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| Game - World Trade Game |
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| 'Mozambique' delegates making products to sell
during Global University's World Trade Game |
Global University Coordinators Mie Asai and Shige
Goda introduced nearly 100 participants to the 'World Trade Game',
so people could gain a better understanding of the inequalities and
situations that often arise with the theory of free trade. Each group
of participants represented one of twelve countries, ranging from
the wealthy, high technology states such as Japan and USA to resource
rich, but impoverished nations like Bolivia and Indonesia. Each country
was given an envelope containing a different amount of resources and
technology. The objective was to use these assets to make several
prescribed products of different value, which could subsequently be
sold for cash or a loan from the 'World Bank'. Whichever state produced
the largest profit was the supposed 'winner'. Resources consisted
of paper and cardboard, while technology included scissors, compass,
ruler, pencils and such items with which the triangular, square and
circular 'products' could be produced. As the game progressed, groups
realised that those states that were rich in technology but poor in
resources such as Japan could exploit technology-poor, resource-rich
states and have a comparative advantage (that is, the ability to produce
goods more efficiently than others). For instance, Japan could buy
coloured paper from Thailand, which lacked the inside information
to know that coloured products were more valuable than ordinary white
products. Thailand needed the payments from Japan to finance the technology
(scissors etc) to produce its own products but in the process, sold
off its most valuable, irreplaceable resource (coloured paper). Japan
meanwhile, was busy utilising imported resources to further its profits
by selling the most desirable products to the World Bank. At the end
of the game, participants not only got a feeling for the kind of disparities
and inequities arising from international free trade, but also realised
the importance of having an effective regulatory body to recognise
and cater for the incongruous distribution of power, wealth and advantage
between players. |
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| Peace Boat's
40th Voyage index |
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PEACE BOAT is an NGO in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. |
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