The World is Flat

Manfred Steger identifies five major ideological claims that are generally present whenever anyone talks or writes about globalization. They are: 1) Glogalization is about the liberilzation and global intergration of markets. 2)Globalization is inevitable and irreversible. 3)Nobody is in charge of globalization. 4)Globalization benefits everyone. 5) Globalization furthers the spread od democracy in the world. In the book "The world is Flat by Thomas L. Friedman, there are many examples and statements that support Steger's claims. For this blog I will address only numbers 3 and 4.

In stating a claim that nobody is in charge of globalization is supported by Friedman even in the title of his first chapter which he calls "While I was Sleeping". Many of the globalization concepts especially outsourcing, just "sort of happened". As Freidman states they came about as a result of many transnational companies desire to lower costs, a desire for greater speed and fewer mistakes (Friedman, 2007). This supports Stegers statement that "People aren't in charge of globalization; markets and technology are" (p.102). We do recognize that companies are run by people and it is the desire of the people that creates this change. One example that Friedman describes has to do with a conversation he had with a gentleman regarding getting his taxes done. The convesation cam about easily, also most casually. The next moment they were into discussions on outsourcing and the ease with which this sort of processing could be done and the ready market of well qualified workers, and the easy transfer of information. There are several other examples that show how these processes develop. It is spoken as a desire one statement and the next the discussion has moved on to implementation. Friedman also notes that it almost
has to be a deliberate action to not outsource. The example is from the CEO of JetBlue. He say's "we will never outsource to India" (p.38).

In Stegar's claim number four he says that globalization benefits everyone. That is a statement that is certainly up for debate. The majority of Freidman's chapter one does indeed support for the benefits of globalization outsourcing. This is especially true for the company that receives the additional work - such as India. Allowing the young adults in Indai to earn a wage well beyond what their parents earned is indeed a great benefit. This benfit has other implcations for a better life and a higher standard of living. The company that hires the workers also benfit in that it increases their profit margin since they are able to hire workers at such a reduce wage. They are also generally free from providing health and other benefits. However, for every job gained in one country there is a loss in another. I guess the key in this particular situation is balance.

One way to create a balnce would be to ensure that those that have lost jobs are provided means to increase or diversify their education and retrain for the new and upcoming industry that is being created. The problem with this is that there is so much dependance on the federal and state government to fund these initiatives. Most people that have lost their jobs due to outsourcing hardly have the money to spend on education. They are most likely already in debt. But even with that, education is still the answer. The question is who pays.

Friedman makes several good points in his first chapter. Globlization is an excellent concept and one that will most likely continue - just as history tells us that change has always occured. Major changes include the transportation, and our money sytem, the industrial revolution. The major difference is that most of these changes occurred slowly over time. The technology change has been extremley fast. Giving little time for any adjustments. Few adjustments have been pro-active; most have actually been re-active.

Steger's ideological claims about globalization are in general true. The categoreies and themes come up quite often as globalization is debated. Friedman ideas line up very nicely with Steger's claims. I would be interested in reading the remaining chapters of Freidman's book to compare his expriences with the claims made by Steiger.