Macroscope | How China exemplifies the double edged sword of globalisation
A large number of Western workers feel their livelihoods have disappeared because of globalisation, but their true interests lie in the embracing of change
It might seem bizarre to mention Dreamworks’ Kung Fu Panda alongside the political platform of US Presidential hopeful Donald Trump but both actually represent a different facet of globalisation.
Similarly, Marvel superhero Iron Man could be juxtaposed with German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s qualms about Chinese steel production as expressed in her recent visit to Beijing.
Even China’s appetite for pork can be coupled with the imminent British referendum on membership of the European Union (EU).
In each case the first set of examples exemplify a way in which Western companies and agriculturists have tapped into rising affluence in China, in part a consequence of globalisation, to create a profitable market for Western products.
The latter three examples reflect, to varying degrees, the fact that globalisation, which by definition has involved the transfer of some jobs to lower-cost manufacturing centres including China, has had a detrimental impact on the employment prospects of many in the West.
