The Collapse of Globalism: And the Reinvention of the World

The Collapse of Globalism and the Reinvention of the World is a must-read! In this well researched and written book, John Ralston Saul summarizes the promise of globalization as follows: - The power of the nation-state is waning; - In the future, power will lie with global markets. Thus, economics, not politics and armies, will shape human events; - These global markets, freed of narrow national interests and inhibiting regulations, will gradually establish international economic balances. Such markets will unleash waves of trade and a broad economic tide of growth for both rich and poor; - And so we will at last have outgrown the eternal problem of boom-and-bust cycles.... In reality, nation-states and nationalism (good and bad) around the world are as strong as they were in the past - from the United States, to India, China, Africa, Europe, and the Middle East, to name only a few places and regions. Narrow national interests still play the major role in political decision-making across the globe. The lack of regulation, especially in the financial industry, has recently brought about global financial crisis and recession. Waves of trade and a broad economic tide of growth have made some corporations and individuals in the Western word extremely rich. All the while, the majority of the poor in the developing world are getting poorer while being exploited by multinational corporations. Globalization, as we know it, is not working for the majority of the people around the world. That's why the reform of the entire system is urgently needed. John Ralston Saul starts the discussion and offers valuable suggestions in this very important book.

If this were a series of audio tapes with an liberal allowance for extemporising, then I might give JR Saul a 5 star review. I found his style to be quirky, insightful and also, in many places, poorly argued or presented. Since I liked the book very much I struggled to come to terms with my personal feelings and my marginalia that indicated poorly argued prose. Then I struck upon an apt analogy. Imagine JR Saul as your favourite university professor in undergrad. Also imagine that you have just pounded back a few single malt scotches and allowed him to ramble on completely unchecked whilst you listened.... usually what happens is that your mental mentor waxes philosophical, turns a few expected arguments on their head, launches upon a few absolutely brilliant points, fails to connect with significant gravitas on some crucial points and then goes completely off into the ozone with an argument that wouldn't get past a first year student of Economics. Saul is all these things. For his detractors they will always sieze upon the sometimes infantile logic of contradictions, and they are rife. Undeveloped ideas are left inchoate and larger themes are masterfully woven (the rise of Technocracy and Managerialism and the loss of risk and innovation in business) with such infantile statements that "there is no necessary reason why public institutions are less efficiently run then private" -- except of course the overall drive to succeed and profit motive! Which needs to be thrashed out in argument or at least acknowledged as a valid point of contention. Also the theme of the rise of the technocracy and managerial science trumping hardened strategic objectives of the kind of society one wants is one that cuts both ways: it can be seen as both the cause of corporatism in the 40s, 50s and 60s, as much as Saul sees it as an insipid reinforcement/cause of the rise of Globalism. Saul is at his best when he is on politics and history and it really hits my conservative sympathies when he cites the fall of grand strategic policy making in circles outside of economics. Kissinger and Metternich in their amoral simplicity rise to almost the role of heros in such an analysis. But it is clear that the world, even in the age of Terrorism, has put much more emphasis on economics conferences as a tool of managing international affairs than strategy. The ideas of grand policy making are dead, and the technocrats as the new inheritor of the economic man. Leaving aside the digressions that go nowhere, Saul does force one to think about new constellations of thought.... even if those constellations are often separated by a black hole of logic.

"Gimmie that old time religion" ran the gospel classic. Since the early 1970s, says Saul, a new religion has emerged, displacing existing dogmas. It's called "Globalism". Globalism lacks a deity, but provides us with a fresh dogma - "borderless commerce". The ranks of its apostles view the world through a "prism of economics". The new liturgy claims that open, unfettered world "trade" will overcome restrictive government policies, grant peace, freedom, prosperity and will last forever. It will redeem the world of its ills by considering issues through this restrictive prism. It sees humanity as driven solely by economic self-interest. It applies that view to business, government and society in general. It is Mammon in all his finery and power. Saul's sprightly prose leads us through a chronology of the rise of Globalism, citing some of its most profound proponents along the way. He describes the methods used in creating the "global market". The prophets are known to all who took Economics 101 - Milton Friedman, Samuel Brittain and Robert Norvick. Globalism's converts, following their initiation, tended to remain out of sight, however. Saul notes the irony of an "open" system doing so much so quietly and with so little fanfare. Part of the reason for this covert manner was that avoiding publicity was important to its advocates. While quietly lobbying for "deregulation" or arranging multi-billion dollar mergers, the Globalists operated away from public scrutiny. Knowing the general populace would bear the brunt of paying for their dealings, keeping people ignorant of the impact was important. "Smooth waters and continuity" was the theme of those who avoided confronting reality. No dissent meant acceptance. Saul sees this approach as "management" of problems, not realistic leadership. Globalism has achieved much, according to Saul. There have been shakeouts of inept or corrupt government-run programmes in many countries. Giant corporations girdling the planet have been established. The movement of material and products has been eased. Work has been given to those who might have never known what a factory was or what it produced. "Agribusiness" was an unknown term in the 1970s - it's a commonplace, now. Products on your table arrive from far away places. The shop's shelves are weighed down with a confusing variety of goods, whether grocery or clothing or electronics. These accomplishments have come at a price. The transnationals move goods within themselves, creating an artificial trade picture - and an artificial state as a by-product. The maneuvers have led to grand fortunes. The 358 richest people have assets exceeding the combined incomes of countries containing 45 per cent of the world's population. People are dealt with as replaceable machines and community and human values have been shed. If jobs aren't easily exported, labour is invited to relocate. There are 17 million Muslim workers living among 450 million Europeans. These workers face

This book documents "globalism" and its end. Note the ISM. This is not about global trade or global economics but rather about the ISM that commands that these are inevitable and must take priority over national security, quality of life, job security, law and order. For 30 years academicians have worked to undermine countries, including the USA itself, by demanding that such countries are obsolete. As an American, I note that we are a country of laws and these folks worked to undermine law. They worked to undermine democracy and choice. They worked to convert the world to a single unelected government run by corporate cronies. This is globalism. Most have never heard of it. Many will not believe it. Yet this is no conspiracy theory or work of fiction. This treason drove our politicians over the past decades thus producing in large part the ineffectual incompetencies of our leadership in that period. It also drove the widespread attacks on the middle class and our quality of life. The story is magnificent. The book documents a wide range of little known fact and links them into the rise of neo-conservatism and neo-liberalism. I find the author's writing a bit forced, a bit ponderous, but the material is worth getting past his quirks. Some bit of save-the-world ideology is also included, but must be in these kinds of treatise. Buy it, read it, and then understand why your congressman and senator have sold you out, turned their back on Democracy, and become slaves to corporate corruption. Understand WHY AMERICA WENT WRONG.

Globalization seems to be strong everywhere and in every country that I can think of. If you're not sure ask all the employees that are loosing their jobs as well as the businesses in China, India and Eastern Europe that are receiving these jobs. I think the book makes some interesting points but the points are more a matter of definition than reality. Other competing book on this topic are The World is Flat by Thomas Friedman and Stop Working by Rohan Hall.