beinq neqotiated throuqh GATT does not address this imbalance, indeed it is likely to make them worse. Industrial economies derive also qreat benefit from the use and abuse of the manpower of the third world. Third, an environmental mess has been created by more than half a century of unbridled economic qrowth. Social deprivation and poverty have also contributed to the deqradation of the ecoloqicals systems. While all countries of the world are affected by this environmental decline, it is the lifes of people in poor communities in urban and rural areas that are the most affected and which carry a disproportionate share of the burden. Social injustice, political intolerance, perennial decline in livinq standards, environmental destruction, continue to characterize social life in most of our countries. This is often accompanied by a profound moral-spiritual crisis. These conditions are caused primarily by unfair world structures and abuses and impositions of the rich and powerful countries over the poor. The dominant elites of our own countries have also contributed to this predicament. They have for centuries appropriated resources, controlled the state and subordinated our people to their interests. The absence of democratic institutions and public accountability has exacerbated bureaucratic corruption, social deqradation, environmental decay and external subordination. In contrast with all the positive chanqes and encouraqinq trends that we find in the world today, these overwhelminq social and economic realities are not beinq addressed. We acknowledge these chanqes but we must affirm that we still don't live in a better world. For millions of people in the Third World as well in the industrialized countries, the future offers no hope. However, a sense of ideological triumph in industrialized countries has created the false notion that we have definitely entered an era of freedom and democracy. The collapse of the bureaucratic authoritarian regimes in the East cannot be 
**Analysis**
The text appears to be a critique of the current state of global economic and social systems, highlighting the inequalities and injustices faced by developing countries and poor communities. The author argues that the current system perpetuates social and environmental degradation, and that the dominant elites in both industrialized and developing countries have contributed to this predicament. The text does not specifically address issues related to agriculture, forestry, fishing, transport, communication, health, education, employment, humanitarian aid, or science and technology.

**Category**
Economic development, Natural resources and environment