Globalization: Steger and Friedman

Steger's five claims of market globalism are: (1) globalization is about the liberalization and global integration of markets; (2) globalization is inevitable and irreversible; (3) nobody is in charge of globalization; (4) globalization benefits everyone; and (5) globalization furthers the spread of democracy in the world. I am not sure I can address each of these providing examples from Friedman in this time and space but will attempt a couple.

The first one that draws my attention is number 4 "globalization benefits everyone" because I live in rural NC and have seen the number of people who have lost their jobs with textiles, furniture, and other industry suffer for many reasons. These have lost their income. Many have emotional scars. Some have attended college because that appears to be their only option. There are no other jobs in our market to absorb them. Some have accepted part-time jobs. None, even those who are now college graduates, are making the kind of money they were earning in industry. This has resulted in many foreclosures and repossessions by the banks. Local taxes have increased. Also, the goods now imported to our stores have not reduced in price. This means those with less disposable income are spending less in our restaurants, stores, and beauty shops. These local businesses are now making decisions to close due to the reduction in customers and the increase in expenses. As I read Friedman's comments that "India's growing economy is creating a demand for many more American goods and services," I have to wonder what goods and services he refers to and who is providing those or who is profiting from the provision. Big industry, perhaps, but not the local business owner or the local blue-collar worker.

Claim 2 by Steger that "globalization is inevitable and irreversible" may very well be true. As Friedman points out "cheap, quick and reliable telecommunications lines" (p41) exist and allow phone calls to be answered around the world, McDonald's order takers to be offsite, and internet communications to connect at the speed of light. When we see something as an improvement, why would we want to reverse the effect? How many times have you heard someone say, "what did we ever do without our cell phones?" Cellular technology now advertises the ability of its user to talk on the phone and use the internet simultaneously. Has the market not convinced us that these are improvements to our way of life? Improvements that have made us so busy that we are bombarded with so much information every day that we cannot possibly contain it all.