................................................................................................... 104 Appendix A: FLO Certifiable Fair Trade Products ................................................... 104 Appendix B: Fair Trade Certified Product Samples .................................................. 105 Appendix C: Fair Trade Product Advertising Pamphlet Samples ............................. 108 8 Appendix D: Organizations Partnering with Maggie’s Functional Organics ............ 111 Appendix E: Sample Consent Form .......................................................................... 112 Appendix F: Sample Organizational Flow Chart of COMAMNUVI ........................ 114 Appendix G: Current COMAMNUVI Partners and Positions .................................. 115 Appendix H: COMAMNUVI’s Clients ..................................................................... 116 Appendix I: Fair Trade Cotton Producers .................................................................. 117 Appendix J: Sample Websites on which COMAMNUVI Appears ........................... 119 9 LIST OF TABLES Page Table 1: Comparison of ATOs and Labeling Organizations ..........................................17 Table 2: Nicaragua’s Trade, Debt, and Inflation Indicators Prior to Neoliberal Policy Implementation ...............................................................................................................41 Table 3: Sources of FDI in Nicaragua ............................................................................46 Table 4: Advantages and Disadvantages of Operating in the Free Trade Zone .............56 Table 5: Comparison Between COMAMNUVI and Other Zonas Francas ...................71 10 LIST OF FIGURES Page Figure 1: Map of Nicaragua ............................................................................................31 Figure 2: GNI per capita: Nicaragua 1965-2005 in current USD ..................................36
Recommended publications
  • Fairtrade Certification, Labor Standards, and Labor Rights Comparative Innovations and Persistent Challenges
    LAURA T. RAYNOLDS Professor, Department of Sociology, Director, Center for Fair & Alternative Trade, Colorado State University Email: [email protected] Fairtrade Certification, Labor Standards, and Labor Rights Comparative Innovations and Persistent Challenges ABSTRACT Fairtrade International certification is the primary social certification in the agro-food sector in- tended to promote the well-being and empowerment of farmers and workers in the Global South. Although Fairtrade’s farmer program is well studied, far less is known about its labor certification. Helping fill this gap, this article provides a systematic account of Fairtrade’s labor certification system and standards and com- pares it to four other voluntary programs addressing labor conditions in global agro-export sectors. The study explains how Fairtrade International institutionalizes its equity and empowerment goals in its labor certifica- tion system and its recently revised labor standards. Drawing on critiques of compliance-based labor stand- ards programs and proposals regarding the central features of a ‘beyond compliance’ approach, the inquiry focuses on Fairtrade’s efforts to promote inclusive governance, participatory oversight, and enabling rights. I argue that Fairtrade is making important, but incomplete, advances in each domain, pursuing a ‘worker- enabling compliance’ model based on new audit report sharing, living wage, and unionization requirements and its established Premium Program. While Fairtrade pursues more robust ‘beyond compliance’ advances than competing programs, the study finds that, like other voluntary initiatives, Fairtrade faces critical challenges in implementing its standards and realizing its empowerment goals. KEYWORDS fair trade, Fairtrade International, multi-stakeholder initiatives, certification, voluntary standards, labor rights INTRODUCTION Voluntary certification systems seeking to improve social and environmental conditions in global production have recently proliferated.
    [Show full text]
  • Experiences of the Fair Trade Movement
    SEED WORKING PAPER No. 30 Creating Market Opportunities for Small Enterprises: Experiences of the Fair Trade Movement by Andy Redfern and Paul Snedker InFocus Programme on Boosting Employment through Small EnterprisE Development Job Creation and Enterprise Department International Labour Office · Geneva Copyright © International Labour Organization 2002 First published 2002 Publications of the International Labour Office enjoy copyright under Protocol 2 of the Universal Copyright Convention. Nevertheless, short excerpts from them may be reproduced without authorization, on condition that the source is indicated. For rights of reproduction or translation, application should be made to the Publications Bureau (Rights and Permissions), International Labour Office, CH-1211 Geneva 22, Switzerland. The International Labour Office welcomes such applications. Libraries, institutions and other users registered in the United Kingdom with the Copyright Licensing Agency, 90 Tottenham Court Road, London W1T 4LP [Fax: (+44) (0)20 7631 5500; e-mail: [email protected]], in the United States with the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923 [Fax: (+1) (978) 750 4470; e-mail: [email protected]] or in other countries with associated Reproduction Rights Organizations, may make photocopies in accordance with the licences issued to them for this purpose. ILO Creating Market Opportunities for Small Enterprises: Experiences of the Fair Trade Movement Geneva, International Labour Office, 2002 ISBN 92-2-113453-9 The designations employed in ILO publications, which are in conformity with United Nations practice, and the presentation of material therein do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the International Labour Office concerning the legal status of any country, area or territory or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers.
    [Show full text]
  • The Story of Toys Made in China for Wal-Mart Students
    Wal-Mart’s Sweatshop Monitoring Fails to Catch Violations: The Story of Toys Made in China for Wal-Mart www.sacom.hk Students and Scholars against Corporate Misbehavior June 2007 Wal-Mart’s Sweatshop Monitoring Fails to Catch Violations: The Story of Toys Made in China for Wal-Mart CONTENTS List of 5 Toy Factories: Names and Addresses Executive Summary 1. Introduction: China’s Export-Oriented Toy Industry 2. Wal-Mart’s Unethical Sourcing Policy 3. Five Chinese Supplier Factories of Wal-Mart 3.1 Excessive, Forced Overtime and No Rest 3.2 Far From a Minimum Wage and Deductions 3.3 Unsafe Production Environment 3.4 Inferior Living Conditions 3.5 Punitive Fines 3.6 Workers Without a Contract 3.7 Non-Provision of Social Security 4. Factory Inspection and Falsification 5. Workers’ Right to Join Union 6. SACOM’s Demands: No More Sweatshop Toys Made for Wal-Mart Appendix I, II, and III 1 List of 5 Toy Factories: Names and Addresses Factory Location Workforce* Tai Hsing Longgang district, Shenzhen 5,000-6,000 Xin Tai Xing Baoan district, Shenzhen 1,000 Zai Xing Baoan district, Shenzhen 1,000 Tai Qiang Baoan district, Shenzhen 1,500 Kam Long Xiangzhou district, Zhuhai 1,000 www.kamlong.com * The approximate size of the workforce as of the field research, June 2005 – December 2006. 1. Tai Hsing Toys (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. Address: Danzhutou Village, Bu Ji Town, Longgang District, Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province, China 泰興(玩具)深圳有限公司 中國廣東省深圳市龍崗區布吉鎮丹竹頭村 Tel: 86 755 870 8835 Fax: 86 755 870 8744 2. Xin Tai Xing Toys (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.
    [Show full text]
  • U.S. Retailers: Responsible for the Global Sweatshop Crisis
    Re s p o n s i b l e U.S. RETAILERS: fo r th e GLOBAL SW EATSHOP CRISIS ver the past 15 years, powerful U.S.clothing retailers Osuch as Wal-Mart, Lord & Taylor and The Gap have created a global sweatshop crisis. U.S. clothing retailers have enjoyed tremendous success in Global Industry,Global Sweats hops recent years, opening waves of new stores as profits and stock prices have risen to unprecedented heights. Their for- Apparel is the most global of all manufacturing indus- mula for success is simple: create a positive brand image to tries. The apparel, textile and footwear industries employ attract loyal customers in the U.S.,while making clothing as the largest workforce of any manufacturing industry in cheaply as possible around the globe. the world. This strategy has generated tremendous wealth In 150 countries around the world, over 2 million for retail executives and shareholders. But peop l e , m a ny of t h em young wom en and the workers who make the clothes that teenagers, work in garment sweatshops pro- generate this wealth are suffering the ducing for American retailers. About 80 con s equ en ces every day. Th ey work percent of apparel workers producing long hours in sweatshop conditions clothing for U.S. retailers are working for poverty wages, their lives and the under conditions that systematically vio- futures of their children sacrificed to late local and international labor law. And the bottom line of U.S. retailers. despite apparel retailers’ promises to clean up the system, the crisis is only getting worse.
    [Show full text]
  • Starbucks Vs. Equal Exchange: Assessing the Human Costs of Economic Globalization
    University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Nebraska Anthropologist Anthropology, Department of 1997 Starbucks vs. Equal Exchange: Assessing the Human Costs of Economic Globalization Lindsey M. Smith Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/nebanthro Part of the Anthropology Commons Smith, Lindsey M., "Starbucks vs. Equal Exchange: Assessing the Human Costs of Economic Globalization" (1997). Nebraska Anthropologist. 111. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/nebanthro/111 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Anthropology, Department of at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Nebraska Anthropologist by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Starbucks vs. Equal Exchange: Assessing the Human Costs of Economic Globalization Lindsey M. Smith This paper discusses the impact of economic globalization on human populations and their natural environment. Trends leading to globalization, such as multilateral and bilateral trade 8fT88ments which reduce trading barriers between countries, are discussed. According to the economic principle of comparative advantage, all countries which specialize in what they can produce most efficiently should benefit equally from fair trade. Developing countries must increasingly rely on cheap labor and low environmental standards to compete for foreign investment and capital in the global economy. Observers argue that the market is not free enough to conect the long-term damage associated with export policies like this. Poverty, misery and social stratification are increasing in many developing countries as a result. A case study of the coffee industry in Latin America provides evidence of the consequences of globalization policies on the most vulnerable populations.
    [Show full text]
  • No More Sweatshop
    No More Sweatshop: Japan Is the Un-fairest Trader among Advanced Countries Kobe Gakuin University B115092 Ohnishi, Mikiko Examiner: Nakanishi, Noriko Abstract In this report, first paragraph is mentioned about what sweatshop and fair trade is. In the second paragraph, I will write how sweatshops increased in the world and why sweatshops do not decrease. Sweatshops increased after industrial revolution and immigration reform and it is one of a big social problems in the world. In the third paragraph, I will write about fair trade and my research about it. Fair trade is one of the solution to decrease sweatshops, so this paragraph shows how fair trade solve the problems caused by sweatshops. My research is about the recognition about fair trade. I did my questionnaire for Japanese and Canadian students, and I found some differences by the result. In the fourth paragraph, I wrote about what we have to do. Sweatshops are increasing in the world, but most of people do not know about them. Therefore, we have to learn about sweatshops and fair trade and think about it more seriously. If fair trade products is common among people in advanced countries, sweatshop will decrease in the world. Contents 1. Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 1 2. The issues related to sweatshops ......................................................................................... 1 2-1. Sweatshops in developing countries .............................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Workers' Tool Or PR Ploy?
    Workers‘ tool or PR ploy? 4th revised edition A guide to codes of international labour practice By Ingeborg Wick Workers‘ tool or PR ploy? Table of contents A guide to codes of international labour practice By Ingeborg Wick Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung / Bonn, Germany SÜDWIND Institut für Ökonomie und Ökumene / Siegburg, Germany 2005 Preface. 5 1. Introduction . 6 2. Restructuring of the world economy . .11 3. Basic information on trade-related initiatives . 15 3.1 Ethical consumption . 15 Published jointly by Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, 3.2 WTO and Workers' Rights . 17 Godesberger Allee 149, 53175 Bonn 3.3 International Framework Agreements. 20 and SÜDWIND Institut für Ökonomie und Ökumene, 3.4 World Works Councils and Global Union Networks . 23 Lindenstraße 58–60, 53721 Siegburg 3.5 Codes of Conduct . 25 Author 4. Profiles of multistakeholder initiatives . 32 Ingeborg Wick 4.1 Fair Wear Foundation . 32 Cover design and layout: Frank Zander 4.2 Social Accountability International . 39 Printed by 4.3 Ethical Trading Initiative. 46 Bonner Universitätsdruckerei 4.4 Fair Labor Association. 54 Bonn/Siegburg 2005 4.5 Worker Rights Consortium . 61 ISBN 3-86077-979-6 4th revised edition 4.6 Overview and Comparison / Joint Initiative . 70 2 3 5. Private code of conduct initiatives with th emphasis on the apparel and sportsshoe industry . 89 Preface to the 4 revised edition 5.1 Clean Clothes Campaign . 89 5.2 Charter of the European Social Partners of the Textile ince the first publication of “Workers’ tool or PR ploy?” in March 2001, the and Clothing Sector. 91 Sinternational debate on codes of conduct has gained further momentum.
    [Show full text]
  • List of Goods Produced by Child Labor Or Forced Labor a Download Ilab’S Sweat & Toil and Comply Chain Apps Today!
    2018 LIST OF GOODS PRODUCED BY CHILD LABOR OR FORCED LABOR A DOWNLOAD ILAB’S SWEAT & TOIL AND COMPLY CHAIN APPS TODAY! Browse goods Check produced with countries' child labor or efforts to forced labor eliminate child labor Sweat & Toil See what governments 1,000+ pages can do to end of research in child labor the palm of Review laws and ratifications your hand! Find child labor data Explore the key Discover elements best practice of social guidance compliance systems Comply Chain 8 8 steps to reduce 7 3 4 child labor and 6 forced labor in 5 Learn from Assess risks global supply innovative and impacts company in supply chains chains. examples ¡Ahora disponible en español! Maintenant disponible en français! B BUREAU OF INTERNATIONAL LABOR AFFAIRS How to Access Our Reports We’ve got you covered! Access our reports in the way that works best for you. ON YOUR COMPUTER All three of the USDOL flagship reports on international child labor and forced labor are available on the USDOL website in HTML and PDF formats, at www.dol.gov/endchildlabor. These reports include the Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor, as required by the Trade and Development Act of 2000; the List of Products Produced by Forced or Indentured Child Labor, as required by Executive Order 13126; and the List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor, as required by the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005. On our website, you can navigate to individual country pages, where you can find information on the prevalence and sectoral distribution of the worst forms of child labor in the country, specific goods produced by child labor or forced labor in the country, the legal framework on child labor, enforcement of laws related to child labor, coordination of government efforts on child labor, government policies related to child labor, social programs to address child labor, and specific suggestions for government action to address the issue.
    [Show full text]
  • The T-SHIRT Project
    The T-SHIRT Project A Transparency Report: Meet the people who make our clothes. 2020 OPORAJEO NO SWEAT NO SWEAT This T-Shirt Fights Sweatshops! No Sweat is taking on the garment industry from the inside—building solidarity with garment workers and showing what ‘ethical’ really means. Our T-shirts and other garments don’t just offer an alternative to the sweatshops that produce apparel sold in Western shops, they actively challenge them. We believe passionately that we must end the exploitation of workers throughout the world by unscrupulous producers paying poverty wages to people who work in appalling conditions and enjoy few, if any, employment rights. And the only way to do that is through solidarity. We are making it our business to take on this industry directly in order to ensure that ‘ethical’ really means ‘ethical’—by championing the best practices, regulations, and wages that workers deserve. We have partnered with a worker-owned garment factory in Bangladesh which has demonstrated that change is possible and is setting new standards to provide an exciting model for future garment production. Through our partner we source T-shirts, hoodies and tote bags made by people who earn a living wage and have democratic control over their work. We use the profits to fund the fight against exploitation in the garment industry globally. This report tells the full story of what we affectionately refer to as ‘The T-shirt Project’. You will learn how our production partner, Oporajeo, was formed as a beacon of hope by survivors of the Rana Plaza disaster in Bangladesh and has overcome every hurdle to ensure they have a better life.
    [Show full text]
  • 21 the Sweatshop Is Back. Bob Jeffcott Argues That Citizenship Is
    Cotton SWEATSHOPS factories owned by Asian manufacturers in Hong Kong, university assemblies, students were shocked to learn Korea and Taiwan. Companies like Nike became ‘hollow that their favourite brand-name clothes were made by Sweat, fire manufacturers’ whose only business was designing teenagers like themselves, forced to work up to 18 hours fashionable sportswear and marketing their brands. a day for poverty wages in unsafe workplaces. Other retailers and discount chains followed Nike’s lead, outsourcing to offshore factories. Competition Badly tarnished brands heightened. Asian suppliers began to shift their Students who had proudly worn the Nike swoosh production to even lower-wage countries in Asia, Latin wrote angry letters to Nike CEO Phil Knight declaring America and Africa. A race to the bottom for the lowest they would never again wear clothes made in Nike wages and worst working conditions went into high gear. sweatshops. But the big brands weren’t the only villains: and ethics Today, countries like Mexico and Thailand are facing the clothes of lesser-known companies were often made The sweatshop is back. Bob Jeffcott massive worker layoffs because production costs are in the same factories or under even worse conditions. considered too high. While most production is shifting Twelve years later, the Nike swoosh and other argues that citizenship is more likely to to China and India, other poor countries like Bangladesh well-known brands are badly tarnished, and the word attract orders due to bargain-basement labour costs. ‘sweatshop’ no longer needs explaining to young get rid of it than shopping. On 11 April 2005, at one o’clock in the morning, a nine- consumers.
    [Show full text]
  • Fair Trade Backgrounder
    Trading Places: Putting the Poor First in Global Relations TEACHER’S RESOURCE FOR FAIR TRADE TABLE OF CONTENTS What is Fair Trade 2 -When did Fair Trade Begin? -Why is Fair Trade Important How to Tell when a Product is Fair Trade 3 Fair Trade in Canada 4 Fair Trade/Non-Fair Trade Supply chain 5 Some Common Fairly Traded Items 8 Words Related to Fair Trade 9 Fair Trade in Action 10 Fair Trade Chocolate Cake Recipe 11 Crossword Puzzle 12 Interesting and Amazing Questions and Facts 13 One Month Challenge 14 Resources 16 Prepared by MCIC, 302-280 Smith Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 1K2 Tel: 204. 987-6420 Fax: 204 956-0031 E-mail: [email protected] PAGE What is fair trade ? Undoubtedly you have heard the term “Fair Trade.” But what, precisely, does the term mean? Basically fair trade means that producers are paid a fair price for the products they produce. But there’s much more involved than just a good price. Fair trade goods are produced in humane working conditions, and factories are monitored for their compliance to minimum standards. By putting control in the hands of producers, fair trade attempts to address structural inequities in the global economy and promote grassroots development. Key elements of fair trade include: Creating opportunities for economically disadvantaged producers Transparency and accountability Promoting independence Payment of a fair price Decent working conditions Sustainable environmental practices No child labour (adapted from www.levelground.com) * Definition of Fair Trade fits into Grade 7 Social Studies Curriculum 7.3.5 KE-049 When did Fair Trade Begin ? The fair trade movement dates back to the late 1940s when US churches began selling handicrafts made by refugees in Europe after World War II.
    [Show full text]
  • Caritas Guide
    Caritas in Veritate On Integral Human Development in Charity and Truth A GUIDE for DISCUSSION and ACTION A publication of the Social Affairs Commission of the Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Ontario 1 Aussi disponible en français. Produced by: Published September 2010 by: Jesuit Forum for Social Faith and Justice Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Ontario 70 St. Mary Street 10 St. Mary Street, Suite 800 Toronto, Ontario M5S 1J3 Toronto, Ontario M4Y 1P9 416-927-7887 416-922-1423 2 Caritas in Veritate On Integral Human Development in Charity and Truth A GUIDE for DISCUSSION and ACTION CONTENTS Introduction Notes for Group Leaders Sessions: 1. Why Caritas in Veritate? 2. We’re all in this together, to the ends of the earth 3. Hey, we’ve globalized the market. Now can we civilize it? 4. The bottom line: too flat for a round planet, too thin for the human heart 5. Development: intelligent love of neighbour 6. The more tools we have, the more soul we need! 7. Making peace with nature: a fresh start for all of us Conclusion 3 Introduction n June 29, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI Within that framework, he looks at economic, released his third major encyclical. ecological, inter-cultural, pro-life and social O Its Latin title (from the opening words of justice issues – and challenges us all to re- the letter) is Caritas in Veritate (Love in Truth). vision them in the light of the creative and The English translation is On Integral Human redeeming love of God as we meet that love in Development in Charity and Truth.
    [Show full text]