Free trade zones and their importance in current times: the examples of Manaus and Tierra del Fuego

Abstract

The extinction of the Manaus Free Trade Zone (MFTZ) on the pretext of its tax costs has been discussed in the sphere of Brazil’s national economic policy. In this context, our study presents several free trade zones that exist across the world. Such understanding allows to verify how a specific form of articulation between different social agents contributes to the constitution of key places for the transnationalization of capital. The MFTZ and the Tierra del Fuego Special Customs Area (TDF/SCA) show they have fulfilled their primary objectives regarding occupation and modernization, with impacts of various types. However, the question arises as to the meaning of the existence of these mechanisms, as they play a fundamental role in their regions.