Globalization's Latest Most PressingTrilemma: Re-Balancing the Competing Needsof Community, Democracy and IdentityMaking Senseof Globalization in a Cross-CulturalSettingInternationalConference,PreparedforUniversitiesofSanJuanandMendozaArgentinaMay2014
Globalization’s Latest Most Pressing Trilemma: Re-Balancing the Competing Needs of Community, Democracy and Identity Making Sense of Globalization in a Cross-Cultural Setting International Conference, Prepared for Universities of San Juan and Mendoza , Argentina May 2014
Paradox and UncertaintyFernand Braudel (1980) put his finger on the conditions for radical andincremental change: when societys institutions are trapped by bothtraditionalismandrigidity,'theycannotrespondtothenewpoliticalandstructuralrealitiestakingplaceintheworld'today.FromaBraudelianperspective,aseverestructuralcrisiscreatesroomfornew practicesandnorms.Existing institutions enter into decline unable to regain theirfocusandtransformtheir norms,values,and practices.The WTOis a leadingexampleofBraudelanstructuralknockoutblow.Itcontinuestooperatewitharear viewmirrorofhistorywithnoplantoshiftgears: Whatis a Braudelian regime change? Some examples: in India primaryhealthcareforall andfreegenericdrugs;freetradewithPakistananddismantling militarization relations; a 30% fall in the poverty rate; themobilization of hundreds of thousands micro activists to operate as a thirdfront in Indianpolitical life.Postcrisisglobalgovernancehasputnewoptionsatthetop oftheagendaEven though theinformationage continues to surpriseand disappoint, itchallengesourways ofmapping andtracking itsdiversesocialimpacts: Whatwill the post-recessionlandscapelooklike?-thatis a questionto wrapourheadsaround!
Paradox and Uncertainty • Fernand Braudel (1980) put his finger on the conditions for radical and incremental change: when society’s institutions are trapped by both ‘traditionalism and rigidity,’ they cannot respond to the new political and structural realities taking place in the world today. From a Braudelian perspective, a severe structural crisis creates room for new practices and norms. Existing institutions enter into decline unable to regain their focus and transform their norms, values, and practices. The WTO is a leading example of Braudelan structural knock out blow. It continues to operate with a rear view mirror of history with no plan to shift gears • What is a Braudelian regime change? Some examples: in India primary health care for all and free generic drugs; free trade with Pakistan and dismantling militarization relations; a 30% fall in the poverty rate; the mobilization of hundreds of thousands micro activists to operate as a third front in Indian political life. • Post crisis global governance has put new options at the top of the agenda. Even though the information age continues to surprise and disappoint, it challenges our ways of mapping and tracking its diverse social impacts. • What will the post-recession landscape look like?– that is a question to wrap our heads around!
Globalization: Why so Different? Five transformative developments have changed the globalization narrativeirreversibly.1.Theriseoftherestandthedramaticgrowthoftheglobal south-thelocomotiveoftheglobal economy2. The hollowing out of the middle class in the global North and theemergence ofa middleclass inthe BRICS.Twodestinies3.Therisingtideofglobal inequality world wide wherethe1percent have40percent of the world's wealth. Global finance is more concentrated, dominantandtoobigtoregulate4.Welcometo the world oflabour without organized labour.Union levels havedeclined across industrialized world to the point where the union freeworkplaceisnowstandardinmanyindustries.The nonstandard revolution of the world of work has triggered the decline ofrealwages,inadequate statutoryprotection,theweakening oflabour'sinstitutional voice, intense labour shedding technology and supported byincreasinglycompetitivelabourmarkets.5.Thesoftpowerofideas,socialvaluesandpublicopinionmorethanmatchthehardpower of markets.Inaonebillionplusglobal mediapublic and theinformationrevolution,socialmedia hasdevolved powertooffsidepublicsworldwide.The crisisofmultipartysystem,itsrepresentationandrelevancehas been brought into question by online publics
Globalization: Why so Different? • Five transformative developments have changed the globalization narrative irreversibly. • 1. The rise of the rest and the dramatic growth of the global south – the locomotive of the global economy • 2. The hollowing out of the middle class in the global North and the emergence of a middle class in the BRICS. Two destinies • 3. The rising tide of global inequality world wide where the 1 percent have 40 percent of the world’s wealth. Global finance is more concentrated, dominant and too big to regulate • 4. Welcome to the world of labour without organized labour. Union levels have declined across industrialized world to the point where the union free workplace is now standard in many industries. • The nonstandard revolution of the world of work has triggered the decline of real wages, inadequate statutory protection, the weakening of labour’s institutional voice, intense labour shedding technology and supported by increasingly competitive labour markets. • 5. The soft power of ideas, social values and public opinion more than match the hard power of markets. In a one billion plus global media public and the information revolution, social media has devolved power to offside publics worldwide. The crisis of multiparty system, its representation and relevance has been brought into question by online publics
The Name of the GameNew Rules and Long TermStructural Change - Read myLips It's the Interdependent GlobalEconomy Stupid!!We have to DoBetter
The Name of the Game New Rules and Long Term Structural Change – Read my Lips It’s the Interdependent Global Economy Stupid!!We have to Do Better
The Rise of the Rest the BiggestStructural Change of AllTheBrics*risingshareShare of global GDpatpurchasingpowerparity(96)30BricsRussiaCBrazil.india, chna)25US2015Eu big fourCGoaFaceUkItaby101495051019922000Source:Forecast
The Rise of the Rest the Biggest Structural Change of All