Publication

The full article was published in the Journal of Fair Trade Volume 7, Issue 1, May 2026. It can be viewed at https://www.scienceopen.com/hosted-document?doi=10.13169/jfairtrade.7.1.0004

Authors

Abstract

Can free trade be Fair Trade? We use a systemic approach to look at society in terms of community, governance and the market. For these three to work well together, we need to value feelings, analysis and facts.

The feelings and beliefs of the community are the basis of ethics, rational analysis should be the basis of political negotiation; and facts about market outcomes are necessary to make sensible decisions about how the market (and other social institutions) should work.

In the case of the market, it is not enough to say that if traders are allowed to act freely everything will work out for the best. If the fortunate are granted freedom to act, there must also be freedom from poverty, injustice and environmental harm for everyone. Only when the market offers freedom from … as well as freedom to … does free trade become Fair Trade.