The Hypocritical Globalization Contradiction
Every time I hear, “They stole our jobs!” from people in Western countries I cant help but feel bitter from the irony. Even worse is when people sympathize by saying things like,”Well this is America (or England or Australia, insert your pick there), these jobs belong to Americans.
This, from the countries that spearheaded the Globalization phenomenon? Who stole who’s jobs first? Who took over markets that the local population could not compete with? (I’m sure we’ll never see an Indian chain that can compete with McDonalds. Pepsi, Coke anyone?) Since the time India had decided that Globalization was the right path (which it was) countless cottage industries were destroyed in the process. The West planted the seeds of globalization, created a beast they couldn’t control and when it comes to bite them back they blame the rest of the world?
But that’s not the point. I’m not blaming the West, just revealing the hypocrisy. Globalization is synonymous with progress and competition. The moment you accept globalization, you also have to accept that that precious job you’re talking about belongs to anyone who deserves it. If you truly think that jobs belong to countrymen alone, then go move to North Korea, or live in a forest somewhere if you cant handle progress. Progress and competition go hand in hand. You cant have your cake and eat it at the same time.
Obama’s recent words encouraging kids to work harder as their competition are people from India and China is something I appreciate. He could have easily acted as the usual political demagogue, but he understands that competition is something that is never going to go away. Although I’m sure there will be even more people that take his words in the wrong way and will continue to blame the East for all their problems, hopefully a handful of people will understand that the West cannot rest on its laurels and is required to work like the rest of us.
well said.. sadly even Obama isn’t really the welcoming sort when it comes to globalisation biting back. He has introduced a new rule that companies that outsource jobs will now be taxed more than others. Any American President will always put the American before other stupid things like free market and fairness.
but then, the US has always had double standards about global markets and their own. When Japanese auto makers invaded the US market in the 80s, the Senators cried foul and passed legislations that made it much more difficult for them, but at the same time demanded third world countries etc to ease up regulations to allow their own multinationals to enter their markets.
Since the US rules the world, they find it very easy to protect their own companies in other countries citing free market etc while managing to be highly protective and paranoid about their own turf.
I totally agree. This small-minded insular attitude needs to stop. We are now part of a global community. Intelligent people should be able to cast aside the archaic notions of patriotism that keep them trapped with the bounds of their nation. One for all, and all for one.
Great post by the way.
Pretty good post!
lol…..so very true
“hopefully a handful of people will understand that the West cannot rest on its laurels and is required to work like the rest of us”
they have been idling around for so long that it is impossible to bring about a drastic change without immoderate change of policies.
Only if our country offered the facilities that the developed countries do, we’d be in a far better position. Right now the competition is already handicapped, we have to work so much harder for the very same things they take for granted and i believe thats what gives us an edge over them.
But it might be a good thing after all, considering the nature of people in this country, we’d probably be in a worse situation if we did infact have access to the same facilities….