George Soros- On Globalization

[BayCityProgressive]

Has anyone read this book yet? I just read it. Soros has made me look at globalization in a different light now. He is pro-globalization and supports the WTO and trade deals but wants other international institutions created for effectively delivering foreign aide and negotiating labor and environmental regulations. He advocates strengthening international law and bringing the international court into existence. What does everyone else think of the book?

[The2ndWheel]

1. More international institutions?

I guess you have to. We're not stopping this machine, so you have to find a way to keep it in balance. Although I doubt that balance happens.

But I'm anti-civilization, so take that for what it's worth I suppose.

[Canuckistanian]

2. But how to keep institutions away from oligarchs?

That's always been the problem.

[The2ndWheel]

5. And we still haven't found a solution for that

And there won't be one, as long as we continue along with the structures of, by, and for the oligarchs.

Everything is top-down. Even if something starts from the grassroots, it always ends up top-down if it becomes successful. Then another bottom-up movement needs to be created to counter the last one that got away, and then another movement to counter the movement that was to counter the first movement, and on and on the game goes.

[Canuckistanian]

8. Welcome to DU!

Interesting theory. Then how do you explain the Republicans? They've never been grassroots.

It's always been spin from the top and "selected examples" from the bottom.

What is their success?

[snot]

3. I agree with the sound of it--

though haven't read the book.

But the bottom line is, people in other countries need jobs, too, and if they're willing to do the same jobs for less money, they must need the jobs worse.

HOWEVER, as your description of Soros' book suggests, people in other countries also deserve not only the same chances for employment but also the same protections against unfair exploitation, the same opportunities to unionize, the same protections against heedless environmental destruction, etc.

And there is no way to administer all that without stronger international laws and enforcement.

But how to keep such admin out of control by the megacorps is a VERY good question, given that right now, even we citizens in the putatively democratic U.S. seem to have lost most meaningful control over their own government.

[HereSince1628]

4. if they're willing to do the same jobs for less money

Sorry but that really hardly captures the issue.

The costs of living are not the same in different countries. A person cannot live in the US making 23 cents an hour (which is the current average wage in China). And a company with no patriotism
is free to move to China or (as is now more frequently the case with China, as in Milwaukee Tool) the company gets bought by the communist government in China and the factory is moved.


Worse, the noble progressive ideology Clinton used to convince us to accept globalization is often a lie. Globalization is too frequently nothing but predatory neo-colonialism. The people on the recieving end often must work 14 hour days and 6 day weeks. The factories are in special zones that don't contribute a fair share of taxes to the local economy. Globalization is about corporation escaping civic responsibility, particularly safety and environmental regulations. The countries that welcome these predatory corporations are too often phalangist dictatorships where the international corporations can corrupt national government with a few thousand dollars.

[Deja Q]

6. Bingo. 100% spot-on.

[wli]

7. globalization is a fascist neo-Nazi slave labor scheme

"Pro-globalization" is not going to get past me period.