Week 24 Globalization

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Week 24 Globalization

• Richard Simeon

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Introduction

• Globalization a complex set of forces that are
  changing the world
• Has many dimensions
• Is highly contested Vancouver, Quebec City,
  Genoa, etc.
• Plan what is globalization globalization and
  democracy globalization and governance
  globalization and conflict.
• Globalization and Canada and the developing world

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Two visions of globalization

• Globalization as threat
• To jobs, wages in first world to workers in
  developing world low wages, child labour etc.
• To democracy if states lose power to control own
  affairs, so do their citizens loss of
  sovereignty corporate domination US domination
• To distinct cultures and values
  Coca-colonization, Hollywood, McWorld.
• Anti-globalization as an ideology

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Two visions/2

• Globalization as opportunity
• Breaks down barriers, encourages mobility
• Trade, markets and free flow of capital increases
  prosperity for all
• Fosters freedom and democracy
• Disciplines and constrains governments
• Globalization as a positive ideology
• Different observers focus on different parts of
  the elephant.
• Jihad vs. McWorld (Barber) competing forces

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Two visions/3

• Thomas Friedman two responses Infosys and Al
  Queda.
• From the primal swamps of globalization have
  emerged two genetic variants. . . Our focus has
  to be how can we encourage more of the good
  mutations and keep out the bad. Barber Jihad
  vs. McWorld.

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Two visions/3

• Barber Jihad vs. McWorld
• Two trends at same time
• Increasing global economy, markets, values etc.
  McWorld, and
• Increasing fragmentation, focus on ethnic,
  cultural, religious difference Jihad.
• Each plays against the other.

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Dimensions of globalization/1

• Economic
• Global capitalism trans-national corporations
• Mobile capital
• Increased trade
• Global financial markets
• New communications technologies
• New forms of economic competition.

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Dimensions/2

• Globalization of ideas
• Economic triumph of capitalism?
• Political the global spread of democracy, human
  rights, good governance.
• Environmental planet earth
• Interest groups, social movements, NGOs.
  Greenpeace, Amnesty

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Dimensions/3

• Developing global institutions
• Economic NAFTA, WTO, IMF, World Bank
• Political UN, World Court, International
  Criminal Court, European Union
• The emergence of international law
• Questions whose interests do they serve? Can
  they be effective?

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Dimensions/4

• Globalization and the nation state
• Extreme statement n-s is obsolete
• Less extreme n-s is weaker, roles are changing
• But global institutions were created by nations
  national identities remain strong
• Canada as model of the post-national state?

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Globalization and democracy/1

• Barber Can democracy survive globalization?
• Threats
• Loss of sovereignty, control to global capital,
  institutions.
• Hollowing out of state.
• Mobile capital shifts power from workers from
  state to private the rush to the bottom thesis

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Globalization and democracy/2

• BUT also
• Global spread of democracy, human rights (Arbour)
• The debate democracy be imposed from without
  (Iraq)?
• The possibility of global citizenship (Held)
  can we democratize international institutions,
  and regulate international capital?

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Globalization and effective governance

• Shifting roles for governments focus on
  competitiveness, productivity, etc.
• Threat to welfare state? TINA, RTB
• Limited, constrained governments.
• But government buffer between global pressures
  and domestic needs
• Improving governance in transitional countries
  World Bank NEPAD in Africa. Should aid depend
  on governance?

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Globalization, Conflict and Community

• A global culture, dominated by west? Threats to
  local values and traditions?
• Increased migration increased diversity in
  developed countries
• Global intervention in domestic conflict Haiti,
  Rwanda, Kosovo, etc. When justified?
• Global terrorism
• A global sense of community?

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Globalization and Canada/1

• Not new.
• For Canada globalization N. American
  integration
• 85 p.c. exports to US.
• Economic effects of integration pro and con.
• Cultural effects pro and con
• Constraints is made in Canada policy possible
  Economic, social, foreign, environmental, etc?
• Note debate on each side.

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Globalization and Canada/2

• Economic
• Huge increase in cross border trade Canadian
  surplus
• Jobs growth in Canada outflow bigger issue in
  US
• Continuing disputes e.g. softwood lumber
• Investment goes both ways
• NAFTA at 10 mixed reviews
• From and E-W to a N-S economy
• 8/10 provinces trade more with US than with other
  provinces.

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Globalization and Canada/3

• Policy
• Can we run a European style welfare state at
  North American tax rates?
• Worst case predictions we would lose Medicare,
  and other distinctive Canadian program
• Cuts to spending etc., not necessarily result of
  NAFTA
• Not borne out.
• International evidence national differences do
  not disappear

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Globalization and Canada/4

• Political Can Canada pursue international
  policies different from US?
• NO The elephant and the mouse need to keep an
  open border, so must cooperate on security, etc.
• YES Canada does not support US on Iraq seeks
  multilateral solutions more committed to foreign
  aid, etc.

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Canada and Globalization/5

• Can we keep distinct culture and values
• No US dominance of movies, TV, magazines, etc.
• YES Exports of Canadian culture Twain,
  Morrissette, Lavigne, Dion (?), Atwood.
• Michael Adams Fire and Ice The United States,
  Canada, and the Myth of Converging Values. We are
  becoming more different, not more alike
• Examples religiosity death penalty Medicare
  belief in government attitudes towards abortion,
  same sex marriage, family etc. (US 50 per cent
  say father should be master of the house Canada
  20)

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Globalization and developing world/1

• Another mixed message
• Economy winners and losers
• Asian tigers winners Africa, Latin America
  losers.
• Is the problem free trade or first world
  protectionism?
• Low wages and child labour exploitation, or
  first step to prosperity?
• Agriculture whose farmers to protect?

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Globalization and developing world/2

• Foreign aid and development assistance
• Universal values democracy, rights, rule of law
• Promoting good governance
• Promoting local development, Aboriginal rights,
  gender equality, etc.

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Conclusion

• Globalization is
• Very complex multi-dimensional, not one thing,
  but many
• That may pull in different directions
• Is very difficult to link such a broad set of
  factors to specific developments
• National histories, circumstances, cultures,
  institutions still have huge impact, and sustain
  differences
• No end of history