9.7 - Resistance to Globalization 

Globalization Post-World War II

• Growth of a Global Economy: Several organizations like the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), European Economic Union, Mercosur, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) facilitated the growth of a global economy from 1947 to the early 1990s.

• World Trade Organization (WTO): Established in 1995, the WTO took over GATT’s operations and became responsible for rules governing more than 90% of international trade. Critics argued that its closed meetings and rules favored corporate interests over public welfare.

Resistance to Globalization

The "Battle of Seattle" (1999)

• Protests: Over 40,000 protesters, including labor unions, family farmers, student groups, and environmentalists, disrupted a WTO conference in Seattle, drawing global attention to issues in the new global economy.

• Anti-Globalization Movement: The Seattle protests marked the beginning of the anti-globalization movement, which was one of the first social movements coordinated through the internet. Despite protests, the WTO remained influential, with China joining in 2001.

Reasons for Anti-Globalization Sentiment

• Hazards of Globalization: Critics featuring several issues, such as:

  • Child Labor: Over 2 million children involved in dangerous labor in cocoa-growing regions by 2015.

  • Harsh Working Conditions: Amazon warehouse workers faced intense pressure and risks of being fired for taking breaks.

  • Rana Plaza Collapse (2013): A factory collapse in Dhaka, Bangladesh, killed over 1,000 garment workers, featuring poor working conditions.

• Environmental Damage: Shipping products vast distances increased greenhouse gas emissions, and deforestation in Brazil for cattle farming worsened the climate crisis. Proponents of globalization pointed to positive examples like ecotourism in Costa Rica.