Tom,

It seems to me that if "globalization", a libertarians dream, is carried out swiftly, there would be a rapid averaging of pretty much everything. Economies averaged, populations averaged, everything. That would be a shock.

An effect of true globalization, it would seem to me, is to take the existing wealth (and that will grow) and spread it out over the globe. The stronger economies would be weakened just as the weaker economies would be strenghtened. Whoever could produce a product the least expensively would be allowed to do so, and except in hypocritical places, allowed to sell that product anywhere in the world it was needed.

And then why not with people? Isn't that a logical extension of globalization? Sort of like what happened vis a vis Europe and the US in the late 1800's and early 1900's. There were jobs here, none there, and there was movement. Why not from Central and South America, Africa, Asia? Jobs here, none there. If qualified people are willing to design rockets for $40,000 a year, shouldn't they be allowed to do that? Shouldn't a company be allowed to hire that person? I suspect there are Asians and Russians who would be willing to do so, and it would make strong economic sense to replace an native-born American who wanted, say, $80,000. Those countries train engineers, and so on, too, and can do a very good job of it. And as English is used more and more the language is less of a barrier. Should a person be guaranteed a job just because they were born somewhere if there is a qualified person willing to work for less?

How can one have globalization for you, but not for me? How can one be libertarian for you, and not for me? "I want open borders, I want cheap products, I want you to by my products, but I don't want YOU." I don't want to experience any negative effects of globalization myself.

I don't think it will work that way. I think rapid globalization will work to the very strong benefit of multi-national corporations, making them richer, faster, and to the detriment of the average Joe and Jill. Some corporations will have a strangle-hold on some populations that will make Idi Amin look like Mother Teresa.

Globalization is going to happen, there's no question about it. Slower would be better, in my opinion.

Arf