Chanda: Context of Globalization -1/6

Nayan Chanda - Director of Publications at Yale Center for the Study of Globalization and author of "Bound Together: How Traders, Preachers, Adventurers, and Warriors Shaped Globalization " - discusses the historical and human context of globalization. This interview was recorded in May 2007.

PLEASE READ MY COMMENTS ON THE VIDEO BEFORE WATCHING.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Nayan
• Chanda
• Yale
• University
• Bound
• Together
• How
• Traders
• Preachers
• Adventurers
• and
• Warriors
• Shaped
• Globalization
• historical
• history
• story
• account
• chronicle
• past
• context
• background
• backdrop
• origin
• origins
• inception
• root
• roots
• beginning
• beginnings
• start
• commencement
• kickoff
• evolution
• India
• China
• Brazil
• Russia
• BRIC
• multi
• polar
• multipolar
• world
• future
• challenges
• difficulties
• problems
• issues
• protectionist
• protectionism
• nationalist
• nationalism
• xenophobic
• xenophobia
• hate
• hatred
• dislike
• rejection

[KashifHKhan]

PART 6:

I agree with Chanda's warning on threats to prosperity brought about by globalization: (a) despite becoming increasingly inter-linked and inter-dependent, we have not created institutions to manage tensions (eg. protectionism); (b) politicians as well as electorate are largely ignorant of the benefits of globalization and need to be educated. Chanda's advice to the average Joe for surviving globalization is also valid: be inquisitive and open-minded as no specialty will survive.

-Kashif

[KashifHKhan]

PART 5:

Surprisingly, globalization has helped enforce local identity. Chanda, for example, explains how Indonesians in 19th century used "imported" Wahabi Islam to fight the Christian Dutch colonialists. Similarly, it was British colonial education that gave Indians ideas of democracy as well as a sense of their history - factors which later led to their revolt. The trend continues today as religious and political groups take issue with foreign "exploitation" under globalization.

-Kashif

[KashifHKhan]

PART 4:

Resistance to globalization has a long history according to Chanda. People have always resisted change - from basic contact with foreigners to sophisticated business policies. For instance, Romans imposed a tax on Indian imports to discourage outflow of gold. Chinese rubber growers under Dutch colonials rebelled upon collapse of rubber world prices. The British in India also faced a revolt from Indigo farmers (who had been forced to grow Indigo) upon a collapse of global prices.

-Kashif

[KashifHKhan]

PART 3:

I agree that distinctive features of today's globalization are technology, visibility, and imbalance. Technological change - in production, transportation, and communications - has increased transaction pace and volume. The visibility of current phase of globalization is also global; one can see it everywhere in terms of movement of goods, capital, and people. Finally, massive imbalances have been created that affect entire populations (as opposed to a few people historically.)

-Kashif

[KashifHKhan]

PART 2:

As per Chanda, starting in late 20th century, the historical role of traders, preachers, adventurers, and warriors was taken over by new entities. Traders have been replaced by multinationals; preachers by humans rights and environmental activists; adventurers by jet-flying tourists and migrant workers; and warriors by modern armies (that can project power around the globe). The form may have become different, but the function - in facilitating globalization - remains the same.

-Kashif

[KashifHKhan]

PART 1:

It is interesting to hear Chanda describe "globalization" (a term coined in 1961 to describe global connectivity of US satellites) as a phenomenon going back a 1,000 years. I like his grounding of "globalization" in "universal desires" that shaped the behavior of four key groups of people: traders (desire to make money); preachers (desire to share one's beliefs with others); adventurers (desire to explore and discover); warriors (desire to establish empire and a uniform system).

-Kashif