Globalization

[galaxy]

I was just wondering what you guys think about Globalization?

[Uncle Martin]

Man,... its like totally global.

Globalization is a very general term, could you be more specific please? Global economy, currency, government, WHAT?

[Freethinker]

I live on a Globe!

[nemo]

Galaxy,

At some point, I'll have to teach my daughter to bait a hook as well as you baited your question. I have run into a few primary schools of thought when discussing "Globalization" with different people; was your question intended to start a thread with the topic of:
[list][*]America is rich, so I should pay for the 13 children of a failed warlord in Rwanda who is dying of AIDS because the American economy is keeping the 'man' down[*]We should help our unfortunate global neighbors by sending most of our jobs to countries where people will work for 12 cents an hour without lunch at the age of 3[*]My pappy worked on the factory floor, just like his pappy and his pappy before him. I have the same skillset as my great grandfather, so why can't I have a job that will always be there for me, just like him?[*]Multinational corporations are the enemy. Everyone is a sellout. Rage against the... hey man, pass the chips - I'm gettin the munchies again.

Just curious.

[lindagarrette]

I would be willing to discuss globaliation but not on an emotional level. It's not a good or bad thing. It just is. I look at it as an extreme form of capitalism, but with less regulation. The ultimate free market economy. The problem with it and with almost all economic systems, is that it sounds good ideally, but when people get involved, react with greed, intolerance, and power, things get out of hand. It's natural, in our environment for the strong to victimize the weak. Perhaps in the future, when humanity becomes more civilized, it will be possible to have a libertarian socialism that works. that would encompass globalization in the economic, social, and political senses yet leave people free to do as they please without harming themselves or each other.

[TeleMad]

US Companies ARE harming others when the ship skilled jobs over to India. And it's not just the IT jobs...I just saw in some article that pharmaceutical companies are starting to outsource/offshore their work also. Any technical/skilled job that does not require the person to be physically located in our country can - and eventually likely will - be offshored.

[lindagarrette]

I think that the only way to prevent businesses from obtaining resources of whatever kind from outside a nation is to institute extreme tariff restrictions on all imports. That way, all work done off shore would be heavily taxed by our government before it can be implemented. Some people are in favor of an isolationist policy but most know that it would not work out in the long run. The law of economics will prevail.

[lindagarrette]

Another option for accommodating globalization without losing US jobs, is for the workers here to accept significantly lower wages. Corporations, most of which are, in theory run by board of directors answerable to millions of owners, worldwide, are obligated to optimize profit.

[Uncle Martin]

I can certainly understand those in third world countries wanting to increase their standard of living. I also don't blame anyone for taking advantage of an opportunity. I will not willingly lower my standard of living(which is nothing to brag about) in order for someone elses to increase. Which seems to be what is happening. I wonder, does our little planet have the resources to accommadate a middle class standard for all 6 billion plus humans?

[IrishEyes]

I wonder, does our little planet have the resources to accommadate a middle class standard for all 6 billion plus humans?

Does this planet have the resources to offer every single person what they need to survive? I mean, forget about offering everyone a middle class standard for a second, and just think about offering every person the chance to have food, shelter, clothing... The middle class 2 story, white picket fence would be great, but let's get food to their belly's first!

In answer to your question, I don't think the planet could support 6 billion plus at the US middle class standard. But I think it is more than capable of sustaining the basic needs of its current inhabitants. Of course, then the fun becomes who gets to define what the basic needs are, and how they should be met by the people that are currently not receiving them. I guess if there were a standard, some kind of formulaic answer (1 car + 3 meals + 8 days of clothing + 1 bed + $30,000 in credit card debt = middle class) then we could go about issuing that to every person. Until then, I don't see it ever happening. I don't think it's in our nature to look out for other people like that, as proven by the amount of people currently living in poverty compared to the enormous wealth that a very small percentage of the population controls.