Compressing the World:

1
Compressing the World

• The Mechanics of Globalization

2
In Review

• Globalization is the ability to produce anything,
  anywhere, and to market anything, anywhere.
• World-System Theory proposed by Wallerstein,
  describes a unified global economy divided into
  core, periphery, and semi-periphery states.

3
In Review

• Neoliberalism is an economic agenda predicated on
  the idea that independent states ought to pursue
  their own interests, and that a permissive, open
  global market is the only way to assure that such
  pursuits may proceed unimpeded.

4
The Enablers

• Transportation Technologies
• Communication Technologies

5
The Enablers

• Transportation Technologies
• On Foot
• Pushcart other rolling carriers
• Animal (horse, camel, mule, ox)
• Simple Watercraft (raft, barge, canoe)

6
The Enablers

• Transportation Technologies
• Wind Powered
• Improved structural integrity
• Additional masts
• Additional sails
• Additional sail shapes
• Also, improved defensive capabilities (armed
  escort, bow, ballistae, cannon)

7
The Enablers

• Transportation Technologies
• Steam Powered
• Internal Combustion
• Jet Powered
• Nuclear / Electric (direct drive)
• Magnetic Propulsion
• Matter Transmission??

8
The Enablers

• Transportation Technologies
• Modes
• Ground
• Surface subsurface
• Wheeled
• Rail
• Water
• Single hull
• Catamaran
• Hovercraft
• Air (propeller, jet, helicopter, rocket)

9
The Enablers

• Transportation Technologies
• The Goals
• Greater Mass/Volume
• Greater distances
• Less time
• Less product degradation
• Increased Security/Reliability

10
The Enablers

• Transportation Technologies
• Communication Technologies
• Modes
• Local
• Non-verbal
• Spoken
• Handwritten
• Telecommunications
• Drums
• Signal lights/fires
• Runners
• Other carrier (pigeon, dog, bottle)
• Manually printed / engraved
• Manually typed

11
The Enablers

• Transportation Technologies
• Communication Technologies
• Modes, Cont.
• Hardwire
• Telegraph (via code)
• Telephone
• Signal propagation
• Radio (AM, FM, etc.)
• Television

12
The Enablers

• Transportation Technologies
• Communication Technologies
• Modes, Cont.
• Satellite bounce/retransmission
• Automated/computer assisted
• Direct computer link (hardwire, wireless nets)
• Internet
• Secure Servers

13
The Enablers

• Transportation Technologies
• Communication Technologies
• The Goals
• Greater volume of information
• Greater distances
• Less time
• Greater fidelity
• Greater security

14
The Enablers

• Common Goals
• To move as much as possible, as far as possible,
  in the shortest time, with the least degradation,
  and the highest security.
• To maximize profits.

15
What is Being Moved?

• Raw Materials
• Finished products
• People (services)
• Physical Plants
• Capital
• Information

16
Where is it Coming From?

• Raw materials from the periphery
• Finished products from the core
• Unskilled labor from the periphery
• Trained professionals and technicians from the
  core
• Space (and regulatory latitude) in the periphery
• Capital and financing from the core

17
The US Money Supply

• 10 trillion (10,000,000,000,000) in existence
• Approximately 7 trillion overseas
• Approximately 400 billion in domestic circulation
  -- 1,333 per person
• 2.6 trillion (domestic) is electronic
• In 1985, 6 of domestic money supply was
  electronic
• Electronic currency has doubled every five years
  since then

18
The Bretton Woods System

• Delegates from 44 allied states met at the Mount
  Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire
  in July, 1944.
• Agreed to maintain monetary policies such that
  exchange rates (in gold) would remain stable and
  relatively fixed
• Surviving entities are the World Bank and the
  International Monetary Fund (IMF)

19
The World Trade Organization

• The World Trade Organization (WTO) is the only
  global international organization dealing with
  the rules of trade between nations. At its heart
  are the WTO agreements, negotiated and signed by
  the bulk of the worlds trading nations (150/227)
  and ratified in their parliaments. The goal is to
  help producers of goods and services, exporters,
  and importers conduct their business. (Emphasis
  added)
• www.wto.org

20
The United Nations

• The UN Economic Social Council (formerly known
  as UNESCO, now called ECOSOC)
• Serves as the central forum for discussing
  international economic and social issues, and for
  formulating policy recommendations addressed to
  Member States and the United Nations system.
• www.un.org

21
What do these Supranationals Want?

• Global economic integration
• Minimization of conflict
• Minimization of barriers to free trade
• Minimization of barriers to production and
  consumption
• Maximization of individual (and corporate)
  freedom
• Maximization of human rights and global standards
  of living