Jordan O'Connor
December 20th, 2005

The reason why globalization will never work is simple: money.

The Church of the Open Market

The belief that an open market will naturally do the moral thing is unfounded. In fact, there is little to suggest that an open market will even do the best economic thing. It’s not that the idea of globalization cannot work—it can…as an idea. However, as a reality there is simply no way. There is no illustration in Western history of the economy protecting society; in fact, Western commerce has historically been dependent upon slavery and the seizure of land.

“Buy Low…”

Much of the globalization boon seems to be built on a flash fire mentality, a “buy low, sell high” attitude, which doesn’t even amount to good, long term business success; moreover, it is dependent upon the subjugation of a great many people. The belief that a global market will bring freedom to the world is our modern, rich, white mantra; a philosophy equivalent to that of our not so distant past. When we set about to civilizing those peaceful, compassionate savages…Remember that one! And I am positive that we will look back upon these times with the same convenient self-loathing as we do when we look upon slave ships and the assimilation and genocide of the North American Indians.

Freedom on a Rack

So how is it that we bought this fairytale? And why do we think freedom lies within our choice to purchase? Such a datum means: if there are two things on the rack in a store, then I am more free then if there is one thing on the rack, but less free than if there are three things on the rack. This “one cookie good, two cookies better” philosophy is cute…when you are three! But not now…Now it is pathetic.

Individual vs. Collective

In Canada (and by extension the Supreme Court) we have said that to not privatize healthcare would infringe upon an individual’s freedom of choice, i.e., one’s right to choose a healthcare service or provider. But what this means is freedom is dependent upon individual choice. This makes sense in a certain light, but we don’t live in abstraction, in theory or in the ideal. The premise that we should all choose individually is dependent upon the collective accessibility of each one of us to choose. In short, it is a theory dependent on equality and we are not equal. This is why the idea is noble, but the reality tells an entirely different tale.

Me First!

If individual rights are more important then collective rights, then such endeavors as healthcare, education, public management of natural resources, including fisheries, fuel, also infrastructure, law, etc., are no longer seen as they pertain to a collective good but rather as they satisfy an individual good, expressed through one’s individual freedom to choose. Where once we may have thought such collective rights as healthcare and education to be of the highest order, now we see our individual interest as the means and measure of exercising our rights. However, such rights are what we could call secondary rights, which I would define as: rights with conditions. In this case the condition is fiscal, or, as I mentioned earlier…money. Yes money, the same reason why globalization will never work is the same reason why there is no such thing as absolute individual rights.

The Deals We Get From…

Do insurance companies give refunds? Do HMOs give you bonus coverage? As Canadians we hear horror stories of individuals in the USA losing everything because of a necessary surgery. However, Americans hear horror stories of Canadians waiting six months for a life saving surgery. There will always be a waiting list but the question is: is it right to avoid the list because you have money and someone else doesn’t? More importantly, is this freedom?

Born Lucky, Born Rich

The fact is, the success of privatization and globalization is dependent upon economic status. Money provides the choices, the “freedoms” and your choices and freedoms are contingent upon the money you have or don’t have. Ask yourself, if someone tells you that your freedom is being attacked because you cannot choose to go to a private healthcare facility, have they not put a price on your freedom, as well as the freedom of others? Have they not defined your freedom in a way that damns others, that establishes a type of caste system. Can we really afford to define freedom by saying if you have the money for a doctor then you have freedom, if you don’t have the money then you don’t? Is this really what freedom is all about? Is this really what business is all about?

Paying for a Front Spot in the Queue

Finally, I just want to say that the goal of globalization will fail as long as businesses depend upon a “buy low, sell high” structure. This flash burn methodology leaves many without food, homes, jobs and education. Even so globalization will carry on as long as we as individuals perpetuate the belief that one person can truly have freedom when others do not.

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