The Reader's Respond: "Assessing Globalization Benefits and Drawbacks of Trade and Integration"

The author mentions that: ‘even though they (publics) believe global trade and free markets can lead to economic growth, they realize this growth will not benefit everyone equally.’ I do not think it is entirely true.

First of all, everyone admits and recognizes the rising production and trans-continental trading have given consumers in general more goods to buy and more services to enjoy. Untapped natural resources such as oil, gas and lumber in developing countries can be exploited and utilized for manufacturing with the technical and financial support from developed countries. With hiking total output, the global economic boom follows and wealth is created. The problem arises when the wealth is distributed to each individual and the author claims that globalization causes more unequal distribution of wealth and increases the economic gap between the poor and the rich.

Even though I agree the gap is increasing, the true reason behind it is not globalization. It is the fault of the social system or the problem of the government. Globalization expands the cake into a larger size, but it is the government that is responsible for distributing the cake to its own citizens. There may be corruptions, structural inefficiency, administrative inefficiency and lack of comprehensive information. Because not everyone has the same share, proper and sufficient information is needed for the “distributor” to fairly and accurately ration out the cake. Unfortunately, such perfect information never exists in reality. Due to human errors and other unforeseen random errors, inefficiency during the process of distribution of the wealth always is inevitable.

In conclusion, globalization is not the true reason for inequality of distribution of wealth; it is some invisible factors during the process or the structure that causes the increasing gap. 

SUMMARY:"Assessing Globalization Benefits and Drawbacks of Trade and Integration"

There are vastly different views about globalization between developed countries and developing countries. In western countries, the supporting number has been shrinking as people worry about the increasing wealth gap, environmental pollutions and excessive inflow of immigrates who seek better job opportunity and education. Unfair distribution of resources and social instabilities may arise. The United States is blamed for cultural penetration and invasion and many countries try to preserve their cultures against Americanization. However, most developing countries advocate globalization and recognize the economic growth due to market expansion, free market and international trade. Moreover, the governments embrace multinational companies and foreign investments. Different political parties, social hierarchies and countries have polarized views.