Jean Ziegler, Swiss critic of capitalism and UN rapporteur, dies at 92

Jean Ziegler, a prominent Swiss figure known for his sharp critiques of capitalism and his advocacy for the right to food, has died at the age of 92. He passed away Wednesday after a battle with Parkinson's disease.

Born in 1934 into a conservative Protestant family in Thun, Ziegler's path took a significant turn during his studies in Paris. Influenced by existentialist circles and a pivotal meeting with Che Guevara, he became convinced that his fight against global capitalism must be waged from within Switzerland itself.

Upon returning to his home country, Ziegler launched a fierce campaign against its financial institutions. His 1976 book, "A Switzerland Above Suspicion," exposed the complicity of Swiss banks and multinational corporations with global dictatorships. Subsequent works, like "Switzerland, Gold, and the Dead," continued this literary offensive, earning him international renown and legal battles.

Ziegler also served as a socialist deputy in the Swiss Parliament from 1967 to 1983 and again from 1987 to 1999. Simultaneously, he was a sociology professor at the University of Geneva from 1977 to 2002. He viewed both the parliamentary platform and the university lecture hall as tools for promoting equality.

From 2000 to 2008, Ziegler served as the UN's special rapporteur on the right to food. In this role, he relentlessly fought against what he termed "cannibalistic" capitalism, famously stating, "A child who dies of hunger is a murdered child." He targeted institutions like the World Bank, IMF, and WTO, accusing them of perpetuating North-South inequalities. However, his career was not without controversy, including past associations with figures like Muammar Gaddafi and Fidel Castro, and earlier statements regarding the Pol Pot regime in Cambodia.