IDEOLOGIES OF GLOBALIZATION

by
Manfred B. Steger
Department of Politics and Government
Illinois State University
Objectives of this presentation:

• To establish that Globalization is not just an ideology, but a mature

one which dominates “The Contemporary World” (TCW);

• To present the 6 Core Claims of the Ideology of “Globalism” based

on the Article, “Ideologies of Globalization” by Manfred B. Steger;

• To conduct a “thought exercise” designed to bring the insights

gained to bear on the role of TCW teacher.
 Since its earliest appearance in the 1960s,
‘globalization’ has been used in both popular and
academic literature to describe a wide variety of
phenomena, including a process, a condition, a system,
a force, and an age. Given the different meanings of
these concepts, their indiscriminate usage invites
confusion.
 Globality

The term globality signifies a future social condition

characterized by thick economic, political, and cultural
interconnections and global flows that make currently
existing political borders and economic barriers irrelevant.
 Globality

It should not be assumed that ‘globality’ refers to a

determinate endpoint that precludes any further
development. Rather, this concept points to a particular
social condition destined to give way to new, qualitatively
distinct, constellations.
What is an Ideology?
• set of ideas
• committed to attain an ideal state
• through an organized political action
Components of Ideology
Components Examples

1. Values Communism: collectivist attitudes (Common good)

Democracy: individual freedom

2. Vision of an Ideal state Communism: withering of the state

Democracy: power to the masses

3. Conceptions of Human Communism: Marxist, i.e., Capitalists exploit workers

Nature Democracy: Liberalist,i.e., Man is born free, endowed with potentials

4. Strategy for action Communism: Communist Party control of public and private affairs
Democracy: Government interference in private affairs must be kept
to an absolute minimum.

5. Political Tactics Communism: Violent overthrow of Capitalism

Democracy: Popular political participation (Republicanism)
“Theories of Globalization” by Manfred B. Steger

Main Issues of the Article

• Is Globalization an Ideology or just a Process or

Condition ?

• Is “Globalism” a mature Ideology?

 Criteria for a mature Ideology
- Michael Freeden

Degree of:

1. Uniqueness and morphological sophistication

2. Ability to produce effective context-bound
responsiveness to a broad range of political issues
3. Conceptual decontestation chain

***According to Steger, Globalization has reached maturity as

an Ideology (globalism) as seen in its 6 Core Claims.
Claim 1: “Globalization” is about “liberalization” and
“global integration of Markets”.

 “Liberalization is liberation of markets from state

control.” The only role of government is to get out of the way - to remove barriers to
the free flow of goods, services and capital. (Neo-liberalism)

 “Integration of markets” is opening the country's

economy to free trade and competition
(shrinking in time and space -uniqueness of globalism)

regardless of the political and cultural preferences of

the local citizens. (Globalization vs Indigenization ?)
Clain 2: Globalization is inevitable and irreversible

• Determinist terms of globalization: inevitable, inexorable,

irresistible, irreversible
‘Globalization is inevitable and inexorable and it is
accelerating .... Globalization is happening, it’s going to
happen. It does not matter whether you like it or not, it’s
happening, it’s going to happen’.
Frederick W. Smith, chairman and CEO of FedEx Corporation
 “...it is the reality of the modern world”
Manny Villar

Globalization (global free market) is “providential” .

(a natural force for human survival)
Political implications:

 Political leaders simply carry out what is demanded by

Globalization
Claim 3: Nobody is in charge of Globalization

Globalization is ‘self-regulating market’

“Globalists” do not dictate.

 in the sense of imposing their own political agenda on
people

Globalization is not controlled by any individual, government

or institution
Claim 4: Globalization benefits everyone
(...in the long run)

1996 G-7 Summit

“Economic growth and progress in today’s interdependent world is bound up with the
process of globalization. Globalization provides great opportunities for the future, not only for
our countries, but for all others too. Its many positive aspects include an unprecedented
expansion of investment and trade; the opening up to international trade of the world’s most
populous regions and opportunities for more developing countries to improve their standards
of living; the increasingly rapid dissemination of information, technological innovation, and
the proliferation of skilled jobs. These characteristics of globalization have led to a
considerable expansion of wealth and prosperity in the world. Hence we are convinced that
the process of globalization is a source of hope for the future.”
Claim 4: Globalization benefits everyone
(...in the long run)

1996 G-7 Summit

• expansion of investment and trade
• opening up to international trade of the world's most
populous regions and opportunities for more developing
countries to improve their standards of living
• increasingly rapid dissemination of information
• technological innovation
• proliferation of skilled jobs
 9-11 was the greatest challenge to globalization

• Globalization shifted from economic globalism to military

globalism.
• US President Bush: “Free trade and free markets have
lifted the whole societies out of poverty - so the US will
work with individual nations, entire regions, and the global
trading community to build a world that trades in
FREEDOM and therefore grows in PROSPERITY.”
Claim 5: Globalization furthers the spread of
Democracy in the world

• Democracy is synonymous to freedom, free markets, free

trade
• Level of economic development is correlated to a
successful democracy.

globalization econ dev Middle class = Democracy

 But...
• Globalism limits the definition of Democracy by
emphasizing procedures (ex. voting), at the expense of
Direct participation.

• “Polyarchy” - the rule of the elected elite minorities; Voting

in elections is the only political participation of the citizens
vs
• Popular Democracy - political and economic power in the
hands of the masses
Claim 6: Globalization requires a global war on
terror

Like the previous claims, this final decontestation

chain attests to globalism’s political responsiveness and
conceptual flexibility. It combines the idea of economic
globalization with openly militaristic and nationalistic ideas
associated with the American-led global War on Terror
Claim 6: Globalization requires a global war on
terror
Logical contradictions of the claim
1. war on terror undermines the idea of “self-regulating
market” and historical 'inevitability'
2. enforcing democracy and freedom at gunpoint
conflicts with “liberty as absence of coercion.”
3. Anglo-american war on terror contradicts the
cosmopolitan, universal concept of globalization
New distinct regions of the world - by T.P.M. Barnett

I. Functioning Core or Core - globalization is thick of...

 network connectivity, financial transactions, liberal media
flows, collective security, transparency, rising standards
of living, more deaths by suicide than murder
 NAmerica, most of Europe, Australia, New Zealand,small
part of Latin America
II. Globalization is thinning or absent

 plagued by repressive political regimes, regulated

markets, mass murder, widespread poverty and disease

 Carribean rim, all of Africa, the Balkans, the Caucasus,

Central Asia, China, Middle East, much of SEAsia
III. Non-Integrating Gap or Gap

 breeding ground of global terrorists

 Middle East countries

• “Seam States” - those which lie along the Gap's bloody

boundaries
 Mexico, Brazil, SAfrica, Morocco, Algeria, Greece,
Turkey, Pakistan, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and
PHILIPPINES
Why war on terror?

• To increase the Core's immune system capabilities to

respond to 9-11 like perturbations
• To work on the Seam states to firewall the Core from
Gap's worst exports: terror, drugs, pandemics
• To Shrink the Gap...the middle east is the perfect place to
start
Has Globalism all the components of an ideology?
Components Globalism
(Presenter's view)

1. Values cultivation of consumerist identities in

people around the world

2. Vision of an Ideal state Functioning Core

3. Conceptions of Human Fundamentally economic

Nature
Global integration
4. Strategy for action

Violent war on terrorism

5. Political Tactics
 How is it to be a “globalized” TCW Educator?

My Challenge:
For your Activity:

• Questions for group discussion:

• What shift/s or changes should happen

among teachers of the contemporary world in terms of:
1. System of Thought or Cognition
2. Capabilities and Skills
3. Attitudes and Behaviors