Globalization - the ugly, the bad and the good!

What is Globalization? Or, what do I understand by globalization? Why is globalization is such a hated word?

At first, let us concede. Globalization is a hated word. For the statists/conservative types, it is an instant derecognition of a fundamental concept they are brought up with - the nation-state. For the workers, it is a break from the accepted labor standards. For the manufacturers, it means the protective umbrella of the state is gone! So, whatever the socio-political-economic strata we live in, globalization (or neo-liberalism) is a hated term. So why support it?

So the request is to look at the good flip side! What do I understand by globalization? To quote the poem, Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls. Unfortunately, it is!! In religion, we have Hindus vs. Muslims (or choose your favorite combination); in nationality we have America vs. China (or India vs Pakistan) and amongst people, “my type” vs. “your type”. We have created many divisions amongst ourselves. And we actually enjoy it!

How about “economic globalization”? Can an able bodied laborer cross over from Mexico to the US looking for work especially when a firm at the US is offering him a job? But an IIT educated Indian software engineer can fly to US to get a 100K job!! Economic globalization seems to be restricted to managed free trade and with relatively free capital markets with very constricted labor flow. Any person will common sense will tell you that the ‘system’ is skewed!

How about knowledge? Is it free and freely flowing? Thanks to the Internet we have a vehicle for free flow of knowledge. Internet, thus, is leading a frontline attack in support of globalization. Take the recent events. We have facts & opinions reported from every point of view – CNN or roadside blogger - with no possible state control.

But wait, this is just a beginning. Still, we have knowledge controls. So will (or should) Internet & globalization attack the fundamentals of Intellectual Property or how would history proceed?

Globalization raises more questions than agreements with short term imbalances. We want a decent discussion and debates for that to happen.

For all the initial stumbling blocks which needs to be addressed, I dream of an integrated global village for all people where the mind is without fear and the head held high.