From Traditional Methods to International Standards

To explain the process of transition from comparatively isolated

subsistence societies to a global marketplace

Development of the market

• In traditional societies people have a primary relationship with land. They farm it, hunt and gather or herd animals, and trade surplus produce

• In feudal societies they are dominated by warring lords who fight over the land they rule

• In modern societies the growing importance of trade and the increasing scarcity of land combine to encourage early factory production, as Marx described in Europe.

Durkheim (1858-1917)

• Durkheim argued that the tendency of society is to become more rational. There is also an increasing degree of productive interdependence which occurs as the market and its culture spreads. Capitalist production tends to increase the division of labour and constantly needs new and better technologies to replace labour.

Durkheim

• Modern societies are more heterogeneous or diverse than traditional ones.

• Greater tolerance of social diversity develops with technology and the market. Specialization of knowledge, roles, production and consumption increases social diversity further. Traditional societies and the natural environment may be trampled in the process.

Postmodernist Tendencies

• The increasing belief in progress and the faith placed in science mark a transition from the pre-modern to the modern era

• However, the post-modern era is marked by loss of faith in the concept of progress, the power of science to solve problems, and the possibility of arriving at the truth.

Postmodern Era

• The search for truth is abandoned

• Knowledge fragments into a multiplicity of different language games

• Statements are judged not by whether they are ‘true’ but by whether they are useful - either to sell a product or to gain more power. Marketing and polling dominate. ‘Spin’ is everything.

Postmodernism

• Involves a logical extension of the power of the market over the whole range of production

• Awareness of cultural and historical differences mainly as products for sale

• Science and morality attacked as relative

• There is a need instead for healthier, evidence based, management approaches

The growth of the market and democracy interrelated

• Capitalism seeks to competitively produce goods and services more cheaply, in order to sell them to a widening market

• Technological and scientific development is a key engine of growth

• Freedom of choice and information necessary for effective market operation

• Wealth increases through efficient production. (How is it spread around?)

Weber (followed Marx)

• He saw the growth of law and its administration by government as a byproduct of the development of democracy, its nature reflecting the struggles of interest groups and underclasses seeking to achieve equality of treatment by those with greatest power.

Weber

• People may organize their demands upon government through:

• Family, tribal, regional or ethnic identity

• Occupational or related class identification

• Gender/sexual identity

• Religious identification

• Or other identification, to pursue their interests

Can we move beyond interest groups to the public interest?

• Can politics be more than the struggle of interest groups in pursuit of agendas?

• Will the future be characterized only by market driven meaning or by international standards for wellbeing and sustainable development?

• How should changing and diverse perceptions of God be accommodated? God is love?

The United Nations – Towards internationally agreed standards

• Comprised of 179 nations (nearly every country in the world)

• Charter written at the end of World War II by 50 governments based on proposals of China, France, Soviet Union, UK and USA

• Charter signed 26.6.45

Growing Importance of

• Effective international regulation (United Nations; World Health Organization; International Labour Organization)

• Effective implementation of ecologically sustainable development (ESD)

• Provision of market incentives which are consistent with ESD and the public interest

Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UN General Assembly

1948)• The Declaration was a Bill of Rights to be

implemented by two legally enforceable covenants

• The Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

• The Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

International Labour Organization established 1919

• ILO responsible for issues in the Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

• All people have a right to fair wages and equal remuneration for work of equal value; safe and healthy working conditions; equal opportunity; rest, leisure and limitations on working hours; periodic paid holidays; remuneration for public holidays

World Health Organization

• Established in 1948

• ‘Health for all by the year 2000’ was goal established in 1977 based on primary education approach

• Targeted assistance to poorest regions of the world (where populations are almost most unhealthy and least educated)

WHO Strategy

• Education about main health problems• Proper food supply and nutrition• Safe water and sanitation• Maternal and child health (family planning)• Immunization against infectious diseases• Prevention and control of local diseases• Treatment of common diseases and

injuries and provision of essential drugs

WHO Governing Body is World Health Assembly (170 nations)

• WHO helps countries reinforce health systems by building up infrastructure

• Promotes appropriate research (malaria, leprosy and other tropical disease control)

• Safe drinking water programs

• Immunization programs

• Other appropriate programs; HIV/AIDS, river blindness, etc.

Economic development, health and ethnicity

• There is generally a positive relationship between development and health but advance of production has often also been at the expense of the health and welfare of people who live more traditional lifestyles based on subsistence economies

• Poor health is directly associated with poverty in nearly all countries.

Development of dual market relations

• Control of land is often a major source of friction or degradation for the losers

• The development of capitalism also promoted colonial domination

• Rural communities, subordinate cultural groups and migrants may be adversely or positively affected by capitalist development but generally occupy secondary status. Will inequality increase?

Global burden of disease (1990)WHO and Harvard

• Calculated for eight demographic regions

• Established market economies (OECD)

• Formerly socialist economies of Europe

• India; China; Other Asia and Islands

• Middle Eastern Crescent

• Latin America and the Caribbean

• Sub-Saharan Africa

1990

• One death in every three related to communicable, maternal and perinatal conditions and nutritional deficiencies

• Virtually all these deaths occur in developing regions

• Poor health in developed economies mainly caused by personal habits, work and accidents (over-eating, lack of exercise, smoking and alcohol problems)

Cooperation towards free trade and sustainable development

• General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade signed in 1994 by 120 countries commits them to a free trade direction

• 1994 - Asia/Pacific Economic Co-operation Agreement and North Atlantic Free Trade Agreement

• 1995 World Trade Organization established

Increasing importance of trade in services

• Services trade now over 20% of total world trade and growing constantly

• Health products/ services

• Education products/ services

• Communication products/ services

• Environment protection products/services

• Insurance and other financial services most important for future development

Towards Sustainable Development

• Between 1974-83 East Asian members of APEC grew at an average annual rate of 7% (3% was OECD average)

• Integration of Australia into the Asian region and the world is increasing rapidly

• Importance of developing health, education and related trade to achieve sustainable development internationally

Asia/Pacific Economic Cooperation Principles

• Free trade

• Equal treatment

• Equal access to transparent information

• Cost-effective dispute resolution

• Towards triple bottom line accounting (economic, social, environmental)

1992 UN Rio Declaration on Environment

• Committed signatories to sustainable development goals. First principle states that human beings are at the centre of concern for sustainable development and are entitled to a healthy and productive life in harmony with nature

Major Necessity for:

• Technologies/organizations which provide information as widely and cheaply as possible

• Technologies/Organizations which allow monitoring of performance in order to improve practice

• Effective sanctions for breaches of the public interest by nations, companies, individuals