The North-South Dialogue: From Conflict to Compromise

Definition- discussions between the industrialized countries of the northern hemisphere and the developing countries of the southern hemisphere

@ North-South Dialogue" (1975) - an attempt to redress differences

South: more trade, not more aid: North should remove its trade barriers to S's goods

North: with growing crisis in North, North wanted greater access to South maintaining high tariffs of ISI; also DCs frequently put severe restraints on Northern MNCs (discussed later in the course)

result: stalemate and much bitterness on both sides 

Summary:  The conflict between the poor developing nations living in the Southern Hemisphere and the rich industrial countries of the North has entered a new phase in recent months. At long last the countries of the world are coming seriously to grips with the growing material inequalities between a handful of affluent nations in North America, Western Europe and Japan (which account for less than 18 percent of the world population but more than 60 percent of world income), and the scores of poor countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America which constitute the bulk of humanity but enjoy very little of the earth's bounty.

A version of this paper was originally prepared for the conference "Alternatives to Growth" held in Houston, Texas, October 19-21, 1975. The present version will appear in a forthcoming book, Alternatives to Growth, co-edited by Robert E. Sweeney and Dennis L. Meadows.

The conflict between the poor developing nations living in the Southern Hemisphere and the rich industrial countries of the North has entered a new phase in recent months. At long last the countries of the world are coming seriously to grips with the growing material inequalities between a handful of affluent nations in North America, Western Europe and Japan (which account for less than 18 percent of the world population but more than 60 percent of world income), and the scores of poor countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America which constitute the bulk of humanity but enjoy very little of the earth's bounty.

The North-South struggle, brewing for years, had its first climactic manifestation in the 1971-72 negotiations between the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and the multinational oil companies for a higher crude oil price. OPEC's success in its first real bargaining with the companies put the geo-economics of petroleum at the very center of world politics. The oil price adjustments of 1973-74, and the consequences of the Arab oil embargo, made the world realize-however reluctantly and painfully-that the inevitable had finally occurred. The blissful era of plentiful and ridiculously cheap hydrocarbon fuels from the Middle East came to a fateful end.

A direct and highly significant corollary of the oil price rise was a warning to the world that the limits to the interminable growth of energy and raw materials consumption were not merely physical but also political and financial. OPEC's solidarity in resisting Western political pressure during the 1972-73 boom, and its remarkable resilience in holding the oil price line in

the face of falling demand during the 1974-75 economic recession, have given other raw-materials producing countries hope for more equitable arrangements with the industrial world.

@ North-South Dialogue

The exchange of experiences between stakeholders from the North and the South is a distinct trademark of Dialogue on Globalization conferences, workshops and expert consultations – taking place in New York, Berlin, and Geneva as well as in the countries of the South. With panel discussions and journalist programs, Dialogue on Globalization also attends the major global events like the UN summits, the WTO Ministerial Rounds or the World Social Fora. Most of the activities are jointly planned and carried out with partners including international organizations, trade unions and NGOs.

In Berlin, the annual North-South Dialogue series, co-organized by German think tank Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP) has become a flagship event, addressing key global issues and ensuring participation of leading international experts and policy makers.

@ 8th FES-SWP North-South DialogueGlobal Governance for Global Markets: Moving beyond G8?June 16-17, 2009 in Berlin

@ 7th FES-SWP North-South DialogueBeyond ‘Heiligendamm’ - The G8, emerging powers and Global Security GovernanceApril 21-22, 2008 Berlin

@ 6th FES-SWP North-South DialogueRe-Ordering the World? Emerging Powers and Prospects for Global GovernanceMay 15-16, 2007 Berlin Program

@ 5th FES-SWP North-South Dialogue and GARNET Workshop on Global Governance Challenges. Between discord and global governance – The Future of the WTOMarch 9-10, 2006 Berlin Program

@ 4th FES-SWP North-South Dialogue on Global Governance Challenges Security in a Globalized World – "Global ungovernance” or new strategies for peace and security?September 21-22, 2004, Berlin Program

@ 3rd FES-SWP North-South Dialogue on Global Governance Challenges Reshaping Globalisation: A New Order for Financial MarketsMay 15-16, 2003, Berlin Porgram

@ 2nd FES-SWP North-South Dialogue on Global Governance Challenges Fighting Global Warming: a new North-South Rift?February 18-19, 2002, Berlin Program

@ 1st FES-SWP North-South DialogueEvolving global governance structures : division of labour and co-operation between regional and global security arrangements1999, Berlin