Development, Economic and Social Rights Archives

Introduction: The restructuring of development patterns has for a long time been part of the official discourse of all political players in Tunisia, whether governments or opposition factions, political parties or trade unions, right wing or left wing, since the winter of 2010. Despite consensus over the necessity of restructuring the Tunisian economy, the level of political will required to achieve this end was never reached throughout the past seven years despite the relatively substantial political changes that took place during that time and the continuation of lobbying by social movements. According to al-Saghir al-Salihi, the absence of a real…

Towards an alternative participatory economy: The role of the state

19 March، 2018أيمن عبد المعطيDevelopment, Economic and Social Rights

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Introduction: Any plan for an alternative economy that goes beyond the current capitalist system requires a state with an independent administration as far as decision-making is concerned, one that is well connected to society and the private sector, especially different forms of production including cooperatives and labor unions. The existence of an independent and uncorrupt administrative structure is one of the most important steps for the transition to an alternative economy that replaces that current neoliberal order and challenges the dominant capitalist discourse. Such administration would protect the economy from its enemies both on the domestic and foreign levels…

Environmental citizenship: On equal access to natural resources

19 March، 2018أيمن عبد المعطيDevelopment, Economic and Social Rights

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Introduction: The environment is among the most vital sectors that are constantly being subjected to monopoly and control attempts by multi-nationals that aim at integrating environmental resources such as land, water, and renewable energy into neoliberal markets. In doing so, those corporations aim at turning resources from services whose main purpose is serving citizens into commodities that should yield profit, hence putting pressure on locals whose livelihood depends on those resources and triggering a major deterioration in the living conditions of farmers, fishermen, shepherds, and others. The aim of the paper: The paper attempts to envision a model…

International institutions in an alternative economy

13 March، 2018أيمن عبد المعطيDevelopment, Economic and Social Rights

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The Bretton Woods Conference was held 73 years ago. Ever since, the institutions that emerged from this conference have witnessed a number of transformations, faced waves of criticism and engaged in self-criticism, and expanded their influence and promoted their financial policies across a large number of countries all over the world. Despite the financial character of these institutions, their impact transcended the economy to encompass culture, society, and human rights among others. In 1944, the United States was on its way to become the world’s superpower. After going through several fluctuations that included phases of economic stagnation, the United States…

Healthcare funding policies and alternatives

23 November، 20178fe72e23ug8oDevelopment, Economic and Social Rights

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Introduction: The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”[1]. Health is one of human beings’ basic rights as stated in a number of universal charters. The constitution of the WHO, for example, states that the “enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition.” The same applies to Article 25 of the Universal Charter of Human Rights and Article 12 of the…

Industry as a core foundation of an alternative economy

23 November، 20178fe72e23ug8oDevelopment, Economic and Social Rights

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Introduction: It has become obvious throughout the years social justice is not possible under a capitalist system. The same applies to responding to the basic demands put forward by the Arab revolutions[1]. It is also clear that through systematic exploitation of the peripheries, capitalism contributes to making the domestic conditions of each of those countries unfit for the implementation of the principles of social justice[2]. Based on this, the concept of an economic and political alternative in the broad sense of the word was proposed[3]. Initially, the focus was on a class-oriented alternative, which meant that it is basically proposed…

Sovereignty and development

23 November، 20178fe72e23ug8oDevelopment, Economic and Social Rights

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Introduction: It seems quite paradoxical that the United States, which played a major role in imposing “free trade” on the world, the world’s more technologically advanced country that boosts the highest production rates in different fields, is in fact the same country that is now ruled by a man who adopts a nationalist economic discourse similar to the pre-industrial mercantile approach that prevailed in the early capitalist era. Donald Trump accuses countries much poorer than the United States, such as China and Mexico, of exploiting Americans through taking advantage of the free trade agreements that were ironically imposed on…

The challenges of food sovereignty in the Arab region: The case of Egypt

23 November، 20178fe72e23ug8oDevelopment, Economic and Social Rights

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Introduction: The Arab region is one of the world’s most lacking in food security, which is mainly attributed to the fact that most countries in the region depend for their food on imports, thus are always impacted by changes in food prices[1].According to the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development, in 2011 the Arab region’s self-sufficiency in grains was estimated at 45% of that year’s needs. In addition, the region is subjected to the risks of climate change and drought and heat rates did reach their highest between the years 1998 and 2011, which led to expedited desertification. The region also…

Women and alternative economy: Social and solidarity economy as a case in point

9 July، 20178fe72e23ug8oDevelopment, Economic and Social Rights

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Introduction: Economic and social conditions in the Arab region were affected by a number of major changes that took place in the second half of the 20th century. These include adopting market economy in the 1970s, the financial crises that hit several countries in the late 1980s, and the structural reform programs brought about by international financial institutions. While those programs were initially seen as the way out of the crises caused by the liberalization of the market, they proved their inability to overcome the numerous problems triggered by the expansion of the capitalist system especially poverty and unemployment…

Housing policies in alternative economy: Against the commodification of public services

9 July، 20178fe72e23ug8oDevelopment, Economic and Social Rights

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Introduction: Housing policies in any given state are inseparable from the economic model adopted by this state and which usually ranges between dealing with housing as a right or as a commodity. The latter violates the social and economic right to adequate housing and shelter as stated in international charters and turns the housing sector into a business that only prioritizes profit and overlooks people’s ability at affording the commodities it offers. The liberalization of the housing market gave rise to a number of serious problems, on top of which is the phenomenon of “informal housing” where units are constructed…