#racetothebottom — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #racetothebottom, aggregated by home.social.
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Let us unearth the #neoliberal "designer state vs fabrication state" - i.e #neocolonialism - and how it will be used against us.
The idea is simple: one state holds the patents, holds the rights, holds the money. The other state holds the workers in check to serve the former.
But, with the neo-liberal #RaceToTheBottom, those seats can definitely be switched. We'd go from being the exploiter - to being the exploited.
This is what the neo-liberal is doing to the west.
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De financiele repressie van werknemers neemt nog steeds toe
#AIQ #RaceToTheBottom #Neoliberalisme
https://esb.nu/fiscale-prikkels-dragen-bij-aan-daling-arbeidsinkomensquote/ -
@futurebird I made up a market rule to explain the #RaceToTheBottom.
"That which is unethical is lucrative".
Consider how cheap slavery is, how cheap strip mining is, how cheap exploitation is generally, and then apply market competition.
If you want to compete, you too will have to be unethical, because consumers and clients will almost always defer to the cheapest option.
When the cheapest option then is based on slavery, you too will also have to exploit slavery, or be out competed.
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Horribly good case-study of the need for international solidarity - the work is safer and less damaging now, but the jobs have moved on #racetothebottom #journalism
"At its peak, Alang employed more than 60,000 workers. Today, that number has shrunk to fewer than 15,000, according to the union."
https://aje.io/ycnrk7 -
How communities in #SacrificeZones suffer environmental injustices in #Mexico, #Chile, #Nigeria and #Indonesia (analysis)
Daniela Sepulveda and Angélica Arellano, 9 Apr 2025
"Across continents, 'sacrifice zones' resemble wounds carved deep into the fabric of our planet. These are regions where ecosystems and livelihoods have been ravaged by fossil fuel and other industries that promise progress but leave devastation in their wake. These are places where big business and transnational corporations are contaminating the rivers, darkening the skies, and making the soil barren; where the toll of development is paid in human suffering and ecological destruction.
"What unites these 'sacrifice zones' is the shared story of areas where prosperity for the few is built on the suffering of many, and where communities fight to mend the fractures inflicted upon their land, health and dignity.
"Here are four case studies highlighting the experiences of communities and civil society organizations collaborating with us in the Coalition for Human Rights in Development’s Community Resource Exchange.
"In the #TulaTepejiApaxco region, where the #Toltec plains once supported rich #biodiversity and #CulturalHeritage, the water and air are now saturated with pollution. This devastated landscape was declared both in 1975 and again in 2005 by the U.N. as one of the most polluted places on Earth, marking it as an #EnvironmentalDisaster zone. Since the early 20th century, the arrival of #CementPlants, #refineries, #ChemicalFactories, a #coal-fired power plant and #LimeKilns has transformed the region. Backed by all levels of government, these industries have destroyed the area’s ecological balance and ruined the health of its people, poisoning the water, air and soil with #ToxicWaste.
"Prominent among these polluters are cement giants like #Holcim, #CEMEX, #CementosFortaleza and #Clarimex, whose operations release harmful gases that exacerbate the region’s environmental and public health crises. One of the epicenters of this environmental catastrophe is the #TulaRiver, which receives 150,000 liters (nearly 40,000 gallons) of untreated wastewater every second from Mexico City and the Valley of Mexico. These 'black waters' are teeming with industrial and hospital waste plus sewage, overwhelming the river and its tributaries.
"The #EndhóDam, originally built to support local #agriculture, has become a toxic dumping ground, poisoning thousands of people who rely on wells for drinking water. Despite decades of warnings, local and national governments have allowed this contamination to persist. The poisoned waters have killed fish, flooded the land with toxic sludge, and led to a surge in cancer, leukemia, respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases among the 15,000 inhabitants living along its banks. In 2021, a devastating flood related to the overflowing Tula River left 17 dead and displaced thousands, a stark reminder of the ongoing risks of government inaction.
"The region now faces a massive public health crisis, and the recent declaration by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources to designate the area as an ecological restoration zone is a necessary but overdue step. This declaration covers municipalities such as #Atitalaquia,TepejiDelRío, #Tepetitlán and Tlahuelilpan, where 498 businesses have been identified as generators of hazardous waste, including 14 that produce hydrocarbons. The study, based on a water, air and soil analysis, could mark the beginning of recovery if it is implemented with urgency and seriousness.
"Over the years, organizations like #RedDeConcienciaAmbiental '#QueremosVivir' have resisted, bringing visibility to the devastation and fighting to halt deforestation and continued pollution. In the words of one of the leaders of Queremos Vivir ('We want to live'), 'There needs to be a legal solution, because it’s that urgent. We believe there is still a way to reverse it, and we have time to show the newly elected president #ClaudiaSheinbaum the dire situation we’re in.'
"Their demands include a reduction in the water flow of the Tula River through holistic water management solutions, and government accountability for decades of environmental neglect, calling for reparations for both industrial pollution and the catastrophic 2021 floods.
"While they welcome Sheinbaum’s promises to clean the river and launch a circular economy project, they emphasize that meaningful environmental justice must not be delayed any longer. After stating the communities’ demands through tears, the Queremos Vivir leader said, 'Are we really just going to be destined to be a sacrifice zone? The damage is so severe, the degradation we are in, that if we don’t protect it, don’t defend it, then what are we going to do?' "
#SEZs #Antofagasta #Nigeria #Indonesia #HumanRights #HumanRightsFreeZone #CorporateColonialism
#Exploitation #RaceToTheBottom
#HumanRightsViolations
#Pollution #EnvironmentalDegradation
#EconomicSacrificZones
#ForcedRelocation #ForcedDisplacement #TraditionalLifestyles #AirIsLife #WaterIsLife #EnvironmentalRacism #Exploitation -
#SEZs in #India: Balancing Economic Growth and #Environmental Concerns
July 27, 2024
"Picture this: vast stretches of industrial land buzzing with activity, modern factories producing goods for global markets, and thousands of job opportunities emerging overnight. This is the promise of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in India. But behind this gleaming facade lies a complex web of environmental challenges and social concerns that demand our attention. SEZs represent one of India’s most ambitious economic policies, designed to accelerate industrial growth and boost exports, yet they often come at a significant cost to the environment and local communities.
[...]
"[T]he rapid expansion of SEZs has raised significant environmental red flags. The most pressing concern is land acquisition, which often involves converting fertile agricultural land into industrial zones. This conversion not only reduces the country’s agricultural capacity but also disrupts local ecosystems and biodiversity.
"The establishment of SEZs typically requires large tracts of land – sometimes spanning thousands of acres. Much of this land is acquired from agricultural areas, leading to the displacement of farming communities who have depended on these lands for generations. For instance, the proposed #RaigadSEZ in #Maharashtra would have required over 14,000 hectares of #agricultural land, leading to massive #protests from local farmers.
"The conversion of agricultural land to #IndustrialUse has long-term implications for #FoodSecurity. As India’s population continues to grow, the loss of productive #farmland could exacerbate food shortage issues in the future. Moreover, agricultural land often has better soil quality and water retention capacity compared to industrial land, making this conversion environmentally costly.
"Industrial activities within SEZs generate various forms of #pollution. Air pollution from #manufacturing processes, water #contamination from industrial effluents, and #SoilDegradation from chemical usage are common problems. The concentration of industries in SEZs can create pollution hotspots that affect air and water quality in surrounding areas.
"#WaterScarcity is another critical issue. SEZs require substantial water resources for industrial processes, often competing with local communities for this precious resource. In water-stressed regions, this competition can lead to conflicts and further environmental degradation.
Human rights and social displacement"The human cost of SEZ development cannot be overlooked. Land acquisition for SEZs often involves displacing local communities, particularly small farmers and agricultural workers. These communities frequently receive inadequate compensation and struggle to find alternative livelihoods.
"The displacement process can be traumatic for local communities who have strong cultural and emotional ties to their land. Traditional occupations like #farming, #fishing, and #SmallScaleTrading are disrupted, forcing people to adapt to entirely new economic realities. The promised employment opportunities in SEZs often don’t materialize for displaced communities, as they may lack the required skills for industrial jobs.
"Women in these communities face particular challenges, as they often have limited access to alternative employment opportunities and may lose traditional income sources like kitchen gardening or small-scale agricultural activities. The social fabric of rural communities can be severely disrupted, leading to increased poverty and social inequality."
#HumanRights #HumanRightsFreeZone #CorporateColonialism
#IMFLoanSharks #Exploitation #WorldBank #RaceToTheBottom
#HumanRightsViolations
#Pollution #EnvironmentalDegradation
#EconomicSacrificZones
#ForcedRelocation #ForcedDisplacement #TraditionalLifestyles #EnvironmentalRacism #Exploitation
#CorporateColonialism -
The #environmental burdens of #SpecialEconomicZones on the coastal and marine #environment: A remote sensing assessment in #Myanmar
Thiri Shwesin Aung, Indra Overland, Roman Vakulchuk, Yanhua Xie
November 2022"Special economic zones (#SEZs) are unusual parts of the world economy in terms of law, institutions, and economic functions (Chaisse and Dimitropoulos 2021). SEZs are geographically delimited areas created to facilitate industrial activities through fiscal and regulatory incentives and infrastructure support (UNCTAD 2019). Such zones carve out jurisdiction as a subset of the overall state jurisdiction for the purposes of enacting different laws and regulations that are more trade and investment friendly (Zeng 2021). Since the year 2000, SEZs have mushroomed in developing countries to attract foreign direct investment (FDI), accelerate industrialization and create jobs (Aiyer 2017). There are 5400 SEZs in 147 economies around the world. Asia is home to three quarters of them (UNIDO 2015). They have been a core element of the economic development strategy of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and currently all ASEAN member states have SEZs (Aggarwal 2022).
"As part of an export-oriented development strategy, the zones commonly include industrial mega-areas that accommodate large-scale infrastructure, deep-sea ports, logistical infrastructure for oil and gas, hotels and tourism, and industrial complexes (Aggarwal 2022). They are primarily defined by a specific regulatory regime and a dedicated governance mechanism designed to relieve customs and tariffs and reduce the burden on businesses from permits, licenses, employment laws, and land access. In return, host governments expect investors to create positive spillover effects, such as facilitating innovation, boosting employment, raising exports, and diversifying the economy. The global experience of SEZs have been mixed, with some countries achieving successful economic outcomes, while others struggle to overcome market failures, institutional constraints, and social and environmental costs (Aggarwal 2022; Zeng 2021).
"The lax regulatory regimes of SEZs often raise concerns about environmental, social, and #HumanRights standards, as well as possible conflicts over #LandRights (Brussevich 2020). Several SEZs have failed to yield the expected economic benefits while having severe adverse impacts on the environment and local communities (Adunbi 2019; Aritenang and Chandramidi 2020; Chaisse and Ji 2020). On the other hand, while SEZs can be hotspots for environmental #mismanagement, they can also provide opportunities for implementing environmental policies specifically designed to regulate industries within the zones. Also, certain environmental advantages may ensue from the introduction of foreign financial resources and environmental technologies that are otherwise not readily available (Richardson 2004).
"However, according to the 'race to the bottom' literature, most SEZs have a net negative impact on the environment and local communities (Richardson 2004; UNIDO 2015; ZENG and DOUGLAS, 2012).
"Despite this contradiction, existing studies focusing on the direct and indirect impacts of SEZs have been rare (#WorldBank, 2017). Particularly, the magnitude and intensity of SEZ impacts on the environment remain understudied.
SEZs tend to be located in remote regions. As such, SEZ-related information and data are generally scarce, making it difficult to assess the environmental consequences of such zones. Many SEZs are also located in countries where there is limited scope for independent environmental assessment due to #authoritarian rule, #corruption, and/or #secrecy surrounding deals with foreign investors. Recent improvements in access to satellite data and computing platforms for machine learning have greatly improved the ability to comprehensively assess SEZs in any location in the world in near real time (Ali et al., 2020; Jensen et al., 2019). This article demonstrates how these technologies can be applied to provide evidence related to the environmental impacts of SEZs. The method is tried out on the Kyaukpyu SEZ in Myanmar. Myanmar is an authoritarian country and the #KyaukpyuSEZ is a flagship project of China's Belt and Road Initiative (#BRI) located in an inaccessible part of #Myanmar. This is precisely the type of case where independent access can be limited and a remote sensing approach can be useful."From 2010 onwards, Myanmar was navigating its economic transformation and a partial loosening of military rule. SEZ development was prioritized as a critical element of the country's industrialization (Oxfam 2017). The three most notable ongoing SEZ projects are the Kyaukpyu SEZ in the rural but strategically important Rakhine State, which is also the largest SEZ in Myanmar, the Thilawa SEZ on the outskirts of Myanmar's former capital Yangon, and the Dawei SEZ in the Tanintharyi Region. Tanintharyi is a long narrow southern territory of Myanmar bordering the Andaman Sea to the west and Thailand to the east.
"Although they are expected to encourage economic growth and reduce poverty, all three SEZ projects continue to face local opposition, particularly the Kyaukpyu and Dawei SEZs. The International Commission of Jurists (2017) has reported that SEZs in Myanmar are linked to human rights violations and environmental abuses (Donateo 2017). Although Myanmar's SEZ law adopted in 2014 reaffirms the applicability of environmental regulations to SEZ development, it does not clearly delineate responsibilities between developers and the state (DICA 2014). The law also does not conform with international human rights standards (MCRB 2018)."
Read more:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352938522001173#RaceToTheBottom #HumanRightsViolations #Pollution #EnvironmentalDegradation #EconomicSacrificZones #ForcedRelocation #ForcedDisplacement #HumanRightsViolations #EnvironmentalDegradation #IndigenousPeoples #ForestPeoples #SaveTheForests #Exploitation #CorporateColonialism
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https://youtu.be/AzbztNQ3Dm0?si=gyDHuvbLcbucnQib
Valid points all around. Work rules based on human science enforced for one work group and blown off for another takes its toll. Not just on the ramp, but in all service areas attached to this airline.
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#Protest #Bees #GMO #PlantATree #reforestation
#GlobalEmissions #ClimateAction #plasticpollution #CleanSeas #resist #Music #rock #metal
#Trump #ecoterrorist #Vile #racetothebottom #TraitorTrump
#TheResistance #TrumpRacist #VoteGOPOut #ImpeachTrump #corruption #neoliberalism
https://youtu.be/UmaNNYLE7tc -
Here is a “revolutionary idea”.
Let’s take a look at a bunch of male-dominated jobs where men are required to work more than 10-18 hours a day.
I am willing to bet that even on average they are better compensated, probably including overtime.
Now increase flight attendant compensation to be better than that.
#racetothebottom #union #aircanada #workerrights #strike #canpoli
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“The airline's latest offer included a 38 per cent increase in total compensation, including benefits and pensions over four years, that it said "would have made our flight attendants the best compensated in Canada." “
Ya…. Because I am sure WestJet and ultra-budget Flair are so well compensated. 🙄
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/air-canada-operations-suspended-flight-attendants-strike-1.7610916
#racetothebottom
#union #aircanada #workerrights #strike #canpoli -
CW: Sort of political employment conditions
Smiler was on the local supermarket checkout. Asked how he was and got a very weary groan. Said that staff have been cut "due to the government increasing national insurance contributions" (ceo's justification apparently) and that he did an 11 hour shift with no break.
It really is wanker world out there. #employment #RaceToTheBottom #UK #politics -
What's worse than AI slop? Actual people creating stuff that looks/sounds like AI slop because that's the standard now.
#AI #AIslop #racetothebottom #socialmedia #monkeyseemonkeydo
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Police officers are taught how to de escalate a volatile situation.
Obviously, this means they know how to create and escalate a volatile situation. Some do that deliberately in order to manipulate their victims into inappropriate actions.
Peter Dutton was a police officer, he will always be a police officer, it is all he knows.
#auspol #peterdutton #lnp #acab #election #racetothebottom
https://www.crikey.com.au/2025/04/29/2025-federal-election-culture-wars-peter-dutton/
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If it's one thing is clear, it's that the #republicans and #Trump sees the #left as a threat - and that's the upsell. The only thing between them and their #autocracy is the #collectivist movement.
#Decentralization is a threat to their paradigms and they know it. #Hegemony dies under #global #equality - their power with it.
For them it's now or never, because the #RaceToTheBottom would eventually yield #SocietalCollapse. But the #US could wake up to the truth.
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@futurebird this - so much this.
I have to tell people that #thinktanks, #brainrot and advantageous framing is older than the TV, older than the radio.
The parents of #liberals and #conservatives were the #liberalists, who were groomed by the #aristocracy and the #barons.
Words like #freemarket basically translate to markets controlled centrally by a few monopolists in an exploitative #RaceToTheBottom, where one or several entities become #KingOfTheHole.
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Don’t expect any significant technological #innovation in the #EU anytime soon.
#RaceToTheBottom
#ECB President Lagarde rejects bitcoin for Eurozone reserves while the Czech central bank considers it and more
https://www.theblock.co/post/338072/the-daily-ecb-president-lagarde-rejects-bitcoin-for-eurozone-reserves-while-the-czech-central-bank-considers-it-and-more -
Wow. After some 60+ years the Society for Technical Communication (STC) has folded. I’ve been a member for more than 20 years.
This is a reflection on the importance (or lack thereof) of documentation particularly in the software industry, but also hardware, manufacturing, etc. This was once seen as crucial for customer support, but now it’s just an expense to spend as little on as possible.
#enshittification #RIPSTC #techcomm #documentation #racetothebottom
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#TrumpConviction #Trump #Climatecrisis #SaveTheBees #PlantATree #reforestation #Trees #GlobalEmissions #ClimateJustice #CleanSeas #racetothebottom #noplanetb #rtitbot #teamplanet #music #rock https://youtu.be/UmaNNYLE7tc #Like #follow #share #NewMusicDaily #music #rock #metal #protest #VoteBlueForDemocracy
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"In 2013, Breyers, the ice cream of my childhood, had to legally change the labeling of its products from ice cream to “frozen dairy dessert.” Why? Because the company had reduced the amount of dairy fat in its product to the point that it didn’t legally qualify as ice cream anymore."
Skimpflation
#skimpflation #capitalism #racetothebottom #tasteless
Everything Tastes Worse Than It Used To https://thetakeout.com/why-food-doesnt-taste-as-good-candy-snacks-less-flavor-1851100574
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Can't even convince people to hold their phones sideways to watch videos properly (instead of stamp-sized).
What hope is there to convince people to switch to private and secure apps.
#igivap #racetothebottom #socialmedia -
Can't even convince people to hold their phones sideways to watch videos properly (instead of stamp-sized).
What hope is there to convince people to switch to private and secure apps.
#igivap #racetothebottom #socialmedia -
Can't even convince people to hold their phones sideways to watch videos properly (instead of stamp-sized).
What hope is there to convince people to switch to private and secure apps.
#igivap #racetothebottom #socialmedia -
“What's a philosopher?' said Brutha.
Someone who's bright enough to find a job with no heavy lifting,' said a voice in his head.”
Terry Pratchett; Small Gods
#DiscWorld #BBCQT #LetThemPickVeg #RaceToTheBottom #ToriesStokingDivision #ClassWars -
Editorial: Starmer's authoritarian showboating is dangerous and dishonest | Morning Star
Hash tag list:
#Starmer
#Authoritarianism
#AttackAd
#GutterPolitics
#DPP
#Tories
#FitForWorkTests
#Disabled
#Assange
#ProtestBans
#Police
#Scandals
#RaceToTheBottom
#Parliament
https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/e/starmers-authoritarian-showboating-dangerous-and-dishonest -
"The most startling aspect of all this is the extent to which these astonishing gaps are not COVID-driven, but rather a product of an epidemic of drug overdose deaths, gun violence, suicide, and alcohol-abuse related maladies, i.e., what Anne Case and Angus Deaton identified as “deaths of despair” a decade ago."
#Politics #USLifeExpectancy #DeathsOfDespair #RaceToTheBottom
https://www.lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com/2023/04/the-us-v-the-developed-world-part-ii -
CW: #SNP #Greenwash #freeports
Scottish Government reveals Scotland's first 'green freeports' | The National
Just look at the comments beneath the paywall & be afraid …be very afraid!
When is a #freeport a #TrojanHorse for dangerous #deregulation and #corporate control?
…when it’s a #green #Freeport.#RaceToTheBottom #CorporateCapture #Babcock #Nuclear #Decomissioning #submarines
@ruskell ?
https://www.thenational.scot/news/23248041.scottish-government-reveals-scotlands-first-green-freeports/ -
Think about what you are saying here. You, an individual, can’t effect consumer pattern change on the wide/collective level. But you apparently can effect policy making, production, or marketing pattern change on the wide/collective level?
No.
Neither I nor collective individual action shy of near total compliance achieves this. The tactic as one of achieving the goal of ending negative externalising actions is utterly ineffective. The reason is that the more complete it becomes, the higher the rewards of defection. Simple #GameTheory payoff matrix.
A 1990s ex-junkie memoir I saw once had a cover reading something like "The problem with heroin is that the longer you stop the better that first next hit feels." Effectiveness of cure directly encourages relapse.
Individual action as signalling might have some merits.
But if you want to change the game you've got to change the rules, for everybody playing. Otherwise it's just #GreshamsLaw and a defectors' #RaceToTheBottom
I alone cannot accomplish either. Collectively, the rules change is the only efective mechanism. For signalling and messaging, restraint may be useful, but on an effort allocation, the smart strategy is 90% regulation & rules aimed at the system, 10% messaging interity.
And the whole "you're not doing enough personally" schtick can fuck right off. Because that's the countertactic I see, and quoted and linked at the top of this thread. It's what Annie Leonard's message is all about (I've been quoting it for years).
Wars aren't won by saints and purity scores.
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@alvarezp
Yes this problem is often referred to as the #raceToTheBottom. Most #CEOs are just good at convincing people to #workHarder for less, and #environmentalVandals.In #Australia we have a resource called #ShopEthical. Its a #website that lists #brands and the #corporations they are operated by, it informs the user of any known breaches of #ethics. It might help you in the country you're in.
Try searching for:
"<BRAND>" "shop ethical"1/2
