In Seattle there was a revolt against neoliberalism. Its most recent precedent had been the refusal to accept the imposition of a Multilateral Agreement on Investments. This shows that the aggressive market fundamentalism, which has caused great damages to our countries, has found a strong and deserved world rejection. In a global world where knowledge is the key to development, the technological gap between the North and the South tends to widen with the increasing privatisation of scientific research and its results. Just in the United States there are more computers than in the rest of the world put together.
Private research focuses on the needs of the wealthy consumers.
Vaccines have become the most efficient technology to keep health care expenses low since they can prevent diseases with one dosage. However, as they yield low profits they are put aside in favour of medications that require repeated dosages and yield higher benefits. The new medications, the best seeds and, in general, the best technologies have become commodities whose prices only the rich countries can afford. Race to catastrophe The murky social results of this neoliberal race to catastrophe are in sight. In over one hundred countries the per capita income is lower than 15 years ago.