Response to: The Travels of a T- Shirt in the Global Economy

Raymond Morua

November 11, 2009

Response to: The Travels of a T- Shirt in the Global Economy

Pietra Rivoli’s book examines the free market and the politics of international trade through the view of the textile industry. The first half of Rivoli’s book began at a slow pace. It was good in the aspect that she gave a history and background of the U.S.’s cotton industry and its evolution throughout the years. However it is not enough to keep the reader from the boredom she provides with her dedication to the Reinsh family of Texas. In the beginning of her book Rivoli makes a comment about backlashers not understanding the free market and the process of globalization. Throughout her book she never clearly states what it is that the backlashers don’t understand. Instead she comes up with this idea that the activist and corporations need each other, making it seem as if she’s giving corporations a free pass.

Rivoli claims to uncover the reality of world trade through a nonbiased lens, yet she highly favors the free market. When she attempts to explain the free market she just discusses the complexity of international trade, tedious trade regulations and the politics surrounding them. She fails to discuss and explain the effects that neo liberalism is having on Latin American and African countries. She makes absurd comments, she states that the developing world needs to sew, knit and harvest their way out of third world status. Rivoli fails to explain that the current free trade system is keeping Latin American, African, and Asian countries from developing.

When discussing mitumba markets in Dar Es Salaam she notes that their textile industry was hit hard in the 1990’s due to China’s rise but that they still have economic activity thanks to the United States hand me downs of discarded clothing. That’s like saying the ghettos are flourishing because we have programs like toys for tots and thrift stores. She talks about how they make dresses out of table cloths and recycle old clothes from the United States. That isn’t a thriving economy; this is people surviving at any cost necessary. It’s amazing how she thinks that it’s ok to give the people of Dar Es Salaam and other African cities hand me downs while developed nations constantly waist clothing. To further prove her favor of the free market she goes on to suggest that producing for export is the most effective industrial development ladder, that isn’t the case when it comes to the peanut industry in Africa that destroys the soil for other crops.

Throughout the book Rivoli fans the flames of fear against the Chinese and how they are winning the race to the bottom. She does acknowledge the large problems with the apparel industry but doesn’t go into further detail. Rather Rivoli goes on to state that thanks to the emergence of factories in China it has improved the lives of Chinese women who come from the farm. This is ridiculous; she also goes on to back this up by proclaiming that the women of the factories now get to buy dresses, cosmetics and so on. No where does she describe in detail how this is wrong or how these factories abuse women. It seems to be a common practice for corporations who set up shop outside the U.S. to exploit women. This can be seen with the maquiladoras in Mexico and Latin America. The factories in Latin America mainly hire and exploit women also. It surprises me that Rivoli is ok with this and does not exploit the abuses of women but rather gives the free market praise for “elevating” these women standard of living.

Pietra Rivoli does bring some interesting information to the table but not enough to cover up her bias thoughts of free trade. She tries to explain free trade and globalization through the textile industry. Rivoli leaves out other industries that also play a huge part in the global economy such as agribusiness. I don’t think trying to understand the textile industry is enough to educate people about the global economy. She also never questioned capitalism and its role, she just wrote on assuming that the free market is some uncontrollable entity destined to save the world. This book was very interesting none the less. The history of the American cotton industry and how it crowned it self king was very informative. Rivolis corny analogies, slow start and inane comments also made reading this book an unpleasant task.