Global Capitalism -- Critiques from Sociologists

Global capitalism, the current epoch in the centuries-long history of the capitalist economy, is heralded by many as a free and open economic system that brings people from around the world together to foster innovations in production, for facilitating exchange of culture and knowledge, for bringing jobs to struggling economies worldwide, and for providing consumers with an ample supply of affordable goods. But while many may enjoy benefits of global capitalism, others around the world -- in fact, most -- do not. The research and theories of sociologists and intellectuals who focus on globalization, including William I. Robinson, Saskia Sassen, Mike Davis, and Vandana Shiva shed light on the ways this system harms many. Global Capitalism is Anti-Democratic Global capitalism is, to quote Robinson, â€Å"profoundly anti-democratic.† A tiny group of global elite decide the rules of the game  and control the vast majority of the world’s resources. In 2011, Swiss researchers found that just 147 of the world’s corporations and investment groups controlled 40 percent of corporate wealth, and just over 700 control nearly all of it (80 percent). This puts the vast majority of the world’s resources under the control of a tiny fraction of the world’s population. Because political power follows economic power, democracy in the context of global capitalism can be nothing but a dream. Using Global Capitalism as a Development Tool Does More Harm than Good Approaches to development that sync with the ideals and goals of global capitalism do far more harm than good. Many countries that were impoverished by colonization and imperialism are now impoverished by IMF and World Bank development schemes that force  them to adopt free trade policies in order to receive development loans. Rather than bolstering local and national economies, these policies pour money into the coffers of global corporations that operate in these nations under free trade agreements. And, by focusing development on urban sectors, hundreds of millions of people around the world have been pulled out of rural communities by the promise of jobs, only to find themselves un- or under-employed  and living in densely crowded and dangerous slums. In 2011, the United Nations Habitat Report estimated that 889 million people—or more than 10 percent of the world’ population—would live in slums by 2020. The Ideology of Global Capitalism Undermines the Public Good The neoliberal ideology that supports and justifies global capitalism undermines public welfare. Freed from regulations and most  tax obligations, corporations made wealthy in the era of global capitalism have effectively stolen social welfare, support systems, and public services and industries from people all over the world. The neoliberal ideology that goes hand in hand with this economic system places the burden of survival solely on an individual’s ability to earn money and consume. The concept of the common good is a thing of the past. The Privatization of Everything Only Helps the Wealthy Global capitalism has marched steadily across the planet, gobbling up all land and resources in its path. Thanks to the neoliberal ideology of privatization, and the global capitalist imperative for growth, it is increasingly difficult for people all over the world to access the resources necessary for a just and sustainable livelihood, like communal space, water, seed, and workable agricultural land. The Mass Consumerism Required by Global Capitalism is Unsustainable Global capitalism spreads consumerism as a way of life, which is fundamentally unsustainable. Because consumer goods mark progress and success under global capitalism, and because neoliberal ideology encourages us to survive and thrive as individuals rather than as communities, consumerism is our contemporary way of life. The  desire for consumer goods and the ​cosmopolitan way of life they signal is one of the key pull factors that draws hundreds of millions of rural peasants to urban centers in search of work. Already, the planet and its resources have been pushed beyond limits due to the treadmill of consumerism in Northern and Western nations. As consumerism spreads to more newly developed nations via global capitalism, the depletion of the earth’s resources, waste, environmental pollution, and the warming of the planet are increasing to catastrophic ends. Human and Environmental Abuses Characterize Global Supply Chains The globalized supply chains that bring all of this stuff to us are largely unregulated  and systemically rife with human and environmental abuses. Because global corporations act as large buyers rather than producers of goods, they do not directly hire most of the people who make their products. This arrangement frees them from any liability for the inhumane and dangerous work conditions where goods are made, and from responsibility for environmental pollution, disasters, and public health crises. While capital has been globalized, the  regulation of production  has  not. Much of what stands for regulation today is a sham, with private industries auditing and certifying themselves. Global Capitalism Fosters Precarious and Low-Wage Work The flexible nature of labor under  global capitalism  has put the vast majority of working people in very precarious positions. Part-time work, contract work, and insecure work are the norm, none of which bestow benefits or long-term job security upon people. This problem crosses all industries, from manufacturing of garments and consumer electronics, and even for  professors at U.S. colleges and universities, most of whom are hired on a short-term basis for low pay. Further, the globalization of the labor supply has created a race to the bottom in wages, as corporations search for the cheapest labor from country to country and workers are forced to accept unjustly low wages, or risk having no work at all. These conditions lead to poverty, food insecurity, unstable housing and homelessness, and troubling mental and physical health outcomes. Global Capitalism Fosters Extreme Wealth Inequality The hyper-accumulation of wealth experienced by corporations and a selection of elite individuals has caused a sharp rise in wealth inequality within nations and on the global scale. Poverty amidst plenty is now the norm. According to a  report released by Oxfam  in January 2014, half of the world’s wealth is owned by  just one percent  of the world’s population. At 110 trillion dollars, this wealth is 65 times as much as that owned by the bottom half of the world’s population. The fact that 7 out of 10 people now live in countries where economic inequality has increased over the last 30 years is proof that the system of global capitalism works for the few at the expense of the many. Even in the U.S., where politicians would have us believe that we have â€Å"recovered† from the economic recession, the wealthiest one percent captured 95 percent of economic growth during the recovery, while  90 percent of us are now poorer. Global Capitalism Fosters Social Conflict Global capitalism  fosters social conflict, which will only persist and grow as the system expands. Because capitalism enriches the few at the expense of the many, it generates conflict over access to resources like food, water, land, jobs and others resources. It also generates political conflict over the conditions and relations of production that define the system, like worker strikes and protests, popular protests and upheavals, and protests against environmental destruction. Conflict generated by global capitalism can be sporadic, short-term, or prolonged, but regardless of duration, it is often dangerous and costly to human life. A recent and ongoing example of this surrounds the  mining of coltan in Africa for smartphones and tablets  and many other minerals used in consumer electronics. Global Capitalism Does the Most Harm to the Most Vulnerable Global capitalism hurts people of color, ethnic minorities, women, and children the most. The history of  racism  and gender discrimination within Western nations, coupled with the increasing concentration of wealth in the hands of the few, effectively  bars women  and  people of color from accessing  the wealth generated by global capitalism. Around the world, ethnic, racial, and gender hierarchies influence or prohibit access to stable employment. Where capitalist based development occurs in former colonies, it often targets those regions because the labor of those who live there is â€Å"cheap† by virtue of a long history of racism, subordination of women, and political domination. These forces have led to what scholars term the â€Å"feminization of poverty,† which has disastrous outcomes for the world’s children, half of whom live in poverty.

Mahatma Gandhis Leadership Styles - 1655 Words

INTRODUCTION Leadership is about casting a vision and allowing it to seep into others so that they follow the lead. Mahatma Gandhi is a world renowned leader who was a politician, a writer, an intellectual and a gifted orator. I find it incredible that as a young boy, Gandhi did not display any leadership qualities. He was a below average student (lack-luster) and very shy. His remarkable metamorphosis from a dull boy to a brilliant leader attests to the fact that good leaders are made. He has inspired and motivated great leaders such as Albert Einstein, Nelson Mandela and Barack Obama. Gandhi championed passionately for four main causes: India’s independence from Great Britain, Hindu – Muslim unity, the causes of the poor and equality and†¦show more content†¦I marvel at his ability to inspire and influence masses and his modesty and sobriety despite wielding massive influence. His epic moment and the most successful campaign against the British was the salt march when tho usands of followers joined him on a 400 km march. RELATIONS - ORIENTED / PEOPLE-CENTRIC To be a good leader, one needs to have soft skills in order be to construct bridges of empathy with people. Gandhi had a knack for knowing the issues that were affecting his followers and he always struck a significant cord that resonated with them. I think his versatility is reflected in the fact that he could appeal to the intellectuals as well as the common man. He had a solid value system from which all of his activities sprang. He also had a totally interdependent relationship with his followers. Gandhi’s humility and genuine care for his opponents as well as his followers meant that virtually everyone Gandhi met had an emotional response to the man and his actions. He took the causes for the poor and made them his own campaigns. For example, he championed for the rights of farmers, led a mill workers strike, campaigned against unfair taxes, sought to bring fair treatment to people in South Africa and campaigned against the repealing of the Salt Tax and Indian Independence itself. He believed that poverty was the worst form of violence. I am amazed at the manner in which Gandhi used fasting as a tool to reconcile quarreling parties. At the frailShow MoreRelatedLeadership Ethics : Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi And Jack Welch933 Words   |  4 Pagesthat there is no single formula for leadership, and it will be best understood from multiple perspectives (Shriberg and Shriberg, 2011). We also accept the fact that every leader leads differently. Our team has chosen three exemplary leaders of all time – Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi and Jack Welch. Each one of them has exhibited a great amount of leadership skills and up to this day are used as examples in our current globalised economics. 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A Book Report on Poe’s “The Tell Tale Heart” Free Essays

The Tell-Tale Heart, by Edgar Allan Poe, is written in the first person. This is proven because â€Å"I† is used to tell the story. This story told is by a participating narrator. We will write a custom essay sample on A Book Report on Poe’s â€Å"The Tell Tale Heart† or any similar topic only for you Order Now The narrator is also the main character. The point of view used in this story is the unreliable narrator; this is a point of view according to Literature by X. J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. This view was chosen because the narrator was very deceptive, deluded and deranged. For example, â€Å"I cut off the head and the arms and the legs†. (pg. 36). I find this to be extremely deranged. The narrator was also very deceptive by playing a trick on the older man in bed every night. The deluded madman would spy on the old man at midnight every night for seven days straight. By the eighth day he had this deranged plan to kill him. So, at midnight the madman came into the room quietly, or so he tried, and suffocated the old man. In the meantime the old man was scared when he heard some noises but probably thought that it was only a mouse or something. Because the man did not get up and check on the noises, it cost him his life. The old man was tricked on thinking it was just a noise an old house makes. Therefore, The point of view used in the story was that of an unreliable narrator in the first person. Raymond Carver had many influences in his life that contributed to his short stories and poems. But his main influence was his family. With two kids and married at the age of 19, he definitely had his hands full. He would try and write stories to support his children while engaging in other labor jobs during the day. Everyday life is an inspiration on everyone. People might not realize it but what happens everyday has an affect or influence on the way they approach life. For example, Carver†s day at the laundry mat. He realized that life isn†t what it is cracked out to be and he noticed this just by being frustrated because he couldn†t get any driers. Also, Carver†s professor at Chico State University, John Gardner, was a great influence at the time. Gardner helped Carver with some of his short stories. He would help Carver by being really patient and helping understand what he needs to do better. Education is a great influence on life. It introduces new perspectives to life and opens many new doors of opportunity. Without education or his family Raymond Carver might not have been as successful as he has. How to cite A Book Report on Poe’s â€Å"The Tell Tale Heart†, Papers A Book Report on Poe’s â€Å"The Tell Tale Heart† Free Essays The Tell-Tale Heart, by Edgar Allan Poe, is written in the first person. This is proven because â€Å"I† is used to tell the story. This story told is by a participating narrator. We will write a custom essay sample on A Book Report on Poe’s â€Å"The Tell Tale Heart† or any similar topic only for you Order Now The narrator is also the main character. The point of view used in this story is the unreliable narrator; this is a point of view according to Literature by X. J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. This view was chosen because the narrator was very deceptive, deluded and deranged. For example, â€Å"I cut off the head and the arms and the legs†. (pg. 36). I find this to be extremely deranged. The narrator was also very deceptive by playing a trick on the older man in bed every night. The deluded madman would spy on the old man at midnight every night for seven days straight. By the eighth day he had this deranged plan to kill him. So, at midnight the madman came into the room quietly, or so he tried, and suffocated the old man. In the meantime the old man was scared when he heard some noises but probably thought that it was only a mouse or something. Because the man did not get up and check on the noises, it cost him his life. The old man was tricked on thinking it was just a noise an old house makes. Therefore, The point of view used in the story was that of an unreliable narrator in the first person. Raymond Carver had many influences in his life that contributed to his short stories and poems. But his main influence was his family. With two kids and married at the age of 19, he definitely had his hands full. He would try and write stories to support his children while engaging in other labor jobs during the day. Everyday life is an inspiration on everyone. People might not realize it but what happens everyday has an affect or influence on the way they approach life. For example, Carver†s day at the laundry mat. He realized that life isn†t what it is cracked out to be and he noticed this just by being frustrated because he couldn†t get any driers. Also, Carver†s professor at Chico State University, John Gardner, was a great influence at the time. Gardner helped Carver with some of his short stories. He would help Carver by being really patient and helping understand what he needs to do better. Education is a great influence on life. It introduces new perspectives to life and opens many new doors of opportunity. Without education or his family Raymond Carver might not have been as successful as he has. How to cite A Book Report on Poe’s â€Å"The Tell Tale Heart†, Papers