In The News

Nepal’s Kingdom of Discontent

Jo Johnson February 2, 2006
Since King Gyanendra seized absolute power in Nepal last February, civil war has paralyzed the country, with palace forces battling the radical Maoists abated only by the Maoists’ recent unilateral ceasefire. Appearing on the scene as rural-based insurgents, the Maoists alone lack mainstream legitimacy as a viable alternative to the monarchy. But after a landmark meeting with eight opposition...

Unpopular Globalization: Why So Many Are Opposed

David Dapice February 2, 2006
The world economy has done well in recent years, yet workers in rich nations remain anxious about how globalization will affect future jobs, wages and benefits. In the US, Ford and General Motors have slashed jobs and closed plants. Plentiful skilled labor in emerging countries raises fears about depressed wages worldwide. More importantly, specific policies and conditions in Europe and the US...

Globalisation Focus Shifts from Costs to Customers

Reuters January 30, 2006
Survey results released at this week’s annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos suggest that the orientation of global business is shifting. Companies no longer regard large developing countries like China, India and Brazil as merely sources of cheap labor. A survey of executives conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers revealed that businessmen expect developing countries to play a much...

Free and Fair Trade

Noam Chomsky January 30, 2006
MIT professor Noam Chomsky envisions the potential of “just globalization,” in an interview with Global Agenda, and raises concerns about the lack of truly free trade and evenhanded governance within the changing global business climate. Contending that everyone favors globalization, or “international integration,” he cautions about divisive applications that are detrimental to the rights of...

A New Wrinkle for Globalization

Katrin Bennhold January 26, 2006
For its proponents and opponents alike, economic globalization’s greatest force is its disregard for the sanctity of national borders. Some analysts have forecasted that growing cross-border transaction will weaken the nation-state as we know it. Yet recent events suggest otherwise. While some nations empowered by natural resources like oil and gas have been flexing their muscles against...

Africa Hosts its First Major Anti-Globalization Forum

January 25, 2006
For the sixth time since 2000, NGO representatives, fair-trade advocates, anti-globalization protestors and activists of all kinds unite at the World Social Forum, this week in Mali. By tackling the problems of inequality, debt relief and trade realities that trouble the developing world, the forum serves as foil to the World Economic Forum, a meeting of the world’s economic elite, held...

Europe’s Improving Economy Still Faces Some Hurdles Amid Global Competition

Marcus Walker January 24, 2006
With exports to the US, Asia, and oil-producing countries boosting corporate profits, Europe’s economy has attracted increasing optimism ahead of the World Economic Forum in Davos this week. Wall Street Journal reporter Marcus Walker, however, warns us not to “count on Europe to float the global economy yet.” Cheap global competition—particularly from China and Eastern Europe—has inhibited...