Final answer:
The anti-globalization movement criticizes the Washington Consensus for exploiting labor and environment in developing countries, arguing for more regulations and democratic representation in global trade, under the belief that 'free trade' benefits wealthy nations and harms lesser-developed ones.
Step-by-step explanation:
The anti-globalization movement articulates several critiques against the Washington Consensus and its embodied form of globalization. One core argument is that multinational corporations and international institutions, such as the World Bank (WB), International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and the World Trade Organization (WTO), tend to exploit labor and abuse the environmental standards, particularly in the 'global South.' These practices, according to movement activists, intensify the economic disparities between developed and developing nations without adequately protecting worker wellbeing or the environment.
Furthermore, the anti-globalization movement contends that the current form of globalization bolsters corporate capitalism that is detrimental to smaller companies and developing industries within emerging markets. They argue that 'free trade' agreements, such as NAFTA, FTAA, TPPA, MAI, and GATS, lack essential regulations and therefore promote the benefit of industrialized nations at the expense of lesser-developed countries. The movement also emphasizes the need for more democratic representation in global trade decisions, rallying behind slogans like "No Globalization without Representation".
Another significant critique is the environmental protection argument which suggests that global trade policies, pursued without regard for environmental conservation, could lead to the destruction of vital planetary systems, thereby risking life itself. Activists believe that economic progress should not be at the cost of ecological health, and therefore global trade needs to be reformed to safeguard the Earth's natural resources and biological diversity.