The Three Tensions of Globalization

I S S U E S I N G L O B A L E D U C A T I O N
Globalization 101
The Three Tensions of Globalization
By LAURENCE E. ROTHENBERG
N o . 1 7 6 • 2 0 0 2 - 2 0 0 3
Occasional Papers from the American Forum for Global Education
THE
What is globalization? Is it the integration of economic, political, and cultural
systems across the globe? Or is it Americanization of world culture and United
AMERICAN
States dominance of world affairs? Is globalization a force for economic growth,
prosperity, and democratic freedom? Or is it a force for environmental devastation,
FORUM FOR
exploitation of the developing world, and suppression of human rights? In sum, is
GLOBAL
globalization "good" or "bad"?
EDUCATION
These questions would receive very different answers in Washington, Sao Paolo,
Paris, Cairo, Johannesburg, Bombay, Hong Kong, and Manila. In fact, in each of those
A private, not-for-profit
places these questions would receive very different answers from different people—
business leaders, government officials, agricultural laborers, the unemployed, or human
organization founded in
rights activists. Indeed, simple answers to these questions, answers that people in
1970. Our mission is to
different walks of life in different countries would agree on, would be virtually
educate United States
impossible to reach.
citizens for responsible
Most importantly, answers to these questions vary greatly depending on how
participation in our
globalization is viewed in relations to values. The impact of globalization on culture, for
communities, our nation
example, depends on whether one thinks that local cultures should be protected from
outside influence, or whether
and our interdependent
one thinks that new cultural
world. We offer
creativity results from inter-
Globalization is the acceleration
consultation to global
action and mixing of ideas
education programs and
from different cultures. After
and intensification of interaction
to those schools planning
all, there are few cultures
and integration among the people,
that are truly isolated, and
to “internationalize” or
cultural interaction, especial-
companies, and governments of
“globalize” their curricu-
ly though trade relations,
lum. We provide global
has occurred for thousands
different nations.
and international
of years—from Phoenecian
education materials for
traders’ impact on ancient
Greek culture, to Chinese silk used in clothes in medieval Europe, to the spread of coffee,
classroom use and profes-
chocolate, and tobacco around the world, and to the impact of Chinese and Japanese
sional development
styles in American and European art in the nineteenth century. In today’s world,
programs for teachers and
American films and film styles are popular throughout the world, and foreign films
administrators. We are a
are popular in the United States. Is this globalization of culture good, bad, neutral, or
simply a fact of life?
forum for the exchange
of ideas and practices on
Values, therefore, are key to assessing the impact of globalization on the lives of
people around the world. At the same time, however, it is possible to teach about
content and directions
globalization in such a way as to highlight the tension between different values as they
of global education.
play out in certain circumstances while not taking sides as to which value is better.

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defines globalization as follows: Globalization is the
acceleration and intensification of interaction and inte-
THREE TENSIONS OF GLOBALIZATION
gration among the people, companies, and govern-
• Individual choice versus societal choice
ments of different nations. This process has effects on
• The free market versus government intervention
human well-being (including health and personal safe-
ty), on the environment, on culture (including ideas,
• Local authority versus supra-local authority
religion, and political systems), and on economic devel-
opment and prosperity of societies across the world.
This comprehensive and balanced definition takes into
Globalization101.org, a free website of resources for
account the many causes and effects of the process,
teachers and students, strives to present a balanced
and, most importantly, leaves room for debate and dis-
view of globalization and its underlying values by
cussion of the values that different people from all over
the world bring to the table.
including voices from the United States and other
countries, perspectives of officials of international orga-
nizations and national governments, and opinions of
activists at non-governmental organizations around the
THE THREE TENSIONS OF
world. The goal is not to indoctrinate students by
GLOBALIZATION
attempting to explain events through one ideological
Three inherent tensions reveal the conflicting val-
lens using slogans and biased information. Rather,
ues at stake in the process of globalization as defined
Globalization101.org tries to show how people in dif-
above. By examining controversies about globalization
ferent countries, in varying circumstances, can look at
through the prism of these three tensions, teachers and
the same set of facts and come to radically different
students can learn how to think about the positive and
conclusions about the process of globalization and how
negative effects of various aspects of globalization and
it affects their lives. Such an approach challenges stu-
how to find a balance that reflects their values.
dents to think about the controversies surrounding
The first tension is between individual choice and soci-
globalization and to promote an understanding of the
etal choice. A conflict occurs when a person, exercising
trade-offs and dilemmas facing policy-makers and citi-
her right to choose a particular lifestyle, to buy a par-
zens in the global age.
ticular product, or to think a particular thought, is at
odds with what society at a whole views is most
preferable for all citizens at large. For example, some
DEFINING GLOBALIZATION
people may prefer to smoke or to drive without wear-
Values can play a role in defining globalization. A
ing a seatbelt. Society, however, may believe that there
definition of globalization as "Americanization" or, per-
are costs to society as a whole—in medical costs, for
haps, the "McDonaldization," of the world presents
example—that require laws to restrict private choice. In
globalization as a process driven by American con-
the arena of globalization, such a tension is evident in
sumer culture that rolls over other cultures. On the
debates over the spread of American culture. France,
other hand, another definition of globalization would
for example, objects to the spread of American popular
highlight its cross-cultural impact, taking into account
culture in the form of films and television. In fact,
the nature of globalization as a way cultures interact
France has laws about non-European content on French
and learn from each other.
television and radio stations. France even insisted that
there be a "cultural exception" to world trade rules on
Globalization101.org follows the second
services agreed to in 1994 to allow the French govern-
approach—viewing globalization as a process of inter-
ment to limit imports of American popular culture
action and integration. A focus on the spread of
products.
American ideas or products that ignores the counter-
balancing impact of the access to the international
Such positions, however, ignore the fact that no one
arena of ideas and products formerly kept out of it,
forces an individual French person to watch an
promotes an impoverished and unbalanced under-
American film or television show or buy a CD by an
standing of the process. Thus, Globalization101.org
American recording artist. French consumers buy those
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products because they choose to do so for reasons of
affordable drugs to combat the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
personal preference. One may reasonably ask, then,
Such drugs are available in the Europe and the United
"Why does French society have the right to override
States to allow people with HIV/AIDS to have produc-
that individual’s freedom of choice?" It comes down to
tive lives for about $10,000 per year, an affordable sum
values. In the first place, some people and societies
in the developed world. Such a price, however, is far
may value social choices above individual choices.
beyond the ability to pay of people in Africa, where the
Second, some people and societies may believe that in
vast majority of the population afflicted with
areas of culture, preservation of a local culture—
HIV/AIDS lives. In fact, the disease is a scourge in
because of history, tradition, and a desire to pass along
Africa and the rest of the developing world, where
heritage to succeeding generations—should trump
whole societies are on the brink of collapse because of
short-term individual choice. The problem is how to
the social chaos and economic impact of infection rates
find a way for the international system to account for
that are as high as 25 percent in some countries.
this tension, in areas such as the world trade talks men-
Governments therefore, prodded by international
tioned above. How can the process of globalization
non-governmental organizations involved in promoting
find a balance between respecting individual free
public health, agreed at a meeting of the World Trade
choices and societal priorities at the same time?
Organization in 2001 to allow poor countries to make
A second tension is between free market and
generic copies of drugs needed for pubic health emergen-
government intervention. This tension is something
cies. This represented a large concession on the part of
of an aggregate of the first, because the free market is
U.S. and European companies, which value their intellec-
the aggregation of lots of individual choices—Adam
tual property and whose intellectual property rights had
Smith’s famous "invisible hand"—while government
recently become protected by a special international
intervention is the practical way that societies decide
treaty. Since then, however, agreement on how to imple-
on and implement the choices they make about their
ment this agreement has been hard to reach. The compa-
values. Thus, a free market determines what goods
nies are concerned that allowing too generous an excep-
are produced and how money is invested in order to
tion from the international intellectual property rules
satisfy consumer demand (that is, the sum of all the
would lead to a loss of so much revenue that they would
individual choices). The
free market also plays the
crucial role in creating an
Globalization is neither good nor bad. Rather, certain
efficient response to
changes in the economy,
aspects of the complex, and multi-faceted process
when consumer demand
increases or decreases for
of globalization have impacts that can be viewed in
certain products, or when
factors such as a decline
different ways depending on the values at stake.
in investment or damage
to the environment
changes the supply of money or products.
not be able to recoup the costs of developing medicines
Nevertheless, the free market may sometimes fail to
in the first place and make a profit for their shareholders.
provide crucial goods, especially at reasonable prices,
After all, the companies have to run their business in an
necessary for overall social order. The government,
economically efficient and profitable manner for their
for example, is often required to provide key services,
owners. Meanwhile, however, poor people in Africa are
such as water, electricity, sewage, and garbage
dying. Again, there is a tension between two equally
pick-up (although some people believe such services
important values. How can the international system bal-
could be privatized), not to mention police, fire, and
ance the need to promote an efficient free market system
defense forces.
that rewards innovation and the development of new
In the international arena, one of the most burning
medicines, while also ensuring that the poor and needy
issues is the failure of the free market to provide
are taken care of?
F O R
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C U R R I C U L U M
M A T E R I A L S
V I S I T
• W W W . G L O B A L E D . O R G
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rules and established the panel that
made the decision. And the U.S. and
www.globalization101.org
other governments believe that such
treaties are an important way of setting
Issue Briefs • News Reports • Lesson Plans
commonly accepted rules to manage
international trade. Again, a tension
Ask the Experts interviews • Useful Links
arises, this time between the democratic
legitimacy of domestic legislation and
Finally, the third tension of globalization is that
the need to create and enforce international rules by
between local authority and extra- or supra-local authority,
bodies who are not directly accountable to those
that is the tension between decisions made at the level
whose lives and interests they affect.
most close to individual citizens and decisions made
at higher levels of authority distant from the people
TENSIONS AND TRADE-OFFS
they may affect. As with the other tensions, we see this
in our daily lives as well, but the tension takes on spe-
These examples of the tensions of globalization are
cial characteristics in the global arena. Many
just a few of the cases where citizens around the world
Americans believe that the federal government in
have felt threatened by the current process of interac-
Washington is a distant, separate culture, unfamiliar
tion and integration. Thinking about globalization in
with their daily problems and concerns and captive to
terms of such tensions can help students understand
special interests. Local and state governments, on the
that solutions to these problems and resolutions to
other hand, are often more trusted to deal with practi-
these controversies are rarely black and white.
cal, everyday issues.
Globalization is neither good nor bad. Rather, cer-
In the globalized world, many Americans and citi-
tain aspects of the complex, and multi-faceted process
zens in other countries feel that international organiza-
of globalization have impacts that can be viewed in
tions outside their democratic control are making deci-
different ways depending on the values at stake.
Individual free choice is important, but so is a society’s
sions without any input from the people who are most
ability to make decisions according to what is best for
affected by them. For example, the International
all of its members. The free market is important, but so
Monetary Fund and World Bank are viewed—rightly
is the ability of governments to deal with problems
or wrongly—in much of Latin America and Asia as
when the free market fails. Local democratic account-
Washington-based cabals of bankers forcing
ability is important, but so is international agreement
American-style economic policy on societies that have
on problems that can only be solved with cooperation
different values than individualized capitalism.
far beyond the direct control of individual citizens.
In the United States, many environmental activists
Discussion of these tensions can enlighten stu-
were outraged in 1998 when a dispute resolution
dents without forcing them to abandon their own val-
panel of the World Trade Organization declared that
ues. In fact, an approach of explaining forthrightly the
an American law banning the import of shrimp caught
tensions and the values at stake, the facts of the cases,
with nets that killed endangered sea turtles was in
providing solid information, and airing a wide variety
violation of world trade rules. Several Southeast Asian
of perspectives, encourage students to think and learn
nations had complained that the law was a disguised
more deeply about globalization than any other
way to protect the American shrimp industry from
approach currently available for educators.
competition by their shrimpers. But the U.S. law was
Globalization101.org’s approach engages students in
passed by the Congress and signed by the President,
thinking about their lives in an international context at
in a democratic process, for what seemed like legiti-
a very exciting time, with a vast amount of resources
mate purposes. Why, many people asked, was an
freely available to help them grow and learn as stu-
unelected, undemocratic tribunal of three judges in
dents and citizens.
Geneva empowered to force the United States to
Laurence E. Rothenberg is the producer of the www.globalization101.org website
change the law? At the same time, the United States
and director of the Globalization101 program at the Center for Strategic &
had agreed to the world trade treaty that set out the
International Studies, a Washington, D.C. non-profit public policy research institute.
THE AMERICAN FORUM FOR GLOBAL EDUCATION
120 Wall Street • Suite 2600, New York, NY 10005 • 212-624-1300 • fax 212-624-1412
email: info@globaled.org • URL: http://www.globaled.org
This paper is published as part of the Occasional Papers series. © 2003 The American Forum for Global Education. ISSN: 1088-8365

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