PBS Newshour: Backlash to Globalization Could Hurt the Middle Class

The demand for electric power and electric appliances continues to rise as global poverty declines. “To make alternative energies a truly viable source of power production, the world needs a robust, cost-effective means of storing energy…. and battery technology is among the more promising of the options,” explains Vikram Mansharamani for the PBS Newshour. He anticipates lithium to be in demand for batteries that can store power and the supply chain to continue to spur innovations. The backlash in globalization could block the global supply chain, but worldwide permanent delay in the development of batteries, robots and other technologies that make traditional jobs irrelevant is unlikely. Automation and productivity will continue to eliminate some jobs, and the countries that step away from the global supply chain may not be able to afford programs and safety nets that support those left behind by globalization. – YaleGlobal