Day 284 - 22 Oct 96 - Page 39


     
     1
     2   MR. MORRIS:   Yes.  It is a question of it is a bad thing, that
     3        multi-nationals should have power, whatever they use that
     4        power for, whether it causes hunger or ecological
     5        devastation.
     6
     7   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  We have to stick with McDonald's.  The other
     8        multi-nationals are relevant if they are having a combined
     9        operation to which McDonald's are contributing, I see that,
    10        but it is all about defamation of McDonald's, if anyone.
    11
    12   MR. MORRIS:   Right.  The point about -- all I am saying is the
    13        points about economic imperialism is not just the damage it
    14        is causing, whatever that is, it is also the fact that
    15        people are basic basically doing what they do not
    16        necessarily want to do, and that is the same, for example,
    17        in the workplace, that if the management have power,   such
    18        --
    19
    20   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  That is small beer compared with actually
    21        causing starvation, is it not?
    22
    23   MR. MORRIS:   Yes, but I am just trying to make the point that
    24        authoritarian management is in itself a bad thing.  Just as
    25        economic imperialism, whether or not it is causing some
    26        damage or hunger or starvation, is itself a bad thing, it
    27        denies to people their autonomy and civil rights.
    28
    29        It does not actually say that McDonald's cause starvation
    30        anywhere in that first page, in that economic page.  It
    31        says what is the connection between McDonald's and
    32        starvation, and then explains how the economy works and
    33        McDonald's role in it.  It says McDonald's is directly
    34        involves in this economic imperialism which keeps most
    35        black people poor and hungry.
    36
    37   MR. JUSTICE BELL:   Do you dispute that it means that they are
    38        responsible for starvation in the Third World?  Is there
    39        really any issue about that?
    40
    41   MR. MORRIS:   I think starvation is a particularly....  I mean,
    42        I think that it does not say that McDonald's causes
    43        starvation.  That is not what the meaning is.  That
    44        McDonald's role in hunger and poverty and in imbalance of
    45        resources and trade, that kind of stuff, is dealt with as a
    46        whole, as a contributory factor, but I do not think the
    47        meaning could be McDonald's causes starvation.  The one
    48        place where it says the word "cause" is about poverty.
    49
    50   MR. JUSTICE BELL:   Use another word, if need be, is responsible 
    51        for directly or indirectly.  Put as many riders in.  It is 
    52        still responsible for starvation.  Is there any dispute 
    53        that that is what it means?  I mean, their starvation in
    54        bold, I do not doubt that another leaflet could have been
    55        written making various points in general terms.  Whether
    56        McDonald's would have sued on it, I do not know, but what
    57        we have got is what we have got in this leaflet.
    58
    59   MR. MORRIS:   Yes, it is asking for the connection between
    60        McDonald's and starvation and outlining what the connection

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