--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: NAFTA and GATT are quite similar. They…" description: "\"NAFTA and GATT are quite similar. They both have highly protectionist elements. They're kind of a mixture of liberalization and protection designed to ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1be/noam-chomsky-42_agreement_nafta-and-gatt-are-quite-similar-they-bo_1649282.jpg" --- # NAFTA and GATT are quite similar. They both have highly… ![“NAFTA and GATT are quite similar. They both have highly protectionist elements. They're kind of a mixture of liberalization and protection designed to expand the power of transnational corporations. They're very basically investor's rights agreements. One crucial part in both is the "intellectual…” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1be/noam-chomsky-42_agreement_nafta-and-gatt-are-quite-similar-they-bo_1649282.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1be/noam-chomsky-42_agreement_nafta-and-gatt-are-quite-similar-they-bo_1649282.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1be/noam-chomsky-42_agreement_nafta-and-gatt-are-quite-similar-they-bo_1649282.jpg) > “NAFTA and GATT are quite similar. They both have highly protectionist elements. They're kind of a mixture of liberalization and protection designed to expand the power of transnational corporations. They're very basically investor's rights agreements. One crucial part in both is the "intellectual property right," which is a funny way of saying that corporations, like pharmaceutical companies, will have near-monopolistic rule over future technology. This now includes product as well as process rights.” [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The agreements blend market opening with strong corporate protections, especially via intellectual property, giving firms near‑monopoly over future innovations. **In simple terms:** Trade deals mix liberalization with corporate power, especially through patents. Key Takeaway Watch for hidden corporate dominance in trade policies. Themes trade corporate power intellectual property globalization Mood critical concerned Type analytical political When to use this quote - policy analysis - business strategy - academic research - public advocacy Key Concepts neoliberalism monopoly regulation Questions to Reflect On - How do IP rights affect access to medicines? - What alternatives could balance innovation with public interest? A Different Perspective These agreements can stifle competition and innovation for the public good. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Agreement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agreement/) [China](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/china/) [Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [Corporations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corporations/) [Elements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elements/) [Intellectual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellectual/) [Intellectual property](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellectual-property/) [Investors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investors/) [NAFTA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nafta/) [Pharmaceutical companies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pharmaceutical-companies/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) [Property](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/property/) [Protection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protection/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) ## Related quotes > [Silicon Valley benefits, as all of industry, from highly protectionist policy - patent policies and things like that - which come out of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/silicon-valley-benefits-as-all-of-industry-from-highly-protectionist/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The United States is the least protectionist country in the world but has the largest trade deficit, while other countries are highly protectionist and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilbur-ross/the-united-states-is-the-least-protectionist-country-in-the-world-but/) [Wilbur Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilbur-ross/) > [NAFTA was much more popular among US corporations than GATT, because NAFTA is highly protectionist in ways that GATT is not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/nafta-was-much-more-popular-among-us-corporations-than-gatt-because/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [NAFTA and GATT have about as much to do with free trade as the Patriot Act has to do with liberty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-badnarik/nafta-and-gatt-have-about-as-much-to-do-with-free-trade-as-the/) [Michael Badnarik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-badnarik/) > [ The establishment can't admit \[that\] it is human rights violations that make ... countries attractive to business - so history has to be fudged,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-s-herman/the-establishment-can-t-admit-that-it-is-human-rights-violations-that/) [Edward S. Herman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-s-herman/) > [“Wherever the struggle is...there is one thing in common: the voracity of the transnational corporations and the ambition of these non-persons who govern us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/berta-c-ceres/wherever-the-struggle-is-there-is-one-thing-in-common-the-voracity-of/) Berta Cáceres > [And also, more and more businesses really want to do the right thing. They feel better about themselves, their workers feel better, and so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-hawken/and-also-more-and-more-businesses-really-want-to-do-the-right-thing/) [Paul Hawken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-hawken/) > [Transnational corporate networks, and their resulting spatial patterns, are always in a continuous state of flux. At any one time, some parts may be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-dicken/transnational-corporate-networks-and-their-resulting-spatial-patterns/) [Peter Dicken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-dicken/) > [The drafting of a legally binding instrument concerning the human rights impacts of the activities of Transnational Corporations (TNCs) and other business enterprises has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-maurice-de-zayas/the-drafting-of-a-legally-binding-instrument-concerning-the-human/) [Alfred-Maurice de Zayas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-maurice-de-zayas/) > [The transnational corporations and the money markets have declared the era of human-designed regulations over. Now the market must reign. Because few people in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/the-transnational-corporations-and-the-money-markets-have-declared/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [Democracy entails a correlation between the public interest as expressed by a majority of the population and the governmental policies that affect them. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-maurice-de-zayas/democracy-entails-a-correlation-between-the-public-interest-as/) [Alfred-Maurice de Zayas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-maurice-de-zayas/) > [Britain should not be held back by the E.U.'s protectionist stance which keeps so many developing countries from growing their economies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-mordaunt/britain-should-not-be-held-back-by-the-e-u-s-protectionist-stance/) [Penny Mordaunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-mordaunt/) > [We can't put up a protectionist dam on our own against the neo-liberal world market either. However, we can try, together with our European…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johan-huizinga/we-can-t-put-up-a-protectionist-dam-on-our-own-against-the-neo/) [Johan Huizinga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johan-huizinga/) > [China is the most protectionist country of the very large countries. They talk more about free trade than they actually practice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilbur-ross/china-is-the-most-protectionist-country-of-the-very-large-countries/) [Wilbur Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilbur-ross/) > [Look at trade and automation: two competing but slightly overlapping forces in the shrinking of the duration of jobs right now. We have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-sasse/look-at-trade-and-automation-two-competing-but-slightly-overlapping/) [Ben Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-sasse/) ## More by Noam Chomsky > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [If you believe in democracy, why shouldn't you know what the government is doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-believe-in-democracy-why-shouldn-t-you-know-what-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [It’s a shameful moment for U.S. media when it insists on being subservient to the grotesque propaganda agencies of a violent, aggressive state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/it-s-a-shameful-moment-for-u-s-media-when-it-insists-on-being/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There are questions as to whether it should even exist. Who should corporations be responsive to, the management of a corporation? Theoretically they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-are-questions-as-to-whether-it-should-even-exist-who-should/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Governments regard their own citizens as their main enemy, and they have to be - protect themselves. That's why you have state secret laws.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/governments-regard-their-own-citizens-as-their-main-enemy-and-they/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I don't join the New Atheists. So, for example, I wouldn't have the arrogance to lecture some mother who hopes to see her dying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-don-t-join-the-new-atheists-so-for-example-i-wouldn-t-have-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The first thing you ought to do is verify what I present. Just because I say it doesn't make it true. So check it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-first-thing-you-ought-to-do-is-verify-what-i-present-just-because/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [ I wrote an article about the marine landing \[in Haiti\] right away, but barely mentioned the oil, because my article would come out two… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-wrote-an-article-about-the-marine-landing-in-haiti-right-away-but/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [American society is now remarkably atomized. Political organizations have collapsed. In fact, it seems like even bowling leagues are collapsing. The left has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/american-society-is-now-remarkably-atomized-political-organizations/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Discovery is the ability to be puzzled by simple things. Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/discovery-is-the-ability-to-be-puzzled-by-simple-things-noam-chomsky/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There's an interesting book about that called The Third Reich and the Ivory Tower, written by Stephen H. Norwood. 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You can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-s-plenty-to-criticize-about-the-mass-media-but-they-are-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The 50,000 Korean mercenaries we had in Vietnam were professional killers and just massacred people outright. And the American army did plenty of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-50-000-korean-mercenaries-we-had-in-vietnam-were-professional/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) [Explore all 2,129 Noam Chomsky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## More Agreement quotes > [Therefore, I see whatever exists as good, death is to me like life, sin like holiness, wisdom like foolishness, everything has to be as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/therefore-i-see-whatever-exists-as-good-death-is-to-me-like-life-sin/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [There's no way to have a peace agreement unless the mediator or negotiator looks at both sides from an equal basis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/there-s-no-way-to-have-a-peace-agreement-unless-the-mediator-or/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [Biochemists and biologists who adhere blindly to the Darwinism theory search for results that will be in agreement with their theories and consequently orient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-paul-grasse/biochemists-and-biologists-who-adhere-blindly-to-the-darwinism-theory/) [Pierre-Paul Grasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-paul-grasse/) > [In coming to that agreement, my party had a clear philosophy throughout. In Northern Ireland, we should have institutions that respected the differences of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hume/in-coming-to-that-agreement-my-party-had-a-clear-philosophy/) [John Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hume/) > [Identity is not negotiable. An identity you have achieved by agreement is always a prison.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-john-harrison/identity-is-not-negotiable-an-identity-you-have-achieved-by-agreement/) [M. John Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-john-harrison/) > [I am formally accountable to the steering board of the PIC, and I meet with nine ambassadors from the PIC every week. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-ashdown/i-am-formally-accountable-to-the-steering-board-of-the-pic-and-i-meet/) [Paddy Ashdown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-ashdown/) > [Because countries often have differing political and economic systems, agreements are needed to protect those invested in trade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/because-countries-often-have-differing-political-and-economic-systems/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [As long as I sit at Henry Clay's desk, I will remember his lifelong desire to forge agreement, but I will also keep close…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/as-long-as-i-sit-at-henry-clay-s-desk-i-will-remember-his-lifelong/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [Gaia's main problems are not industrialization, ozone depletion, overpopulation, or resource depletion. 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This was going to result in Iran getting 50 billion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/netanyahu-made-all-sorts-of-claims-this-was-going-to-be-a-terrible/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Browse all 1,138 Agreement quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agreement/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "NAFTA and GATT are quite similar. They both have highly protectionist elements. They're kind of a mixture of liberalization and protection designed to expand the power of transnational corporations. They're very basically investor's rights agreements. One crucial part in both is the \"intellectual property right,\" which is a funny way of saying that corporations, like pharmaceutical companies, will have near-monopolistic rule over future technology. 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