The globalization trap
The globalization trap. The attack on democracy and prosperity is a non-fiction book by Harald Schumann and Hans-Peter Martin , which was published in 1996. At that time, both authors were editors of the news magazine Der Spiegel .
content
The book deals primarily with the effects of globalization . It describes a growing social division as a result of the “delimitation” of the economy and a loss of state political control over the economic development that is increasingly being controlled by global corporations. The authors warn against a so-called "20 to 80 society" .
They describe how the term one- fifth society came up at a conference at the invitation of Mikhail Gorbachev of what he called the Global Brain Trust of 500 leading politicians, business leaders and scientists from all continents from September 27 to October 1, 1995 in the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco . At this conference, Hans-Peter Martin was allowed to take part in all working groups as one of three journalists.
The book describes a significant decrease in the amount of work that can be done by one-fifth of the world's workforce, caused by increased productivity, with four-fifths of those able to work remaining without productive work.
The participants of the conference construct a global vision of the future beyond modernity for the era after the fall of communism : “Rich countries without any notable middle class” will have to take care of the future 80% of “globalization losers” with the help of tittytainment - one of Zbigniew Brzeziński at the meeting coined term from tits and entertainment , d. H. of nutrition and numbing, sexualized entertainment, a modern twist on " bread and games ".
The authors predict an enormous number of unemployed people who might still find shelter in poorly paid community work. In addition to the observable consequences of free foreign exchange and trading markets, they describe how an 80:20 distribution already exists in many areas worldwide, and explain the resulting and conceivable economic, social and political consequences of this.
With over 800,000 copies sold, the book became a worldwide bestseller and has now been translated into 27 languages.
pads
- The globalization trap. 10th edition. Rowohlt Verlag, November 1998, ISBN 3-499-60450-7 (paperback, online ).