Two-thirds agreement on the UN corporate code masked irreconcilable North-South divides

Evidence

By 1980, members of the Economic and Social Council were expressing dissatisfaction with the pace of the Code-drafting effort, noting in an ECOSOC resolution (1980/60) that “the progress made in the formulation of a code of conduct has not met the expectations of all.” The same resolution went on to urge an expeditious conclusion to the process, concluding that “a universally accepted, comprehensive and effective code of conduct … will make an essential contribution to the new international economic order.” Work on the Code continued, at least nominally, throughout the 1980s, but prospects for success were rapidly diminishing (Fatouros 1980; Hamilton 1984). Although agreement on two-thirds of the draft Code had been reached, the distance separating the Northern and Southern positions on the remainder was substantial. — Philip Mirowski & Dieter Plehwe (eds.), The Road from Mont Pèlerin, 1796

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: The UN abandoned MNC regulation in favor of corporate partnership within two decades — Philip Mirowski & Dieter Plehwe (eds.), The Road from Mont Pèlerin: The Making…, 1731; The UNCTC balanced development-country aid against corporate information gathering — Philip Mirowski & Dieter Plehwe (eds.), The Road from Mont Pèlerin: The Making…, 1788; Developing countries conceded a voluntary, two-sided code for multinationals — Philip Mirowski & Dieter Plehwe (eds.), The Road from Mont Pèlerin: The Making…, 1793 (+7 more)

Broader Connections

• East-West and North-South divisions misrepresent the world’s true complexity #complicates (0.85) — Samuel P. Huntington, The Clash of Civilizations and the…, 61
• Great power inequalities undercut the possibility of voluntary uncoerced agreement. #corroborates (0.78) — Russell Hardin, Trust and Trustworthiness, 485
• The unified black coalition concealed internal inequalities and tensions #epitomizes (0.75) — Peter Morey, Islamophobia and the Novel, 151
• National unity is a falsehood masking class division within states #corroborates (0.72) — Clara E. Mattei, Escape from Capitalism, 339
• Global South nations pursued protection and liberalization simultaneously rather than one ideology #expands (0.72) — Quinn Slobodian, Globalists, 663