Globalisation: Nine theses on our epoch

Race and Class

Volumn 38, Issue 2, 1996, Pages 13-31

  Robinson, William I ^a  

^a Central American University (UCA)   (Nicaragua)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

CAPITALISM; COMMODIFICATION; CONFLICT; GLOBALISATION; SOCIAL CHANGE; THEORETICAL STUDY; TRANSNATIONAL PRODUCTION;

EID: 0030406208     PISSN: 03063968     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1177/030639689603800202     Document Type: Article

References (50)

1. There is an enormous and growing body of literature on globalisation, too vast to reference here. Summaries of the literature may be found, among other places, in William I. Robinson, Promoting Polyarchy: globalisation, US intervention, and hegemony (Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1996); Leslie Sklair, Sociology of the Global System (Baltimore, John Hopkins University Press, 1991); Malcolm Waters, Globalisation (London, Routledge, 1995). For specific points of debate among left scholars and activists, see, eg, diverse contributions in Ralph Miliband and Leo Panitch (eds), Socialist Register 1992, 'New World Order?'), and 1994, 'Between globalism and nationalism' (London, Merlin Press).
2. There is an enormous and growing body of literature on globalisation, too vast to reference here. Summaries of the literature may be found, among other places, in William I. Robinson, Promoting Polyarchy: globalisation, US intervention, and hegemony (Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1996); Leslie Sklair, Sociology of the Global System (Baltimore, John Hopkins University Press, 1991); Malcolm Waters, Globalisation (London, Routledge, 1995). For specific points of debate among left scholars and activists, see, eg, diverse contributions in Ralph Miliband and Leo Panitch (eds), Socialist Register 1992, 'New World Order?'), and 1994, 'Between globalism and nationalism' (London, Merlin Press).
3. There is an enormous and growing body of literature on globalisation, too vast to reference here. Summaries of the literature may be found, among other places, in William I. Robinson, Promoting Polyarchy: globalisation, US intervention, and hegemony (Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1996); Leslie Sklair, Sociology of the Global System (Baltimore, John Hopkins University Press, 1991); Malcolm Waters, Globalisation (London, Routledge, 1995). For specific points of debate among left scholars and activists, see, eg, diverse contributions in Ralph Miliband and Leo Panitch (eds), Socialist Register 1992, 'New World Order?'), and 1994, 'Between globalism and nationalism' (London, Merlin Press).
4. There is an enormous and growing body of literature on globalisation, too vast to reference here. Summaries of the literature may be found, among other places, in William I. Robinson, Promoting Polyarchy: globalisation, US intervention, and hegemony (Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1996); Leslie Sklair, Sociology of the Global System (Baltimore, John Hopkins University Press, 1991); Malcolm Waters, Globalisation (London, Routledge, 1995). For specific points of debate among left scholars and activists, see, eg, diverse contributions in Ralph Miliband and Leo Panitch (eds), Socialist Register 1992, 'New World Order?'), and 1994, 'Between globalism and nationalism' (London, Merlin Press).
5. Thus my definition of globalisation goes beyond most conceptions that see the process as a quantitative one involving an acceleration in the pace of global interconnections and interdependencies (the objective dimension) along with our awareness of such interconnections (the subjective dimension). See Ronald Robertson, Globalisation: social theory and global culture (Newbury Park, Sage, 1992) for such a quantitative conceptualisation. The qualitative definition advanced here incorporates these objective and subjective dimensions but sees quantitative change as giving way to qualitative change. My argument is that the modern world system has gone through successive waves of global interconnections, each of which has deepened webs of relations and further broken down autonomies, but that the current epoch is a qualitatively new phase. See Immanuel Wallerstein, The Modern World System (New York, Academic Press, 1974) , and world system and dependency literature in general for the notion that, in this quantitative conception, there is nothing new in globalisation as worldwide interconnections, and see Eric Wolf's brilliant study, Europe and the People Without History (Berkeley, University of California Press, 1982), on how such webs of interconnections span back centuries, if not millennia.
6. Thus my definition of globalisation goes beyond most conceptions that see the process as a quantitative one involving an acceleration in the pace of global interconnections and interdependencies (the objective dimension) along with our awareness of such interconnections (the subjective dimension). See Ronald Robertson, Globalisation: social theory and global culture (Newbury Park, Sage, 1992) for such a quantitative conceptualisation. The qualitative definition advanced here incorporates these objective and subjective dimensions but sees quantitative change as giving way to qualitative change. My argument is that the modern world system has gone through successive waves of global interconnections, each of which has deepened webs of relations and further broken down autonomies, but that the current epoch is a qualitatively new phase. See Immanuel Wallerstein, The Modern World System (New York, Academic Press, 1974) , and world system and dependency literature in general for the notion that, in this quantitative conception, there is nothing new in globalisation as worldwide interconnections, and see Eric Wolf's brilliant study, Europe and the People Without History (Berkeley, University of California Press, 1982), on how such webs of interconnections span back centuries, if not millennia.
7. Thus my definition of globalisation goes beyond most conceptions that see the process as a quantitative one involving an acceleration in the pace of global interconnections and interdependencies (the objective dimension) along with our awareness of such interconnections (the subjective dimension). See Ronald Robertson, Globalisation: social theory and global culture (Newbury Park, Sage, 1992) for such a quantitative conceptualisation. The qualitative definition advanced here incorporates these objective and subjective dimensions but sees quantitative change as giving way to qualitative change. My argument is that the modern world system has gone through successive waves of global interconnections, each of which has deepened webs of relations and further broken down autonomies, but that the current epoch is a qualitatively new phase. See Immanuel Wallerstein, The Modern World System (New York, Academic Press, 1974) , and world system and dependency literature in general for the notion that, in this quantitative conception, there is nothing new in globalisation as worldwide interconnections, and see Eric Wolf's brilliant study, Europe and the People Without History (Berkeley, University of California Press, 1982), on how such webs of interconnections span back centuries, if not millennia.
8. James O'Connor, 'A Red-Green politics in the United States?', Capitalism, Nature, Socialism (Vol.5, No.1, March 1994), pp.1-19.
9. On social structures of accumulation, see David M. Kotz, Terrence McDonough and Michael Reich, Social Structures of Accumulation: the political economy of growth and crisis (Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1994).
10. These notions of a global social structure of accumulation, a transnational elite, and a global agenda of this transnational elite, are discussed in detail in Robinson, op. cit. See also William I. Robinson, 'Pushing polyarchy: the US-Cuba case and the Third World', Third World Quarterly (Vol.16, No.4, 1995), pp.643-59.
11. These notions of a global social structure of accumulation, a transnational elite, and a global agenda of this transnational elite, are discussed in detail in Robinson, op. cit. See also William I. Robinson, 'Pushing polyarchy: the US-Cuba case and the Third World', Third World Quarterly (Vol.16, No.4, 1995), pp.643-59.
12. As far as I know, the term hyper-liberalism was first used by Robert W. Cox, in 'Global Perestroika', Socialist Register 1992, op. cit.
13. For more extended discussion and case studies on neo-liberalism, see Henk Overbeek (ed.), Restructuring Hegemony in the Global Political Economy: the rise of transnational neo-liberalism in the 1980s (London, Routledge, 1993) , and Robinson, Promoting Polyarchy, op. cit.
14. For more extended discussion and case studies on neo-liberalism, see Henk Overbeek (ed.), Restructuring Hegemony in the Global Political Economy: the rise of transnational neo-liberalism in the 1980s (London, Routledge, 1993) , and Robinson, Promoting Polyarchy, op. cit.
15. On this point, see Sklair, op. cit.
16. Regarding these transnational fractions in the North, see, among several important works, Stephen Gill, American Hegemony and the Trilateral Commission (Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1990); Robert W. Cox, Power, Production, and World Order: social forces in the making of history (New York, Columbia University Press, 1987). On these fractions in the South, see Robinson, Promoting Polyarchy, op. cit.
17. Regarding these transnational fractions in the North, see, among several important works, Stephen Gill, American Hegemony and the Trilateral Commission (Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1990); Robert W. Cox, Power, Production, and World Order: social forces in the making of history (New York, Columbia University Press, 1987). On these fractions in the South, see Robinson, Promoting Polyarchy, op. cit.
18. Regarding these transnational fractions in the North, see, among several important works, Stephen Gill, American Hegemony and the Trilateral Commission (Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1990); Robert W. Cox, Power, Production, and World Order: social forces in the making of history (New York, Columbia University Press, 1987). On these fractions in the South, see Robinson, Promoting Polyarchy, op. cit.
19. Karl Polanyi, The Great Transformation (New York, Rinehart, 1944).
20. On capitalism and territoriality, see John Gerard Ruggie, 'Territoriality and beyond: problematizing modernity in international relations', International Organisation (Vol.47, no.1, Winter 1993), pp. 139-74.
21. See, eg, David C. Ranney. The Evolving Supra-National Policy Arena (Chicago, University of Illinois at Chicago, Center for Urban Economic Development, 1993).
22. See, eg, Stephen Gill and David Law, 'Global hegemony and the structural power of capital', International Studies Quarterly (Vol. 33, no. 4, December 1989), pp.475-99.
23. See, eg, Michael Tanzer, 'Globalising the economy', Monthly Review (Vol. 47, no. 4, September 1995), pp.1-15; Samir Amin, 'Fifty years is enough!,' Monthly Review (Vol. 46, no. 11, April 1995), pp.8-50.
24. See, eg, Michael Tanzer, 'Globalising the economy', Monthly Review (Vol. 47, no. 4, September 1995), pp.1-15; Samir Amin, 'Fifty years is enough!,' Monthly Review (Vol. 46, no. 11, April 1995), pp.8-50.
25. These views are widespread. See, eg, Harry Magdoff, 'Globalisation - to what end?' in Socialist Register 1992, op. cit.; Alejandro Bendana, Hegemonia y Nuevo Orden Mundial (Managua, Centro de Estudios Internacionales, 1992); Robert Gilpin, The Political Economy of International Relations (Princeton, Princeton University Press, 1987).
26. These views are widespread. See, eg, Harry Magdoff, 'Globalisation - to what end?' in Socialist Register 1992, op. cit.; Alejandro Bendana, Hegemonia y Nuevo Orden Mundial (Managua, Centro de Estudios Internacionales, 1992); Robert Gilpin, The Political Economy of International Relations (Princeton, Princeton University Press, 1987).
27. These views are widespread. See, eg, Harry Magdoff, 'Globalisation - to what end?' in Socialist Register 1992, op. cit.; Alejandro Bendana, Hegemonia y Nuevo Orden Mundial (Managua, Centro de Estudios Internacionales, 1992); Robert Gilpin, The Political Economy of International Relations (Princeton, Princeton University Press, 1987).
28. Robert Dahl, Polyarchy: participation and opposition (New Haven, Yale University Press, 1971).
29. The issues in this 'thesis' are discussed at great length in Robinson, Promoting Polyarchy, op. cit. See also Barry Gills, Joel Rocamora, and Richard Wilson (eds), Low Intensity Democracy: political power and the New World Order (Boulder, Westview, 1993).
30. The issues in this 'thesis' are discussed at great length in Robinson, Promoting Polyarchy, op. cit. See also Barry Gills, Joel Rocamora, and Richard Wilson (eds), Low Intensity Democracy: political power and the New World Order (Boulder, Westview, 1993).
31. These UN figures (both ECLAC and FAO) were reported in La Jornada (Mexico City, 6 October 1995).
32. They were also reported in 'Poverty remains pervasive throughout Latin America', Chronicle of Latin American Economic Affairs (Latin America Data Base, Latin American Institute, University of New Mexico, Vol. 11, no. 1, 4 January 1996).
33. The following data is from UNDP, Human Development 1994 (New York, Oxford University Press).
34. A. Sivanandan, 'New circuits of imperialism', Race & Class (Vol.30, no.4, April-June 1989), pp.1-19.
35. US Bureau of the Census, as cited in Jerry S. Kloby, 'Increasing class polarization in the United States' in Berch Berberoglu (ed.), Critical Perspectives in Sociology (Dubuque, Iowa, Kendal/Hunt, 1993), pp.27-43. The following data is from the Bureau, as cited by Kloby, unless otherwise indicated.
36. For example, see discussion by Sivanandan, op. cit. , and, on the specific case of Latinos in the United States, see William I. Robinson, The global economy and the Latino populations in the United States: a world systems approach', Critical Sociology (Vol. 19, no. 2, 1992), pp.29-59.
37. For example, see discussion by Sivanandan, op. cit. , and, on the specific case of Latinos in the United States, see William I. Robinson, The global economy and the Latino populations in the United States: a world systems approach', Critical Sociology (Vol. 19, no. 2, 1992), pp.29-59.
38. For one example, note the decadent spread of golf courses and sex tourism in Asia for Asian (male) elites, as discussed in Malee Traisawascichai, 'Chasing the little white ball', New Internationalist (No. 263, January 1995), pp. 16-17.
39. See, eg, Mike Zielinski, 'Armed and dangerous: private police on the march', Covert Action Quarterly (No. 54, Fall 1995), pp.44-50.
40. On such urban social and physical restructuring bound up with globalising processes, see, among the recent 'global cities' literature, Mike Davis's City of Quartz (London, Verso, 1990) , and 'The four-gated city', Crossroads (No. 5, November 1990), pp.9-15.
41. On such urban social and physical restructuring bound up with globalising processes, see, among the recent 'global cities' literature, Mike Davis's City of Quartz (London, Verso, 1990) , and 'The four-gated city', Crossroads (No. 5, November 1990), pp.9-15.
42. UNDP 1994 report.
43. There is a very important burgeoning literature on global environment and society, including the journal Capitalism, Socialism, Nature. A useful introduction is John Bellamy Foster, The Vulnerable Planet (New York, Monthly Review, 1994) and theoretical critique of capitalism and the environment is Martin O'Connor (ed.), Is Capitalism Sustainable? Political economy and the politics of ecology (New York, Guilford Press, 1994). The racial dimensions of environmental issues should not be underemphasiszed, including the conscious shift by the transnational elite of the most ecologically-destructive and dangerous phases of global production to the South and/or into Third World communities in the North. See, eg, John Foster Bellamy, 'Let them eat pollution: capitalism and the world environment', Monthly Review (Vol. 44, no. 8, January 1993), pp.10-20; and the entire special issue of Crossroads dedicated to environmental racism (No. 20, April 1992).
44. There is a very important burgeoning literature on global environment and society, including the journal Capitalism, Socialism, Nature. A useful introduction is John Bellamy Foster, The Vulnerable Planet (New York, Monthly Review, 1994) and theoretical critique of capitalism and the environment is Martin O'Connor (ed.), Is Capitalism Sustainable? Political economy and the politics of ecology (New York, Guilford Press, 1994). The racial dimensions of environmental issues should not be underemphasiszed, including the conscious shift by the transnational elite of the most ecologically-destructive and dangerous phases of global production to the South and/or into Third World communities in the North. See, eg, John Foster Bellamy, 'Let them eat pollution: capitalism and the world environment', Monthly Review (Vol. 44, no. 8, January 1993), pp.10-20; and the entire special issue of Crossroads dedicated to environmental racism (No. 20, April 1992).
45. There is a very important burgeoning literature on global environment and society, including the journal Capitalism, Socialism, Nature. A useful introduction is John Bellamy Foster, The Vulnerable Planet (New York, Monthly Review, 1994) and theoretical critique of capitalism and the environment is Martin O'Connor (ed.), Is Capitalism Sustainable? Political economy and the politics of ecology (New York, Guilford Press, 1994). The racial dimensions of environmental issues should not be underemphasiszed, including the conscious shift by the transnational elite of the most ecologically-destructive and dangerous phases of global production to the South and/or into Third World communities in the North. See, eg, John Foster Bellamy, 'Let them eat pollution: capitalism and the world environment', Monthly Review (Vol. 44, no. 8, January 1993), pp.10-20; and the entire special issue of Crossroads dedicated to environmental racism (No. 20, April 1992).
46. There is a very important burgeoning literature on global environment and society, including the journal Capitalism, Socialism, Nature. A useful introduction is John Bellamy Foster, The Vulnerable Planet (New York, Monthly Review, 1994) and theoretical critique of capitalism and the environment is Martin O'Connor (ed.), Is Capitalism Sustainable? Political economy and the politics of ecology (New York, Guilford Press, 1994). The racial dimensions of environmental issues should not be underemphasiszed, including the conscious shift by the transnational elite of the most ecologically-destructive and dangerous phases of global production to the South and/or into Third World communities in the North. See, eg, John Foster Bellamy, 'Let them eat pollution: capitalism and the world environment', Monthly Review (Vol. 44, no. 8, January 1993), pp.10-20; and the entire special issue of Crossroads dedicated to environmental racism (No. 20, April 1992).
47. See the SACP's 'Strategy and tactics document' adopted at its ninth congress in April 1995, in particular the section 'Socialism is the future: build it now', reprinted in Crossroads (No. 55, October 1995).
48. See the SACP's 'Strategy and tactics document' adopted at its ninth congress in April 1995, in particular the section 'Socialism is the future: build it now', reprinted in Crossroads (No. 55, October 1995).
49. On the Sao Paulo Forum, see William I. Robinson., 'The Sao Paulo Forum: is there a new Latin American Left?' Monthly Review (Vol. 44, no. 7, December 1992), pp. 1-13; and on the PP21, see 'Post-NAFTA politics: learning from Asia', Monthly Review (Vol. 46, no. 2, June 1994), pp. 12-21.
50. On the Sao Paulo Forum, see William I. Robinson., 'The Sao Paulo Forum: is there a new Latin American Left?' Monthly Review (Vol. 44, no. 7, December 1992), pp. 1-13; and on the PP21, see 'Post-NAFTA politics: learning from Asia', Monthly Review (Vol. 46, no. 2, June 1994), pp. 12-21.