--- Michael Smith <mjs at smithbowen.net> wrote: "But I rather think that some such crisis is probably the only thing that offers any hope at all of derailing the Globalization and Immiseration Express"
Let's change the subject and avoid the acrimony. Michael adds another dimension to the discussion: how do we oppose Globalization politically, under normal circumstances? Since Glblzn is widely associated with "free trade" laws like NAFTA and WTO, and since these have pummelled American workers, should we support the reverse of free trade, i.e. restrictive tariffs, protectionist measures, tax breaks for domestic job creation, etc.? Will these, as conventional wisdom has it, lead directly to a collapse of global trade, and Depression, as they did in the 30's?
BobW
> On 08/10/07 01:15:33 PM, Doug Henwood wrote:
>
> > What is it with people on the left? So eager to
> put 30 million people
> > out of work — the modern equivalent of the 1929–32
> rise in
> > unemployment — to make a political point!
>
> Though I am looking forward to the smashup, I don't
> believe that my
> wishing for it is going to make it happen -- or that
> my deprecating it
> would make it not happen.
>
> If it happens, it'll be the Big Boys' gift to those
> 30 million, not
> mine; I assume no responsibility for it. And the
> continued stable
> operation of the system appears certain to produce
> ever-increasing
> misery in any case, so it's not clear that I can
> even justly be
> reproached with hardness of heart.
>
> > (Or as Edmund Wilson said after the 1929 crackup:
> "One couldn't
> > help being exhilarated at the sudden unexpected
> collapse of that
> > stupid gigantic fraud.")
>
> That's part of it, of course. But I do also think it
> increases the
> likelihood of people getting so riled that they're
> willing to do
> something constructive -- perhaps after having
> vented their feelings
> first by hanging a few "investment bankers" from the
> nearest lamppost.
> (Hey, a guy can dream, can't he?)
>
> > But what guarantee would there be that
> > people would look to humane collective action in a
> crisis? They could
> > just as easily fall in step with jackbooted
> xenophobes.
>
> There are never any guarantees, are there? And no
> doubt some people
> would go for the JBXes. But I rather think that some
> such crisis is
> probably the only thing that offers any hope at all
> of derailing the
> Globalization and Immiseration Express. I don't
> think Clio offers us
> any danger-free options.
>
>
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