Rättvis handel – vad står på spel?

Abstract

It is widely recognized that justice and fairness applies to international trade in various ways, and that norms of fairness play an important role, as an empirical matter, in the international organization of trade. But what does it mean for trade to be fair? Fairness can apply to trade in many different ways, and different notions of fairness will often conflict with each other. In this article, I seek to explain what is “at stake” in the debate on trade fairness. To what extent does trade generate claims to fairness, separately from other concerns about justice? My conclusion is that the most plausible view combines two analytical levels where trade fairness at the first level is thought of instrumentally as a means to improve overall global justice, and at the second level may generate certain associative duties in addition to the more global obligations, such as duties not to exploit vulnerable workers. The second, associative level must always be balanced and limited by the overarching justice-objectives on the first level.