Having failed poor countries in favour of the rich, the WTO is now failing citizens in favour of corporations. It has proved itself an undemocratic institution, incapable of responsible global governance. Yet far from reining it in, governments are planning to build an even bigger juggernaught when they meet this November in Seattle. The WTO already has a poor record of increasing inequality between countries. In theory, the WTO stops governments interfering in the smooth running of free trade and everyone is meant to benefit from the economic growth which follows.
Reality is very different.
Free trade pitches powerful rich countries against the Third World. Supposedly the playing field is made level, but nothing is done to address the unequal capacity of the teams. Developing countries are prohibited from nurturing their industries, in the way that industrialised countries did during their own development. Impoverished Caribbean farmers are left to compete with the multinationals who already control most of the banana trade. And what's more, the playing field is far from level.