The Undercurrent: Forget the TPP, does a secret global court spell the end of democracy?
With a series of murky international trade agreements like the TPP
being negotiated, will a secret court give corporations the power to
erode the rights of nation states? The TPP includes an Investor State
Dispute Settlement clause that allows a secret court (ICSID;
International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes) with global
reach to arbitrate disputes between multinationals and
the countries they operate in, potentially forcing governments to
change sovereign laws or pay compensation to companies if they lose a
case. The Undercurrent shines a light on the issue and asks – is the TPP
the end of democracy? The Undercurrent is an online news show billing
itself as an antidote to the five-second soundbite. Creators Jen Dainer
and Dan Graetz say it is the show they wish existed – so they created it
themselves
