So promises get broken and electorates gets cynical. The logical extension of this trend is not very pleasing. It has been the very useful and stimulating undertaking of this conference to examine that new division of labour and to explore possibilities for a greater role for civil society. Often those who raise concern about the free-reign of the free market are characterized as being opposed to freedom. Well, I would strongly challenge that assertion.
Government appears more constrained.
To survive in a highly competitive world, business must reduce the costs of its inputs, which often drives environment and labour standards down, and promotes the externalization of as many costs as possible. If those able to achieve the greatest economies of scale will be the winners, over time consumers will be pressed to adapt to a homogenized set of product preferences, with greatly limited choice. There is the theory that very small and flexible producers can enter the global market place and win where the bigger more cumbersome giants can not. This, of course, has validity. There will always be blades of grass for the mice to nibble on that the elephants have missed.