Hi Arthur,
It strikes me that Mark Rupert's so-called critique of Thomas Friedman's
book, "The Lexus and the Olive Tree" (praising globalization) is pretty
splenetic. It adds nothing to a constructive discussion of what is
happening now.
Just in case anybody thinks I'm an admirer of Friedman's book, I'm not.
He's a well-connected journalist and he gets his facts right but, from the
excerpts I've read, the book is a bit of a romance. It's good journalism
but no more than that. I certainly wouldn't buy it.
However, out of the three and a half pages I've printed of Mark's Rupert's
Anti-Thomas Friedman, there is scarcely anything substantive, except a few
statistics thrown in to show that in recent years inequality has been
growing within the US and between developed and undeveloped countries.
I don't think anybody denies this. It's unfortunate. More than that -- it's
very disturbing. The sum of human suffering is enormous. But this is not
the point.
The point is that, proportionately, the sum of human suffering and
deprivation was even more enormous before "Globalization Round I"
(Friedman's term for economic development between 1800 and 1900), and then
again before the present "Globalization Round II" (which he posits from
about the end of the Cold War).
The human suffering and deprivation that existed before globalization was
due primarily to agriculture (which caused exponential increases in
populations) and the crude hierarchical governments which controlled the
majority (the peasantry) in so many civilizations throughout history and,
even today, in so many countries around the world.
Of course, globalization and rapid technological development (virtually
synonymous) causes differentials, because only a minority (of individuals,
or countries) can take initial advantage. Take "Globalization Round I" in
the UK as an example. Between about 1750 and 1850 or so, the differentials
between the cash incomes of the poorest and the richest in the country
increased hugely to about 50:1 or even more, but from then onwards the
standard of living of the average person rose several-fold until, at about
1920/30, the differentials has declined to about 15:1 or even less (about
9:1 by about 1950). But by then the globalization and rapid technical
development of the previous century had largely ceased as countries locked
themselves behind protective barriers.
And, since about 1992 and the huge growth in cheap communications, we're
now into "Globalization Round II" (though it really started a decade or two
before then with the US and Western Europe partially opening their doors to
imports). Once again income differentials have widened both within and
between countries. But there is already sufficient evidence that those
countries (usually South-East Asian) which were into technological
development from about the 60s have been catching up fast (just as Europe
has almost caught up with the US). There's little doubt that within about
20 or 30 years vast chunks of Asia, probably including China with its
billion people, will catch up with Europe and the US in terms of average
income and standard of living.
Although anti-globalization protestors don't mean it, and although many of
them are well-meaning people, I'm afraid that if they had their way it
would actually be a case of "Pull the ladder up, Jack. I'm all right".
Keith H
At 22:22 14/05/01 -0400, you wrote:
>Because in certain circles, in govt and out, when one wonders about the
>merits of globalization--Friedman's book is seen as the answer to quell all
>doubts.
>
>Arthur Cordell
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: tom abeles [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
>Sent: Monday, May 14, 2001 5:51 PM
>To: Cordell, Arthur: ECOM
>Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>Subject: Re: Anti-Thomas Friedman Page now online
>
>
>I am wondering why anyone would give Friedman the space by even analyzing
>his
>thesis. What's the upside?
>
>thoughts?
>
>tom abeles
>
>[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Sid Shniad [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
>> Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2001 6:27 PM
>> Subject: Anti-Thomas Friedman Page now online
>>
>> Anti-Thomas Friedman Page now online
>>
>> Thomas Friedman is the international affairs columnist for the new
>> York Times. His best-selling book The Lexus and the Olive Tree, has been
>> hailed as "A brilliant guidebook to the new world of 'globalization'".
>> Friedman is frequently mistaken for an authority on globalization.
>> This page is dedicated to demonstrating that Friedman's
>> understanding of globalization is in fact extremely narrow, one-sided and
>> misleading. His frequent and vociferous denunciations of those protesting
>> against neoliberal globalization, and the arguments which Friedman
>advances
>> in his book, are singularly ill-informed, poorly reasoned and, in many
>> cases, demonstrably false."
>> The URL of the Anti- Thomas Friedman Page is:
>>
>> http://faculty.maxwell.syr.edu/merupert/Anti-Friedman.htm
>>
>> Mark Rupert
>> Associate Professor
>> Department of Political Science
>> Syracuse University
>> Syracuse, NY 13244-1090
>> (315) 443-1748
>
>
>
___________________________________________________________________
Keith Hudson, General Editor, Calus <http://www.calus.org>
6 Upper Camden Place, Bath BA1 5HX, England
Tel: +44 1225 312622; Fax: +44 1225 447727;
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
________________________________________________________________________
