Amartya Sen has pointed out before that liberalism isn't uniquely Western and now he addresses the issue of globalisation in the same vein. Of note, here is Noam Chomsky on the term globalisation:
"Anti-globalization" is a propaganda term devised by the advocates of a particular investor-rights version of international integration. No sane person is opposed to globalization, surely not the left or the workers movements, which were founded on the commitment to international solidarity — that is, a form of globalization that is concerned with the rights and needs of people, not private capital.
And here is Sen:
Read the full post and comments »TAP: Vol 13, Iss. 1. How to Judge Globalism. Amartya Sen.
Globalization is often seen as global Westernization. On this point, there is substantial agreement among many proponents and opponents. Those who take an upbeat view of globalization see it as a marvelous contribution of Western civilization to the world. There is a nicely stylized history in which the great developments happened in Europe: First came the Renaissance, then the Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution, and these led to a massive increase in living standards in the West. And now the great achievements of the West are spreading to the world. In this view, globalization is not only good, it is also a gift from the West to the world. The champions of this reading of history tend to feel upset not just because this great benefaction is seen as a curse but also because it is undervalued and castigated by an ungrateful world.From the opposite perspective, Western dominance–sometimes seen as a continuation of Western imperialism–is the devil of the piece. In this view, contemporary capitalism, driven and led by greedy and grabby Western countries in Europe and North America, has established rules of trade and business relations that do not serve the interests of the poorer people in the world. The celebration of various non-Western identities–defined by religion (as in Islamic fundamentalism), region (as in the championing of Asian values), or culture (as in the glorification of Confucian ethics)–can add fuel to the fire of confrontation with the West.
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