Global Policy Forum

Economists increasingly question the hegemonic doctrine of comparative advantage as high-skilled jobs move to low-wage countries. This BusinessWeek article, in its search for an answer on how economic globalization affects national wages, presents the views of both critics and supporters of outsourcing. (BusinessWeek)

The Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul A. Samuelson challenges the view that the US economy benefits from all forms of trade. In contrast to the mainstream consensus among economists, Samuelson argues that the breakdowns of "old geographical boundaries between labor markets" enhanced by globalization, do pose a serious threat to the average wage in the US. (New York Times)

The idea of one single currency for the whole world is the newest trend amongst futuristic economists who claim that a globalized world requires a truly globalized currency in order to meet all the existing challenges that the market poses. This article examines the latest trends but also poses a series of questions about this development. (Christian Science Monitor)

No grand economic theory lasts forever. According to this article, "Globalism," the ideology of globalization, is now also on the brink of demise. The author examines the history of "Globalism," from its birth in 1970s, through its triumph with the creation of the World Trade Organization, to its "humiliation" at the Dayton Peace Accords. The author argues that nationalism, in both positive and negative forms, is overtaking the declining Globalism. (Harper's Magazine)

A report by the International Labour Organization's World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalization calls for a reform of current globalization processes. Globalization must include fair trade rules, core labor standards, and a minimum level of social protection in the global economy.

This article examines the arguments approving "offshoring" practices (where firms employ overseas service providers in preference to local workers) and seriously questions the underlying economic assumptions of the offshoring model. (Washington Post)

David Dollar, the World Bank's director of Development Policy, criticizes the "inconsistency in the arguments coming from the anti-globalization movement." Dollar states in this interview that the economic integration process "offers powerful net benefits for developing countries." (World Bank)

In his "iron law of wages," 18th century economist David Ricardo envisions that wages would tend to stabilize at a subsistence level if the supply of labor were infinite and totally mobile. Unfortunately, "that day has now arrived, thanks to globalization."(International Herald Tribune)

In the US, globalization and deregulation are resulting in firms and well-paid jobs relocating overseas. Is globalization a zero-sum game or can all nations benefit? Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz discusses in this interview whether economic integration threatens US workers.(Seattle Times)

The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives argues that the performances of the Canadian big business lobby do not match up with its promises of fifteen years ago, when it pushed for a free trade agreement between Canada and the USA. Big businesses claimed that free trade would strengthen social programs, yet the Canadian social state has converged downwards to the level of the US social state.(Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives)

Due to increased consumption and pollution, water has become the "blue gold" of the 21st century. Yet instead of ensuring the fundamental human right to access clean water, global trade agreements follow the dominant economic philosophy of the "Washington Consensus." They treat water as a commodity, and award its control to big transnational companies. (Polaris Institute)

The Secretary General of the Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development argues that poor countries must "abandon the idea that you can get something for nothing" in trade negotiations. Pretending that trade and further liberalization automatically create "world prosperity," he urges them to "tear down their high tariffs." (International Herald Tribune)

Negotiations for economic integration not only encompass trade, but include issues such as investment, intellectual property rights and subsidies. This article argues that free trade negotiations should adopt Sustainability Assessments as their common standard to analyze the potential social and environmental impacts of proposed trade agreements. (Foreign Policy in Focus)

Joseph Stiglitz urges poor countries not to listen to US sermons asking them to strive for "a mythical free-market economy." Instead, poor countries should learn from US history, and rely more on government intervention to develop financial markets and industrial power. (Guardian)

The tendency of UK and US companies to outsource jobs to India reveals a profound historical irony, says George Monbiot. Two hundred years ago, the UK secured its industrialization by destroying India's manufacturing capacity, and colonialism imposed the English language. This allows Indian workers today to directly compete with British workers over jobs. (Guardian)

In the 1980s, Ronald Reagan's push for globalization under the economic hegemony of the West turned down poor countries' call for a "new international economic order." With the US economy revealing signs of weakness, poor countries show more confidence in demanding a more equitable globalization. (Frontline)

UNCTAD's Trade and Development Report of 2003 points out that today's economic landscape resembles the conditions of the early 1980s, when many countries faced financial crises. Western governments should stop forcing poor countries to open their markets to foreign competition, and instead help them to adapt to a global climate of high economic volatility.

This CommonDreams article contends that globalization inherently favors large-scale operations, putting small farmers at a competitive disadvantage. Small farmers will need to struggle hard in order to benefit from more openness in agricultural markets, and, worse, to survive it. (Common Dreams)

The Christian Science Monitor argues that global economic integration generates more and more opposition, demonstrated by Sweden's "No" to the Euro and the collapse of the WTO trade talks. (Christian Science Monitor)

In this excerpt from "Globalization and Its Discontents," Joseph Stiglitz argues that globalization has worsened the conditions of millions of people. To make globalization work for all, international institutions must, in a transparent way, be more responsive to the poor, to the environment and to broader political and social concerns. (TomPaine)

The low price of the renminbi makes China's exports attractive on the world market, but has enraged manufacturers in other countries who believe that the Chinese government's intervention in currency markets amounts to unfair competition. (New York Times)

The leaders of Africa's central banks meet to discuss plans for a common currency, though they acknowledge a lack of political enthusiasm for the project. (Monitor)

The US-led era of economic liberalization is waning, the author argues. Washington's dependence on foreign capital has eclipsed its ability to dictate the terms of the global economy, especially vis-í -vis the emergent Asian economies. (International Herald Tribune)

Throughout the 1990s, international institutions and rich countries prescribed a series of neo-liberal policies for poor countries. The so-called "Washington Consensus" failed to deliver promised development and growth, and in fact exacerbated social inequality. (ZNet)

IDEAs challenges the orthodoxy of the international trade discourse, which considers trade liberalization as the ultimate way for poor countries to reach prosperity. While demanding an end to agricultural subsidies, this paper says poor countries should remain aware of the risks of opening up markets to foreign competition.

Business remained silent when the WTO challenged environmental and health regulations. But when the organization struck down a tax law favorable to the private sector, even corporations began to reconsider the WTO. (TomPaine)

Le Monde diplomatique gives a historical overview of economic policy in Britain and the US, the supposed "homes of free trade." This article argues that both countries achieved economic growth through aggressive protectionism. Yet today, they dictate free trade policies to poor countries.

The International Labor Organization explores ways to make globalization work for workers in Southeast Asia.

Transnational corporations and rich countries want the WTO to adopt investment rules that would protect foreign investors while limiting countries' abilities to protect labor, the environment, and public health. (ZNet)

Historian Jerry Muller's book, "The Mind and the Market: Capitalism in Modern European Thought," reminds us that the current debate over economic globalization is part of a larger dispute that goes back to the birth of capitalism in the 18th Century. (Foreign Affairs)

India and the Mercosur set in motion a process to establish a common Free Trade Area. Besides spurring trade and investment, this project may also help the South to create a joint economic understanding, and facilitate cooperation between poor countries. (IDEAs)

While the Bush administration has not concerned itself with world opinion, US companies are worried that Washington's foreign policy will inflame anti-Americanism and damage US exports. (Independent)

Advocates of trade liberalization usually support the Bush administration, but Washington's unilateral approach to world trade has shocked its traditional neo-liberal allies. The administration seems opposed to all multilateral institutions, even those that share its ideology. (New Republic)

Remittances flowing home from Southern labor working in the North increase GDP and family income in poor countries; but the incentive to migrate also leads to "brain drain" and cultural estrangement. Is global migration good for the long-term development of communities? (Asian Times)

Director of Focus on the Global South Walden Bello argues that by rejecting the multilateral globalization of the 1990s in favor of a unilateralist approach, the US has overextended its resources while generating worldwide resistance. (One World)

Rich countries are hypocritical to call for free trade while blocking the world's poorest farmers' products from their markets. The US, EU, and Japan will have to cut agricultural subsidies and make other concessions for the Doha round to succeed. (All Africa)

Neo-liberalists justify low wages by proclaiming competitiveness as an essential component of free markets. Author Michel Husson asserts, "A simple way of increasing the celebrated competitiveness consists of reducing financial profits and reallocating them to wages and pensions." (ATTAC)

Bernard K. Gordon argues that Washington's push for bilateral trade agreements is unwise for an economy with widely distributed exports, especially since rising trade blocs already challenge US economic power. But if the US uses the WTO to strengthen its national trading interests it could threaten multilateralism. (Foreign Affairs)

The global trading system must be fair, democratic, and regulated if international commerce is to raise living standards and not exploit workers and damage the environment. BaobabConnections lays out a comprehensive agenda for change.

Nike would like a California court to rule that its statements on working conditions in its factories are protected as free speech. Anti-sweatshop activists, however, suggest a different strategy: just tell the truth. (Yale Global)

As service-sector companies move their operations to low-wage countries, they are encountering the kind of resistance from employees that manufacturers have long faced. How will the debate change with white-collar workers bearing the brunt of globalization? (Ethical Corporation)

Changing his earlier stance, George Monbiot believes our aim should not be to abolish the WTO, but to transform it. (Guardian)

The WTO's anti-democratic procedures have ensured that genetically engineered fish will not be up for discussion at the ministerial conference in Sacramento, despite their harmful impact on wild fish stocks. (Counterpunch)

Exporting US genetically modified food to Africa as aid makes rural communities dangerously dependent on large agri-business. What Africa really needs is support for its domestic agricultural infrastructure and fair pricing. (International Herald Tribune)

ActionAid calls for an immediate halt to WTO negotiations on investors' rights. While rich nations claim the proposed agreement is necessary to protect investors, this report documents how unfettered investment has in fact hindered development.

Rich nations herald free trade as the only path for development, pushing poorer nations to liberalize their economies. However, a look at the developed world's own history reveals that economies grow most quickly when they either nurture domestic industries or borrow other nations' technologies, two practices prohibited under current trade law. (ZNet)

A former trade and labor secretary from the United Kingdom sharply revises his former neo-liberal views on the impact of trade liberalization. He argues that developing countries ought to manage trade policy with subsidies and tariffs, free of the incentives and penalties of loan agreements, to slowly open markets and to achieve development goals. (Guardian)

A proposed bill to increase tax cuts for some of the largest US manufacturers could potentially resolve an old trade dispute with the EU. The change in policy would increase the tax breaks based only on the amount of domestic production, not on exports. (Reuters)

Naomi Klein argues that US plans for the reconstruction of Iraq's infrastructure reflect the desire of Washington neoliberals to "design their dream economy: fully privatized, foreign-owned and open for business." (The Nation)

Robert Samuelson dispels the theory that a quick victory in Iraq will fix the global recession. Lack of global cooperation hurt the global economy the most, in contrast to the boom of the 1990's characterized by relative peace and high integration. (Washington Post)

A group of over forty civil society organizations submitted this paper to the ECOSOC special meeting with the Bretton Woods Institutions and the WTO. The paper outlines necessary steps for a more balanced, stable and just global economy by examining asymmetries in debt, aid, trade and financial flows. (Bretton Woods Project)

This article questions the inevitable trend of globalization, pointing out that free trade areas can be a vehicle of protectionism. The authors note the widespread disapproval of American-style capitalism in Europe, which can further shake the base of the Western alliance. (New York Times)

A US government trade report claims a rise in non-tariff barriers to exports, with particular emphasis on developments in the EU, China and India. The report criticizes barriers to US exports but fails to recognize the hypocrisy of its recently imposed barriers in steel and agriculture, subjects of intense international debate. (International Herald Tribune)

An interview with Bruce Stokes highlights current issues and debates in international food policy. Skepticism of US genetically modified organisms (GMOs) grows and tension mounts over US and EU agricultural subsidies. (Foreign Policy)

The debate over the war in Iraq damages the effectiveness of multilateral institutions like the UN and NATO. Author Brigitte Granville claims that more fighting in these organizations and the high cost of the war itself represent serious impediments to the revitalization of the global economy. (Taipei Times)

Global justice activists are beginning to highlight how global inequality, exploitation, militarism, and US economic dominance work hand in hand, melding the "anti-globalization" and anti-war movements. US President Bush hinted at those connections when he attacked critics of free trade in his nationally televised pre-war press conference. (ZNet)

A Filipino scholar challenges the neoliberal view that globalization and trade liberalization are inevitable for every nation. Through comparing the experience of various developing countries, he points out the negative consequences trade liberalization has brought to many third world countries. (Business World)

US Trade Representative Robert Zoellick has been met with substantial opposition on his quest for free trade, from protestors and corporations alike. This article highlights important issues on the global trade agenda and the dominant role the US plays in them. (New York Times)

Coffee prices have plummeted drastically in recent years, endangering stability and democracy in many third world countries. The coffee crisis exemplifies how unfettered economic globalization enhances the power of transnational corporations and puts small farmers at the mercy of the global market. (National Catholic Reporter)

The monsoon hasn't come to northeastern India since 1998, but development workers say India's economic liberalization, not drought alone, is responsible for the current famine. Relief organization Christian Aid has seen an increase in rural poverty and acute hunger since India began liberalizing its economy and dismantling agricultural subsidies. (Guardian)

Mexican maquiladoras justify low wages and poor working conditions by warning that companies would otherwise transfer production to China, where labor is comparatively cheap. This argument obscures maquiladoras' vulnerability to the US economic slump, this ZNet article argues.

Brigette Granville dispels common myths about migration from developing to industrialized nations. She suggests that if wealthy countries liberalize their agricultural and immigration policies, employment in developing countries would increase, thus making a more balanced, safe and stable world. (Project Syndicate)

After attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Anatole Kaletsky provides insight into the dynamics of the contemporary global political economy, predicting a European decline and concurrent Asian rise in the global economy. The author also notes that an increased presence of NGOs at the forum may signify a decrease in the "fundamentalist ideology of global capitalism." (Times (London))

In an impassioned speech to the World Social Forum in Porto Alegre, Arundhati Roy makes the case that militarism and market liberalization go hand in hand. The free market doesn't undermine national sovereignty, she argues. Instead, it undermines democracy: the people's ability to choose people over profits, and peace over war. (ZNet)

The global unemployment rate is rising rapidly, according to the director-general of the International Labor Organization. This trend is largely attributed to the increased connections of global economies and more particularly, the worldwide dependence on a sluggish US economy. (International Herald Tribune/)

Nobel Laureate Joseph Stiglitz doubts the ability of a war against Iraq to help the global economy, arguing that it will only add volatility to global markets. He predicts possible scenarios for the future of the US economy and concludes that war will most likely damage the average US citizen's standard of living. (Guardian)

Author Vincent McElhinny argues for a real assessment of the economic, social and environmental impacts of the proposed CAFTA agreement. Additionally, the rush to pass CAFTA in just twelve months damages hopes to raise trade capacity building assistance and does not give enough time for the necessary involvement of civil society. (Foreign Policy In Focus)

This updated UNCTAD publication provides a detailed case-by-case analysis of foreign direct investment to least developed countries. The forty-nine of the worlds' poorest nations receive only half of one percent of global trade, tending towards increased liberalization in an attempt to attract investors.

This research paper warns against short-term capital account liberalization in developing countries. It also argues that unregulated long-term foreign direct investment can harm these nations. (NetWork Ideas)

A US District Court orders the Bush administration to make documents from trade negotiations available to the public. The court's order allows public interest and environmental organizations to scrutinize the recent US-Chile free trade agreement, and sets a precedent for more transparency and accountability in future trade negotiations. (Earthjustice, Public Citizen, FOE and CIEL)

The director of Business Watch Asia writes that multinational corporate power has grown to such an enormous extent that state regulation of corporate activity has become imperative for global democracy and justice. If nothing tempers corporations' thirst for profit at all costs, we will face a "brutal autumn in our earthly lives." (Jakarta Post)

This article from the Power and Interest News Report explains the interrelation between terrorist attacks and economic globalization. The US needs to establish global security for investor confidence but at the same time by expanding military presence it becomes more of a terrorist target.

In his article, addressed to the Minister of Information, the author demands to know what will happen with alleged profits of the recently privatized Saudi Telecommunications Company. His search for transparency is an honest attempt to root out corruption. (Arab News)

This opinion piece compares the experiences of trade liberalization in America, the EU and India. The author claims that free trade and free movement of people are fundamental to economic growth and calls for a thorough examination of migration and refugee patterns. (Arab News)

The EU finalized its plans to accept ten new members, mostly from ex-Soviet territory. While Turkey remains outside, a draft statement from 25 nations heralds the erasure of boundaries and the promotion of "stability and prosperity within and beyond the new borders of the Union." (Daily Express)

350 doctors in El Salvador have illegally gone on strike to protest the government's plan, supported by the World Bank, to privatize El Salvador's health care. Tens of thousands of people have mobilized mass rallies against the plan, which would likely limit access to essential health care to poor people. (Upstream Journal)

A new report by the Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR) claims that the Private Finance Initiative (PFI) does not help the education or health sectors. Many taxpayers want their money to go directly into patient care and classrooms instead of private companies. (Guardian)

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Benin addresses the challenges and opportunities of internet and telecommunications for African development. Using Nigeria as a case study, he thoroughly outlines the implications of new technologies for governance, education, foreign investment, international trade and community development. (Vanguard)

Civil society groups protest the use of water meters, claiming they negatively impact public health, especially families who cannot afford to pay. Although water is now considered a fundamental human right, those in favor see meters as a cost effective tool to disperse water and electricity because they ensure payment. (Public Citizen)

The first study of the UK's obligations under the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) reveals that several public services in the UK, including health and education, are under the control of un-elected trade lawyers at the WTO. These findings provoke concern that through privatization, foreign corporations will run these services. (World Development Movement)

Naomi Klein discusses a new book from South African writer Ashwin Desai, compares the movement against neo-liberalism in South Africa with the fight against the Apartheid regime. Desai describes the new, more community-based movement for basic needs and human rights as one more of "attitude than ideology." (The Nation)

The people of Ecuador elected Lucio Edwin Gutierrez, who ran against the country's richest banana baron, on the basis of his pro-poor, anti-corruption, indigenous people-oriented platform. Recently, though, Gutierrez has been bowing to "jittery" investors by shifting his statements back to the center. (New York Times)

As Asia's third-largest economy, India attempts to exhibit its economic prowess as it hosts the G20 meetings of the world's leading industrialized and developing countries. The Hindustan Times explores the future of the Indian economy, including the adoption of further neo-liberal reform and improved labor laws.

President Bush's new plan to privatize almost a million government jobs has enraged federal employees and unions alike. Experts criticize the government for forcing these workers to compete for and potentially lower wages and fewer benefits, while simultaneously founding the Homeland Security Department, the largest government agency in fifty years. (New York Times)

Terrorist attacks have an uncanny ability to disrupt world markets. A serious assault on free market economic globalization, these attacks could easily dismantle fragile economies, giving rise to nationalist or social welfare movements that value protection against the volatility of the free market.(Yellow Times)

Walden Bello analyzes the current global capitalist system, arguing it has reached a period of crisis in both overproduction and overcapacity. In light of these emergencies, he applauds the ESF for representing the convergence of a global community against corporate, neo-liberal globalization. (Corriere de la Serra)

People in Peru have largely rejected neo-liberal globalization through mass protests and riots, centering around electricity privatization. They demand that economic globalization work explicitly for Peruvian people while maintaining their national sovereignty. (Foreign Policy)

Lewis Williamson outlines the central aspects of economic globalization in this concise point-counterpoint article. In discussing poverty, development, corporations, governments, international financial institutions and markets, he gives a broader perspective of the great globalization debate. (Guardian)

Philadelphia privatized its worst public schools through Edison Schools Inc., a corporation now bordering on bankruptcy. CEO Chris Whittle has sold books and supplies to save money while suggesting pupil labor as a way to cut costs. (Common Dreams)

The recent Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting emphasized the twin goals of fighting terror and promoting economic growth. The focus on anti-terrorism, however, eclipsed the more crucial need to focus on unfair trade barriers that inhibit growth in underdeveloped nations, exacerbating both poverty and terrorism. (Manila Times)

China's shift to a market economy has left many unskilled women workers in the northeast rust-belt unemployed. Massive lay-offs in state-owned factories target women much more than men, defying Mao Zedong's proclamation that "women hold up half the sky." (Newsweek)

Luis Inacio da Silva, or "Lula," won the Brazilian election partly as a result of the "resounding collapse" of his predecessor's neoliberal economic policies. Now, Lula has the chance to redirect Brazil's economic strategies so that "the poor, the marginalized, the workers become the driving force in the rebuilding of the nation." (OneWorld)

Guy Verhofstadt, the Belgian Prime Minister, discusses current complications of economic globalization and international development. He claims that rich countries perpetuate a double standard, by giving aid and development assistance to the same indebted countries on which they impose trade barriers. (Bangkok Post)

Workers in China were once regarded as "masters of the communist state." However, in China's rapidly liberalizing economy, workers now have few rights or protections from exploitation and abuse. (Washington Post)

South American economic bloc Mercosur and the South African Customs Union have discussed strengthening links to contend with US economic dominance. Johannesburg's Business Day argues this counter-hegemonic move will improve Southern economic security.

Joseph Stiglitz argues that Korea's integration in the global economy has greatly benefited the domestic economy and hastened its economic recovery. (Korea Times)

This statement from African Jubilee partners, including some European nations, addresses the question; "Will the Current Creditor Arrangements on Debt Make a Difference?" Their collective answer was no, noting primarily that the World Bank and IMF HIPC initiative has failed to effectively integrate these countries into the global economy.

Joseph Stiglitz's book Globalization and Its Discontents has become wildly popular in Latin America where many people blame IMF-led liberalization policies for unemployment, hyperinflation, and recession. (Christian Science Monitor)

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahatir Mohamad analyzes economic globalization, particularly the need for developing countries to create new government regulation. He argues for "selective and strategic" integration into the global economy. (Globalist)

Andrew Berg and Anne Krueger of the IMF attempt to respond to the argument that trade liberalization leads to a "race to the bottom" or a "global sweatshop economy." Unfortunately, they provide few new insights or strategies, insisting that trade openness is "a good idea" for developing countries. (Finance and Development (IMF))

A vocal critic of corporate globalization, Arundhati Roy claims that the current state of the free market undermines democracy. She describes how both economic liberalization and the war on terror hurt the world's most vulnerable poor. (Socialist Worker)

The summary of a revealing new report from the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) describes current failures of the neoliberal system. The report proposes several new, constructive ideas for corporate and International Financial Institution (IFI) reform. (ICFTU online)

A Washington Post article traces growing dissatisfaction with the "Washington Consensus" among activists and leading economists alike. Although some still defend the paradigm, disappointment over enduring negative indicators in many developing countries has escalated.

China's five-hundred million farmers bear the brunt of new economic challenges after China's entry into the World Trade Organization. With grain prices falling, many farmers must adjust to the demands of the free market to survive. (Washington Post)

Consumer advocate Ralph Nader analyzes the current push for a strengthened General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). He argues that a corresponding decrease in civil rights, an increase in multinational profit and lawsuits probing national sovereignty could severely damage the global trading system. (Common Dreams)

Oxfam International reports over twenty-five million coffee farmers in developing countries face severe economic hardship. Exceptionally low prices due to overproduction and corporate dominance exacerbate the conditions of already impoverished producers.

The European Commission proposes economic policy changes related to government borrowing in hopes of persuading Britain to accept the euro. (Guardian)

The privatization of water, electricity, and other public works in developing countries has left thousands of impoverished people without access to basic needs. South African companies tout privatization as the answer for the country's development woes, but the author of this article warns of privatization's dangers. (Business Day (Johannesburg))

The presumption that globalization creates stability and fosters growth is wrong. Globalization, in fact, leaves the world vulnerable to economic cycles in the United States. (Washington Post)

Governments of developing nations must try to please "well-heeled foreign donors" in order to receive foreign aid. The new imperialism "can only be overthrown by the establishment of a genuine democracy." (In These Times)

An interview with Professor Fantu Cheru stresses the importance of "functional integration" of African economies. He encourages the development of strong, interdependent agricultural and industrial sectors, and argues for legislation that recognizes the real needs and capabilities of the people. (Africa Recovery)

An interview with Prof. Adebayo Adeji provides expert insight into the many obstacles facing African economic regionalization, including corruption, structural adjustment programs and de-industrialization. As solutions, Adeji proposes public-private cooperation, recognition of the informal economy and the rise of the accountable and effective state. (Africa Recovery)

"Globalization has become the defining feature of the world economy. However, it is not a phenomenon of nature over which we have no influence... We need rules which will help us to ensure that the greatest possible number of people share in the advantages of globalization," says German chancellor, Gerard Schrí¶der. (Guardian)

In light of the stark differences of opinion about globalization, this article calls for a "multi-stakeholder approach… including the private sector…, governments, international organizations and various representatives of civil society" to confront global issues. (International Herald Tribune)

"For the vast majority of Americans, the losses from globalization have outweighed the gains, in strictly economic terms," says Mark Weisbrot of the Center for Economic and Policy Research. Corporate-led globalization has failed both in the United States and abroad. (Common Dreams)

"You're going to see more and more poor countries saying to the rich countries: 'Okay, we've played by your rules. When do we start to see the payoff?'" said the head of the UN Development Program. Rich and developing nations disagree on whether South Africa is a model developing country or an example of globalizations failures. (Washington Post)

Developing countries point out the difficulties they face in response to globalization while the EU and US tout its benefits. (Associated Press)

South African President Thabo Mbeki and others "believe wealthy nations, which use most of the world's resources, produce most of its pollution and have been the main beneficiaries of globalization, should be doing more to help solve the world's social or environmental ills." In a tug-of-war between developed and developing countries, the rich nations must make sacrifices, assert the poor. (Chicago Tribune)

Rural residents fear that privatization and foreign ownership of companies, such as the phone company Telstra, will halt their access to important services, because private companies "would be reluctant to spend money on such an extensive and unprofitable project."(Guardian)

This article focuses on two lives of sugar workers, one British and one from Mozambique, illustrating the influence of European subsidies on both of them. (Guardian)

The World Social Forum began with 10,000 people marching in Buenos Aires. "Forum participants will discuss subjects such as US hegemony in Latin America, popular power and forms of civil disobedience and "a new Americas for a new world.'" (EFE News)

Business scholars from the World Resource Institute say profitability and helping the poor are not mutually exclusive. "Companies can turn a fair profit while improving the quality--and often, lowering the costs--of goods and services that poor communities receive." (Business Wire)

35,000 mostly indigenous employees in Tehucán Valley, Mexico produce 5 million pairs of jeans per month for US consumption. This not only results in low wages and long hours, but also a shortage of water, which is now chemical ridden, tinted blue, and toxic. (Latin America Press)

The Argentina Thematic Social Forum draws delegates from all over the world to discuss the failure of the neo-liberal model in Argentina. This forum was first held in January of 2001 as a response to the World Economic Forum in Switzerland. (Inter Press Service)

The mixture of globalization and changes in the demographics of rich countries "will make developing economies ever more susceptible to changes in the terms of trade, interest rates, and exchange rates in rich countries." (Korea Herald)

A think tank report on globalization details a "decline in progress, especially for the poorer countries" over the past two decades, contrary to claims by the World Bank and IMF. Conservative and liberal economists have divergent opinions, with conservatives claiming poor countries remain poor because they do not embrace globalization. (United Press International)

While international economic integration is essential for the poor, "no nation has ever developed over the long term under the rules being imposed today on third world countries by the institutions controlling globalization." The globalization system is capable of working, and the author, Tina Rosenburg, outlines some of the necessary reforms. (New York Times Magazine )

The author shows how some good can come with the bad as "thousands of people across southern Africa have, against the odds, managed to make the global economy work for rather than against them" by making entrepreneurial use of the natural resources around them. (Inter Press Service)

A failed development plan in South Africa has given way to a neoliberal economic plan, GEAR, which calls for labor flexibility and privatization. "Recent research showed that GEAR has led to 10 million South Africans having their water cut off, 10 million having their electricity cut off, and 2 million being evicted from their homes -- all for non-payment of bills which…they simply cannot pay." (One World)

Ample evidence exists refuting globalization as a sustainable model for growth. The Guardian argues that the structural and policy changes of the past twenty years are linked to the economic failure during this period.

"Globalization today is not working for many of the world's poor", says Joseph Stiglitz, who offers several suggestions, including improved safety nets in developing countries. Globalization, with its many benefits, should not be abandoned; however, it must be managed properly he says. (The Times)

CorpWatch reports on the role of corporations in shaping the goals of the Rio Summit and, even more so, the Johannesburg Summit. It argues that the UN must choose a side to support, as sustainable development and global corporations do not support complimentary processes.

"After a decade in which governments across the region embraced open markets, privatization and other reforms prescribed by conservative gurus, there is a growing sense that South America has lost its way." A run of anti-US and anti-globalization presidential candidates throughout Latin America illustrates the people's anger and frustration.Newsday

The Nation believes that the most important election this fall is the presidential election in Brazil, where the current front-runner opposes corporate-led globalization and threatens the US's free market regime. This article calls on progressives to monitor US action, which, it believes, will undoubtedly try to interfere in the elections.

Harvard Professor Dani Rodrik argues that "the one market where poor nations have something in abundance to sell—the market for labor services—has remained untouched" by trade liberalization. (Harvard Magazine)

Foreign Affairs refutes a recent study's use of India and China as examples of globalization's role in reducing poverty and inequality. Asserting that they have not globalized to a great extent, the article points to the plight of Argentina, "the neo-liberal poster child."

A debatable report by Centre for Economic Policy Research claims that "globalization is responsible for dramatically reducing the number of abjectly poor people." Economic Policy Institute contests the argument stating that "exceptional cases of China and India" have skewed the numbers. (National Post)

David Dollar and Aart Kraay claimed in a Foreign Affairs article that globalization reduced economic inequality. In the journal's July/August issue James Galbraith, Joe Pitts, and Andrew Wells-Dang criticize Dollar and Kraay for using convenient cases, dubious data, and faulting government far more than globalization.

Targeting the globalization of trade, the Independent explains why the globalization process, largely a developed world creation, is inherently one-sided. It reports, "the present world trading system is […] unfair in its impact, because it makes no marked distinction among its members in terms of their ability to play the game.

Americas Program reports that after seventeen year of neoliberalism, pushed by the IMF, Bolivians are demanding change. This was most indicative in Bolivia's latest presidential election where all candidates, including the right, opposed neoliberalism.

The clandestine development of new industrial zones on the border between Haiti and the Dominican Republic has angered local peasants and farmers. Their income from farming the fertile land where the factories will be built is more than twelve times that of the minimum wage they will earn in the industrial park. (Multinational Monitor)

The Guardian reports on UNCTAD's 2002 "Least Developed Countries Report." Focusing on the world's 49 least developed countries, the report "rejects the claims that globalization is good for the poor, arguing it […] is tightening rather than loosening the international poverty trap."

"Africa Regional Director for the International Labor Organization (ILO) Mrs. Regina Amadi-Njoku said globalization was responsible for the decline of Africa's status in the global economy." She argues that such multilateral institutions as the WTO, IMF, and World Bank "are not accountable to the constituents of any given nation." (African Church Information Service)

Mahathir Mohamad, Prime Minister of Malaysia, questions the effects of an increasingly globalized world where unemployment is on the rise. He argues that although globalization [cannot] be avoided by any nation or group … capital flow must be regulated to prevent the poor from being at the mercy of the rich." (New Straits Times, Malaysia)

"If globalization is to benefit all, why are the big banana companies so comfortable with the use of child labor, with violations of workers' rights and with substandard wages?" The Washington Post reports on the situation in Ecuador and proposes workers' unionization as a way to improve their plight.

World Bank researcher Branko Milanovic directly attacks the Bank's traditional assumption that openness and trade liberalization lead to growth and, subsequently, poverty reduction. Instead, Milanovic argues that proponents of unbridled liberalization systematically ignore the malignant effects of globalization. (World Bank, Research Department)

Addressing the debate surrounding globalization's effect on global inequality, the author cites sources that draw attention to how conclusions about "global inequality depend on how analysts measure inequality and the question they wish to ask." (Brookings Institution)

World Bank researcher Branko Milanovic finds that trade liberalization and openness benefit the rich, not the poor, in the world's most impoverished countries. His research challenges much of traditional World Bank policy. (World Bank, Research Department)

Governments in South East Asia must "regain the autonomy to select and regulate both short-term and long-term foreign investments in order to benefit from them." Trade agreements established through WTO negotiations make this an increasingly difficult task. (Focus on the Global South)

Globalization and Development (April 2002)

This Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC/CEPAL) report looks at the transformative social and economic effects of globalization in the ECLAC/CEPAL region. The report includes an excellent analysis of income inequality and "fundamental asymmetries of the global order," and advocates a rights-based social agenda for the region.

Citigroup: Bankrupting Democracy (April 2002)

The General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) seeks to extend economic liberalization to areas deemed "essential to human and societal well-being." The author fears this will result in the "increased monopolization of global financial markets, decreased consumer and social protections… and increased global economic instability" (Multinational Monitor)

The International Labor Organization asserts that, despite claims by the World Trade Organization that globalization brings benefits to developing countries, "no relationship [exists] in much of the developing world…between trade and income trends." (Third World Network)

Financial liberalization and globalization impede progress towards goals set at the UN Conference on Environment and Development in 1992. Market-based economic policies overshadow the Conference's state or international intervention-based approach to sustainable development. (Third World Network)

Globalization's demand for lower tariffs burdens developing countries with an influx of cheap imports, hurting domestic producers. Dispelling the "instant riches" myth of globalization, the author asserts that trade liberalization can only bring benefits if coupled with development of the domestic economy. (Independent, Bangladesh)

This report discusses the practical implications of globalization for individual workers and organized labor groups. A strengthened role for international trade unions, particularly in relations with multinational corporations, would "enable workers…to create a democratic framework" for the global economy. (International Confederation of Free Trade Unions)

The recently established World Commission on the Social Dimensions of Globalization must formulate ways in which intergovernmental institutions, suffering from a lack of legitimacy, can foster a "more inclusive" form of globalization. (International Confederation Of Free Trade Unions)

A decade ago, many held high hopes that the world's poorest economies would benefit from the rapid growth of international trade. World leaders now recognize that the glittering promises of globalization have lost their sparkle. (New York Times)

In Le Monde Diplomatique, Ignacio Ramonet asserts that the "loathsome triumvirate" of the World Trade Organization, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund represent the true "Axis of Evil," pushing ever harder for neo-liberal globalization.

Globalization encourages greater reliance on long-distance trade and transport. In contrast, localization involves shortening the distance between producer and consumer, reducing waste, strengthening communities and lessening the environmental impact on our world. (Ecologist)

The US has been critical of Argentina's economic dilemma, blaming the problems on the country's "unwillingness to compete." Argentineans claim that far from encouraging trade, the US has attempted to stifle Argentina's leading exports, an example being the honey industry on which the US has placed a 66% tariff. (New York Times)

The immense volume of money circulating the globe "generates heavy surf for the major countries and tsunamis in lesser economies." The New Internationalist argues that reform of the world financial structure would benefit both rich and poor nations, by injecting stability into the system.

A recent report by the Mahbub ul Haq Human Development Center (India) asserts that in Southern Asia, globalization has led to widening economic inequalities. The focus on economic integration without a parallel increase in the freedom of labor movement means the poor pay the heaviest burden. (Times of India)

In a comprehensive report, the EU Commission weighs the pros and cons of economic globalization. It makes recommendations for ensuring international financial stability as well as for financing development of poor countries. More specifically, the Commission looks at global taxes, programs to safeguard the poor, good governance, and development aid. (EU Commission)

In a new report, "for the first time, the World Bank acknowledges that trade liberalization may not be an effective instrument, not only for stimulating growth, but even for integration in world markets." Indigenous growth strategies and trade liberalization often prove to be unconnected. (Straits Times Interactive)

In 2001, trade underwent "one of the most severe decelerations in modern times." 2002 provides its own worries: Recession in the US; failing banks in Japan; and the collapse of Argentina, globalization's model economy. Corporate leaders question whether globalization can pass the "stress test." (US News and World Report)

Industries adapt to the pressures of the free market at varying rates. The successful introduction of free trade into the Chinese, Indian, and Taiwanese economies highlights the need for a gradual acclimatization to the forces of globalization. (New York Times)

In the eyes of anti-globalization protesters, corporate leaders drive the process of globalization. Kofi Annan cautions that international business, as the target of protestor's anger, must act now to ensure global stability.(International Herald Tribune)

According to a poll conducted by the World Economic Forum, 60% of respondents see globalization as "beneficial", even though the study concedes that a significant percentage hold major concerns over the detrimental effects of globalization on the environment, poverty and global peace. (Environics International)

In 2001 "the competitive tension between China, Japan, and Korea created enhanced momentum for regional cooperation." The diversity of economies in Asia makes EU-style integration a distant scenario, but a number of inter-governmental summits organized for 2002 will provide a political push for co-operation on the issue. (The Center for Strategic and International Studies)

Economic globalization offers developing countries the benefit of access to world markets. True access remains an illusion, however, as rich nations work together to protect their own economic dominance. (International Herald Tribune)

Noam Chomsky launches a scathing attack on the "power-hogging, anti-global" World Economic Forum ahead of his keynote speech at the counterpoint summit, the World Social Forum. (Earth Times)

Maquiladoras experience the first production slowdown in 35 years with a 15 % employment drop. US economy slowdown, NAFTA related tax hikes, and China's entry into the World Trade Organization. (Christian Science Monitor)

Countries experience globalization in different ways. Developing countries need a tailor-made mix of market and government instead of a western universal one-size fits all strategy. (International Herald Tribune)

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson argues that governments should bear in mind their obligations to human rights when they create international rules on trade liberalization. She also stresses the need of making TNCs accountable for their impacts on people around the world. (Irish Times)

Joseph Stiglitz discusses the pros and cons of globalization, and calls for social justice. He argues that successful globalizing countries determine their own pace of change, share the benefits equitably and reject the basics of the "Washington Consensus". (American Prospect)

This second essay, adapted from the upcoming special report of the International Forum on Globalization, explains how globalization benefits corporations to the detriment of national resources and well being of individuals. It also offers some hints as to possible alternatives. (TomPain.Commonsense)

This article is the first of four essays adapted from a special upcoming report done by the International Forum on Globalization. If globalization helps the poor, the last years of intense globalization would have made everyone rich by now.(TomPain.Commonsense)

Argentina's current crisis shows how the US economic model consisting of market deregulation, privatization and trade liberalization does not work. "One system does not fit all." (New York Times)

The adoption of a single currency throughout Europe serves as an example of economic integration. Europe already has common rules and institutions, and the Euro gives hope for the "unity of humankind."(The Age)

Despite the claims of globalization proponents, the past 20 years have been "the most remarkable economic failure of the twentieth century, aside from the Great Depression." The 1997 Asian financial crisis epitomizes how trade liberalization has been an "abject economic failure" for many countries. (The American Prospect)

A.T. Kearney/Foreign Policy Magazine launches a second edition of the annual Globalization Index. It employs indicators in various areas such as information technology, finance, trade, politics, travel, and personal communication to evaluate levels of global integration worldwide.

This critical article argues that Enron illustrates "the folly of deregulation cum corruption" and Argentina, the corporate globalist project of liberalization of trade and capital flows. The latter encouraged by the US Treasury Department and the International Monetary Fund. (Focus on the Global South)

China defines the new bottom in the competition among low-wage countries, with a manufacturing wage on 20-25 cents, in comparison to US$ 1.5 in Mexico. As production moves on, labor stays behind, resulting in destructive qualities, exploitation of labor and repeated crises. (The Nation)

President Museveni from Uganda addressed a speech at the UN General Assembly on the impact of globalization. Taking trade and terrorism as examples, the President upholds that Africa will "become part of the "New World Order" and not just spectators of the process."(New Vision)

The Olof Palme Center organizes a panel discussion with Amartya Sen, Joseph Stiglitz, Susan George, George Soros and Candido Grzybowski on how to change the current unequal form of globalization.

This article from the New York Times acknowledges that the trend toward an increasing economic integration does not necessarily foster sustained prosperity. Globalization triggers worldwide economic recession while not necessarily benefiting all states during times of economic growth.

Nobel Prize winner Joseph Stiglitz, and internationally acclaimed economist Paul Krugman criticize the World Bank, IMF and World Trade Organization. They argue that these organizations pursue hypocritical, dogmatic and undemocratic policies influenced by big business. (Grassroots Globalization Network)

Emphasizing the need for the West to increase finance for development, Chancellor Gordon Brown argues the need for an international tax on foreign exchange transactions during his speech at the New York Federal Reserve. (Guardian)

NGO pressure coupled with US recognition that poverty threatens its national interests raises the importance of meeting the needs of developing countries at the Doha meeting (Washington Post).

Violent riots opposed South Korean farmers and police after a sharp drop in the price of rice. While the World Trade Organization's fourth ministerial meeting is taking place, protesters shouted " down with the US, down with the WTO." (Agence France Presse)

The imposition of a world based on market values has led to corporate violence, which could be associated to terrorism. Economic fundamentalism also sows the grounds for terrorism because it increases inequalities and poverty. (Agence France Presse)

Joseph Stiglitz describes the dark side of globalization, as a process driven by the North for the North, resulting in global instability and increased inequality. By using Ethiopia as an example, Stiglitz shows the ways in which IMF policies can go wrong and emphasizes the need for reform. (Atlantic Monthly)

This article analyses the similarities between corporate globalization and fundamentalism and concludes that globalization contributes to the Talibanization of the world. (Outlook)

Globalization has weakened nation-states like Afghanistan. The debate on Afghanistan's political future is now whether foreign intervention promotes human rights and democracy or is tainted with self-interested imperialism. (In These Times)

Over the past 50 years, the industrialized world established global rules that only serve their interests. The Qatar meeting must now give priority to the developing world because "failure to do so will have a high price". (The Star)

This UN report states that it would be naíve to rely on the "invisible hand" to solve the world's economic problems. Instead, governments should to play a more important role in the struggle against income inequality and poverty. (UN News)

The TRIPS agreement serves as an example of how globalization favors the interests of multinational corporations at the expense of the world's poor,and how increased international trade and investment actually lower the living standards of developing countries. (The Age)

Global Exchange gives suggestions on how to involve citizens in the shaping of a more democratic global economy. In order to reform global trade rules, make corporations more accountable, and to promote environmentally and fair alternatives.

Amitabh Pal critically evaluates the socio-economic impact of globalization on India which has led to an unprecedented increase in inequality amongst the classes. India's fervent restructuring along neo-liberalist lines advanced by the World Bank and the IMF have been disastrous for India's lower classes.(In These Times)

This joint ATTAC-CEPR socio-economic report argues that globalization has led to"diminished progress" in terms of economic growth, health outcomes, and education over the last twenty years.

The liberalizing economic policies advocated by leaders at the recent G-8 Summit deny the basic facts about the negative consequences those policies have had on developing countries. The mainstream academic world too is guilty of ignoring the reality of great economic disparity. (New York Times)

A study, by the Center for Economic and Policy Research, finds that the era of globalization, defined as the period from 1980 to 2000, has brought countries substantially less progress than was achieved in the previous twenty years.

Karl Marx's central insight that economics defines politics is being vindicated around the world. With the current economic recession in a ‘trap' of globalization, the world's economies are now so interlinked that when the United States and Japan both slow their economies simultaneously, the rest of the world soon follows. (Virtual New York)

On the 40th anniversary of its founding, Amnesty issues a report finding that while Globalization has brought economic prosperity to some, it has left too many others mired in debt, poverty and oppression. (Associated Press )

This in-depth report from ATTAC provides critical articles on globalization. These range from issues affecting the nation state, nationalism, civil society as well policies of the World Bank and the IMF.

The bottom line of this Z Magazine is: No, globalization is not inevitable, and yes, it can be reversed.

Globalization is "incomplete" but the solution does not lie in ending globalization but understanding how the potentials it generates can be used to address these concerns, says the Earth Times.

George Ross laments the passing of traditional interstate politics, claiming that globalization has reduced diplomacy to trade issues. (Le Monde Diplomatique)

This paper argues that global markets, which do not operate in political vacuums but within politically defined rules and governance institutions, desperately need reform and overview of their legitimacy. In order to "civilize" the global economy, the author suggests the conversion of the World Trade Organization into an "inclusive development institution." (UNCTAD)

ABusiness Recorder commentary argues that the solution to poverty is not stopping globalization but how to increase the ability of the world's poor to exploit opportunities in trade and investment.

The Earth Times News examines some of the flaws of increased international trade as a result of globalization.

A letter in the (International Herald Tribune ) argues that, the benefits of globalization (in this case, increase trade) should be shared by both companies and workers whose rights are most often abused.

The 'Global Trends 2015' report predicts that poor regions, countries, and groups will face "deepening economic stagnation, political instability, and cultural alienation, which would result in political, ethnic, ideological, and religious extremism". (Associated Press)

The realization is dawning that a global economy has to be complemented with a global policy, as manifested by both the recent meeting in Prague and the accompanying riots, argues the Washington Post.

Globalization, says Jorge Braga de Macedo, president of the OECD Development Center, can be beneficial for everyone, if good governance is practiced. Only democracy and accountability can ensure a more equitable distribution of the gains of economic growth. (Economic Times)

Conventional wisdom says that globalization is good for growth. Not so, says the Center for Economic and Policy Research: in fact, growth rates in a majority of countries have declined in the 1980s and 1990s, the heyday of liberalization. And what does this say about the ‘successes' of the IMF or the World Bank?

Peter Woicke, chief of the International Finance Corporation (part of the World Bank group) tells us why globalization is A Good Thing. (International Herald Tribune)

When the World Economic Forum convened in Melbourne, the protesters outside the Crown Casino were not the only ones who had misgivings about globalization, Tom Plate reports for the Los Angeles Times.

Contrary to what economists and politicians assert, globalization might not be an unstoppable process, Ross Gittins argues in The Age. This force, he continues, cannot be considered unilaterally beneficial or detrimental – it should rather be asked in whose interest it is.

A new ASEAN report shows that the former Tiger states are having trouble recovering from the financial crisis of 1997. To some economists, this performance is tied to recent liberalization: South-East Asian economies had it easier in their ‘state-controlled' past, they say. (New York Times)

Can you see a deglobalized world? Walden Bello not only invents new words, but also new worlds in a crusade to see the main globalizing actors radically bow to truth. (ZMag)

In spite of the rapid globalization of the world's economy, free movement of labor (a.k.a. migration) still remains a thorny issue. Bangladesh is pushing to liberalize the global labor market to benefit both labor-exporting and host countries. (Daily Star)

Globalization and liberalization have made Latin American and Carribean economies more vulnerable without producing many benefits, a UNECLAC director suggests. Development policy was far too often export-oriented, she concludes. (International Herald Tribune)

The idea of progress has penetrated Western thinking so far that we cannot imagine a time anymore when poverty was the norm and technology limited, Tim Colebatch suggests in The Age. But how is the wealth that progress generates being distributed? And what can be done about that?

Heads of State Museveni, Mahathir and Mugabe urged Third World leaders to resist globalization, calling it an ‘ideology'. The ‘new world order' was nothing but the old one with new means of domination and exploitation. (News24)

A seminar hosted by a Nigerian trade union concluded that globalization does not uniformly benefit everyone. Its case in point was the liberalization of the textile trade in the West African country in 1997 which was advocated by the WTO. (Nigeria Guardian)

No other region has suffered from globalization as much as Africa, claims James Mutethia in the Nigeria Guardian. Its leaders and its people are growing ever more exasperated at demands for more liberalization while the developed countries shut their markets to African products.

This article from the Manchester Guardian contends that the distinction between political refugees and economic migrants is meaningless, as poverty and underdevelopment are created by political decisions.

The UN General Assembly special session in Geneva hammered out a morally-binding set of international policies to "make the world economy less turbulent, less cruel and much more fair." (Japan Times)

Recently, globalization has been given such a bad name that some experts are writing an epitaph for it. A study by the World Bank however, shows that economic growth induced by globalization benefits the poor as much as everyone else.(International Herald Tribune (Neuilly-sur-Seine, France) )

Paraphrasing the findings of the UN's Social Summit, William Pfaff says that globalism has failed as an economic theory. The neoliberal doctrine, he claims, is only a passing fad among economic theories that has had its day. (International Herald Tribune)

According to an ILO study, globalization and growing economic liberalization have resulted in job losses and less secure work arrangements. (World Bank Development News)

This report from the Subcommission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights undertakes a sweeping account of globalization, both economic and social. It has gained widespread publicity by calling the WTO a nightmare for developing countries. (UN Press Release)

Mark Weisbrot argues that globalization is doing very poorly in coping with income inequality, environmental destructions and loss of biodiversity. He longs for a more "honest and inclusive" economic integration and eventually, the demise of the Washington consensus.(TomPaine.com)

George Soros, who runs the US$12 billion Quantum Fund, was scathing in his criticism of those who believed that markets can solve all problems without intervention by governments. (BBC News Online)

The Nation criticizes the viewpoint that free-market liberalism is a model for success and discusses how a breakdown of the world economy is "the biggest systemic threat to world order in our time".

Protests in Seattle and Washington pressured UN member-states to produce new agreements on the eradication of poverty, creation of jobs, and first and foremost, global economic restructuring to suit the needs of people. (UN DPI)

Article from Time Magazine unveals some of the disturbing truths behind the anti-globalization movement, pointing out the mounting anger of rioters around the world, "the defining North-South issue of our time".

A short but all-embracing essay on states' role in globalization.(International Herald Tribune)

Article from Business Day (South Africa) discusses a report released by the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions: "Globalising Social Justice - Trade Unionism in the 21st Century" which emphasizes the need to address widening inequalities as part of a broader strategy by unions in dealing with the effects of globalisation.

Two articles from Associated Press of Pakistan discuss the integration of developing nations in the global economy. One makes the case that economic problems are often the result of external factors, as opposed to domestic policy, while the other details an UNCTAD report advocating increased involvement in e-commerce.

Secretary General Kofi Annan calls for a 'Global New Deal' to remedy the imbalances between rich and poor countires. By loosening trade barriers by industrialized countries for a freer flow of goods, jobs and capital, poor countries would also be able to benefit from globalization.(Agence France-Presse)

An article from the Washington Post discussing some of the difficulties China is experiencing adjusting to a global economy.

A discussion on the future of globalization with respect to Asia and the outcome of the WTO protests. (Straits Times)

In this paper, Frederic C. Deyo looks at how the 1997-1999 Asian financial crisis has influenced economic and social policy in Thailand. (Journal of Industrial Relations)

A very comprehensive analytical essay on the merits and demerits of globalization. (The Preamble Center for Public Policy)

A discussion on the future of globalization and the need to empower social and environmental institutions as well as economic organizations.(Globe and Mail)

A European perspective of the WTO protests, and the economic principles at issue. (New York Times)

Noam Chomsky argues that skepticism over the global benefits of recent free trade mania are valid enough, "but they are a footnote to the real story: how U.S. corporations came to be so well-placed to take over international markets, inspiring the current celebration of "American values." (Z Magazine)

Former colonies voice concerns over the impact of the globalization of free trade on their respective development. (Philadelphia Inquirer)

An in depth piece from the Los Angeles Times analyzing globalization and questions surrounding the WTO, as a conflict between individual rights and making profits.

Essay written by Charles Tanzer, Columbia University graduate student (SIPA), analyzes the Asian Financial Crisis in the context of "Market Discipline/Fundamentalism Meets Developmental/Crony Capitalism."

Speaking at the Save Canada Conference, the Honorable Paul Hellyer discusses economic globalization and the implications of the WTO for Canadian sovereignty.

A witty portrayal of the neoliberal interpretation of the sinking of the Titanic.

An essay from the UN Regional Commissions Newsletter about globalization.

Romesh Diwan provides a critical perspective on the UNDP's Human Development Report 1999 and discusses research and an alternative index called GPI - Genuine Progress Index.

An InterPress Service article which claims that globalization turns developing economies into "perpetually weak economies."

An article from ZNet reporting on a speech by the former Chairman of the US Federal Reserve Bank who has some surprisingly critical comments on financial globalization.

An InterPress Service article that details some of the abuses that labor has come to associate with the process of globalization.

A New York Times article which compares the process of globalization today and during the 19th Century.

An article published by the Third World Network which examines the volatility of the global economy claims that this may provide a challenge to the system itself.

Robert W. McChesney's introduction to Noam Chomsky's book Profit Over People. Reprinted in the Monthly Review.

Edward S. Herman's analysis of the ideology of Globalization and its failures.

Talk given by Susan George at the "Conference on Economic Sovereignty in a Globalising World." She provides a critical historical account of neoliberalism and calls for the mobilization of ideas to oppose it.

IMF-dictated economic reforms have led to the "re-colonization of India," exposing domestic markets to multinational corporations and reducing expenditure on social programs. The author asserts that, far from benefiting India's rural population, economic liberalization has "reinforced the existing trends of exploitation." (Swords and Ploughshares)

A Los Angeles Times editorial notes that "a measure of hysteria may not be such a bad thing" and is better than a divisive ideological debate.

Bob Deacon discusses proposals for regulating the social dimension of globalization and UN's role in implementation of such policies.

An editorial of OECD Obsserver about taxation in term of the integration of national economies but also globalization.

Text of a talk given by Herman Daly in Buenos Aires that compares these terms and discusses some of the resulting implications.

Article from the International Herald Tribune that cautions against reacting with fear to recent economic crises and instead argues that globalization requires better managing institutions and personnel.

James Tobin's speech on the global economy at the Autumn Meeting of the American Philosophical Society.

A review article of the World Investment Report 1998 from The South North Development Monitor by Prof. Bob Sutcliffe.

A Monthly Review article which looks at the relevance of Marx and Engels' Communist Manifesto today as several of their nightmarish prophecies seem to ring true.

Secretary-General Kofi Annan on the global economic crisis and its consequences.

Bob Deacon presents a report on the social impact of globalization.

Indonesian Minister for Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the Group of 77 and China, H.E. Mr. Ali Alatas reports on globalization at High Level talks to the General Assembly.

An InterPress Service article that looks at the effects of globalization and structural adjustment on several African countries.

A two-day high-level dialogue will be held in New York on 17-18 September 1998 on the "the economic and social impact of globalization and interdependence and their policy implications."

Article by Walden Bello looks at the failings of economic globalization and examines what he calls the global financial crisis.

Challenges many ideas of what contemporary globalization really means and looks at the implications of this for its future development. The author is Byron Auguste of McKinsey & Co., one of the largest global management consulting firms.

An article from the Multinational Monitor that discusses the present global financial crisis and examines the competitive nature of capitalism today.

Le Monde Diplomatique article that criticizes the institutions associated with economic globalization. Argues for the creation of a global tax in order to enhance the democratic nature of this process.

UNCTAD press release on its Trade and Development Report 1997.

The authors, both consultants from McKinsey & Co., argue that understanding globalization better will allow companies to better take advantage of this process.

Paper by Martin Khor, Director of Third World Network, a leading voice of "Southern" concerns. He argues that the UN is the best counterweight to the extreme effects of deregulation, especially the worsening of poverty and global inequality.

Article that attempts to "deconstruct what is loosely called globalization'" and what this may mean for the future of the nation-state.