Is The "Stop Globalization" Movement Justified?

Over the last several years the "stop globalization" movement has gained support in developed countries across the world. The question must be asked whether this trend is a Negative Nelly thing? The Urban Dictionary defines this term as a way to describe someone that is negative, doesn't look at the bright side of things and complains. Currently, the forces against globalization are growing stronger, globalization seems to be a magnet pulling blame for many of the problems we see across the planet. In the same way, our views on where the economy is headed and monetary policy have divided us into two very separate camps it seems globalization has done the same.

The British Decided They Should Go It Alone

This polarization has created some rather strange bedfellows and alliances. The subject of globalization is made up of many threads interwoven in a complex way, the discussion can include several issues such as, but not limited to, immigration and free trade. Other social concerns also feed into the mix, things like global warming, nationalism, inequality, even population growth. The political impact on all these issues, in the end, affect how countries view the world and their foreign policy. This can be seen by the recent vote in the UK to exit the European Union.

We have been sold the idea by politicians and those who benefit from such things that you need a trade deal in order to trade when in effect you can trade without one unless it is denied. This popular message has also been promoted by the media which often speaks more for those in power and the establishment than the common man. It is simply wrong-headed to think free trade is the silver bullet and that it creates as many jobs as we are often told. As we have gone down the road of increased free trade we have discovered it is often "not fair" and can come with negative side-effects. Jobs would be created anyway, many trade agreements merely shift the jobs from one area to another and the real beneficiary is usually big business.  

Trade Is Often Blamed For Loss Of Jobs

As written above, even the immigration issue can be looped back around and linked to the globalization trend. This all folds back into a larger discussion where people have rushed in with claims that much of this has to do with factors such as racism, religious intolerance, and more "phobias" than you can count. Talk about framing an issue in the most bias way, it seems that people on both sides of the issue are busy playing the fear card, often unfairly. Often a picture is painted that those in the anti-globalization camp are afraid of change and even backward. Seldom do we see a great deal of respect or recognition for their values and possibly the idea they are driven by the desire to preserve their culture and current way of life in the community in which they live.

The reality or truth of the matter is that many types of change are occurring. Changes resulting from just technological advancements are hammering away at our culture in ways few people would have imagined. While nobody should think globalization will stop in its tracks it might be in our best interest to slow it down so we have time to address some of the stress it is putting on our institutions. In one camp are those who see a positive future where the sky is blue and all is well, those pushing back against globalization are less comfortable with this trend. Change in itself can be disruptive and polarizing. A strong case can be made that not all change is good and racing blindly forward without considerations to the ramifications is a dangerous strategy.

This feeling that all is not right extends into the world economy where those of us who are less than enthusiastic about a rash of new policies and tools are very concerned and quick to point out that denial isn't just a river in Egypt. We, nonbelievers, have continually been assaulted by those who think the unproven economic model known as Modern Monetary Theory or MMT is the answer and cure-all to the world's economic woes. It is not uncommon for these forward thinkers to act as though nonbelievers are stupid and unenlightened. I might argue that it would be wise to not rapidly accept what we are told by those with an agenda of self-interest and pay more attention to long-term sustainability. The public is often fed a load of rubbish, you can rest assured the money interest and power brokers generally have a much louder voice at the table than the average voter.

You Can Agree Or disagree With These Rates

The truth is it will be a long time before the issue of globalization and its impact are realized or can be fully adjudicated. Most trend watchers will, however, concede it does by its very nature carry with it some problems that have yet to be addressed. While praised for bringing billions of people out of poverty and improving a countless number of lives in the eyes of many people it has not impacted all people in a fair or equable way. Creating jobs and ways for people to live fulfilling lives in a safe and predictable manner has moved upward in importance to people across the world but is proving to be a greater challenge for governments than expected.

I'm forced to wonder and ponder just how much, where we live, our age, and even our occupations has to do with how a person views these issues. Here in America those within the beltway, in the small upper reaches of the income charts, living in booming or thriving coastal areas most likely have a far different take on the Obama economy and just how well things are going than those areas where the economy continues to struggle. My career in construction and real estate in the Midwest has left me feeling I'm in the front-lines of a war that we are not winning. I do not like being pessimistic but what I see and hear is far from the picture and story being painted by the mainstream media. My background in construction has proven to me that we can quickly learn that decisions made today may take years or even decades to reveal their flaws. In the end, how well something is constructed does matter.