KEY POINTS:
• Trade development can provide opportunities for economic
growth
• Trade can provide opportunities for social change
Lesson
A: Trade as an engine for economic growth
In modern times, the story of the “Asian Tigers”
represents a classic study in economic development. Following
World War II, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore
all experienced dramatic economic growth and development as
they embraced manufacturing and trade economies. A second
wave of tigers, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines
and Vietnam began a similar explosion of growth in the early
1990’s. Despite stumbling in the late 1990’s, most
of these economies are far more prosperous than they were
before their development of trade-related manufacturing capabilities.
Activity:
Examine how development leads to economic change
(grades 9-12, adjust expectations to grade level)
Students (in small groups or as individuals) select one of
the Asian Tigers and create a presentation for the class that
includes the following information:
Part
1: Learn about the Tigers
| A. |
Chart
the average annual income and gross domestic product by
decade since 1960.
|
| B.
|
Indicate
what the country’s primary economic base was for
each decade (agriculture, manufacturing and so on—be
specific as to types of goods, etc). |
| C. |
Indicate
what the country’s primary economic base is today. |
| D. |
Have
the country’s citizens and average workers benefited
from economic development? (for example, educational opportunities,
life expectancy, family size). |
| E. |
Examine
other social changes to the country over the past 40 years
(for example, changes in clothing, food, social customs,
family life, adoption or rejection of “western”
influences). |
| F. |
Examine
political changes in these countries over the past 40
years. |
| G. |
How
have Americans benefited from the economic development
of these countries? |
Part 2: Why didn’t this work in other regions?
| A. |
Select
another country in Asia, or Africa or Latin America that
is similar in size and/or population to the “Tiger”
that you have reported on. |
| B.
|
Repeat
the learning process of part 1, items A-G |
| C. |
What
factors prevented a similar economic development? |
Part 3: Are there more Tigers on the horizon?
| A. |
What
other “less developed” regions in the world
are experiencing rapid economic growth, and why? |
Suggestions
for Assessment
Check for completeness, accuracy, attention to historical
factors such as natural resources and climate, colonialism
and regional conflicts, impact of cultural and religious traditions,
immigration and emigration, political and judicial traditions.
Lesson
B: Can trade activism help create social change?
There are two parts to this lesson:
Part 1: Shade Grown, Organic
and Fair Trade Coffees — investigates issues
relating to coffee
Part 2: The Nike Campaign
— investigates issues relating to clothing manufacturing
|
