Globalization

Like many other American’s I benefit everyday from the fruits of Globalization. I have friends all over the world, access to affordable products shipped from every corner of the earth, and global job opportunities at my fingertips.  It hasn’t always been like this, the momentum of globalization has been picking up speed since the early 1980’s, and it doesn’t show any signs of slowing down.  So with this newfound connectedness what should we expect? Are we treating the power of globalization with the respect it deserves?

I tend to always be optimistic and see things for the better. I love the idea that globalization has created service jobs around the globe, giving generations of people opportunities never before imaginable. The idea of it’s a small world after all seems to be the theme of Thomas Friedman, an American journalist who believes that exporting low-skill and low-wage job’s will force Americans to seek higher education and mold themselves into competitive viable workers for higher end jobs.  The jobs’ being outsourced will give the recipient country power in the global economy and room to grow and become a serious force. In the case of India, Friedman believes America should be on its toes, because he’s betting on it becoming a strong competitor.  All of this sounds positive, but I believe that there’s currently more negatives to the Globalization movement then positives.

Cheap inhuman labor, the faster depletion of natural resources, the westernization of cultures, and poor countries typically getting the raw end of the deal are all part of the negatives.  I feel for the cotton farmer in Africa (See my Blog Article: Trade Is Regional: Not Global) and the workers in Taiwan who suffer for pennies so I can have cheap sneakers.  It seems that richer countries are once again just using globalization for their sole benefit, not for the new community that globalization has created. Naomi Klein argues in her book No Logo that corporations “exercise power through leveraging trade agreements which damage in some instances the democratic rights of citizens, the environment particularly air quality index and rain forests.” (Wikipedia, 2008) I believe all of this to be true. So what can I do to help? Everyone talks about boycotting Wal-Mart and producing more local food and products, but will that ever be enough? The answer is no. For Globalization to work a few things need to happen. First stop subsidizing already fat farmers, kick the corporations out the government, and change the national attitude from gimme-gimme to something more adult and responsible.  Globalization has the potential to be something great; we just need to find the right formula.