What is Globalism, Anyway?

Written by Frank Li

This question must be answered succinctly, especially to Americans in the era of “America First”. So, here is my answer:

1. Globalism is a reality. Thrive with it or become oblivion without it.
2. Globalism per se, as most Americans understand it, has been a lie, just like human rights (Human Rights: Yet Another Big and Fat Western Lie!) or even democracy (History 2.0: Western Liberal Democracy is a Big and Fat Lie!).

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Let me explain …

1. What is globalism?

Below is an excerpt from Wikipedia – Globalism.

Globalism is a term that has been used to refer to various systems with scope beyond the merely international, though in contemporary usage it is primarily used to refer to those that see globalization in a positive light, i.e. by detractors of globalization such as various national populist movements. While primarily associated with world-systems, other things with global reach have also been so described.

Historically, it has been associated with American imperialism in the post war period, but subsequently became more diffuse as the United States share declined as a portion of global trade. It is also frequently associated with collectivism.

2. Why is globalism fading in America?

Because America is fading, thanks to Democratic Socialism at home and Democratic Imperialism abroad!

More profoundly, globalism per se is a western lie rooted in 1492, when Christopher Columbus discovered the “new” world. It must therefore be corrected as part of History 2.0.

3. History 2.0

It is a widely accepted theory that the human species originated in Africa many million years ago, and then propagated to virtually all corners of the globe. Two points:

1. People changed from roaming to farming, settling down in a place called “home”.
2. People formed a community for their homes, which was expanded into a “country”.

Throughout human history, people, with or without a country, traded, and fought, with each other. However, all that changed to a new, a totally unprecedented, scale after 1492, when Christopher Columbus discovered the “new” world.

With guns in one hand and the Bible in the other, the West (e.g. Spain, Britain, and France) colonized not only the “new” world, but also almost entirely the rest of the old world, including China.

As a result, not only did the West become exceptionally rich, but the rest became exceptionally poor.

Along the way of this total global domination, the West invented many theories. Two big examples:

1. Democracy as a, if not the only, valid form of government.
2. Globalism, especially for “free trade”, including cross-Atlantic slave trade in the name of civilization and Christianity.

For more, read: History 2.0.

4. Today

China is back, thus ending western dominance over the past 200 years at least!

Yes, the two theories cited above are falling apart. Specifically,

1. Democracy, as we practice it today, is hopeless, especially when compared with the Chinese system: state capitalism. For more, read: What is China’s State Capitalism, Anyway?
2. Globalism: China is beating the West in its own game – global “free trade”, but without coercion (i.e. “free” trade)! The image below shows one perspective. For more, read: Free Trade and China.

For more on China, read: What is China, Anyway?

5. Discussion

Let me discuss the subject of globalism in six categories:

1. Capitalism.
2. Government.
3. The globe.
4. China.
5. America.
6. The globe, again.

5.1 Capitalism

Capitalism is the best thing ever happened to mankind. Capitalism has not only been feeding more and more people on the globe, but also created unprecedented prosperity around the globe. For example, it was capitalism that propelled the West ahead of China some 200 years ago, and it is state capitalism that has enabled China to lift more than 600 million people out of abject poverty over the past four decades, with a burgeoning middle class.

Capitalism has many endemic problems, not the least of which are its business cycles and the reckless pursuit of profits by some greedy capitalists. In other words, laissez faire capitalism, or anything laissez faire, has never really worked, and will never work! Two grand examples of disasters:

1. The Great Depression.
2. The Great Recession.

Both caused great misery to the society and both required great government interventions, although some Libertarians, such as Milton Friedman, have unintelligently (and irresponsibly) blamed the government as the direct (and sole) cause of these disasters. For more, read: Milton Friedman: A Man of the Past?

What, then, is the solution?

Counter-balance it with socialism, which is the job of a government!

5.2 Government

In an advanced world like ours, a successful country requires both capitalism and socialism, balancing them optimally. For example, capitalism creates extra-ordinary wealth for the able and lucky folks, while socialism, managed by the government, provides the less fortunate with a safety net, thus creating and maintaining a “harmonious” society.

Governance is hard. The image below highlights the point.

For more, read: Towards an Ideal Form of Government (Version 3).

5.3 The globe

With the advancement of technologies, especially in telecommunication and transportation, the globe has practically become smaller. As a result, many local things, from food to manufacturing, are becoming more globalized.

It is, therefore, mandatory that all countries work more cooperatively via global organizations like the United Nations, which was created at the end of World War II (to prevent World War III). Or we may become a laughing stock.

Very importantly, we must recognize that many western “things” (e.g. democracy and free trade) developed over the past 200 years may be proven wrong in the “new” norm, given the rise of the emerging economies, especially China.

5.4 China

China is arguably the greatest country in human history. Two facts:

1. China has the longest continuous civilization in human history.
2. Throughout human history, great civilizations have come and gone, with one major exception: China – come, almost gone, and come again!

So, anything big from China must be taken seriously by the West, from “free” trade to China’s new form of government: state capitalism.

One big note about China: China has been mostly a self-contained country for the past 2,000 years at least. How could anybody possibly say that China is now seeking world dominance? China just wants “free” trade, namely, trade without coercion!

Do not blame China for our own problems! For more, watch the short video below.

5.5 America

It’s time to shrink our global footprint, especially militarily, for one main reason: We are no longer needed everywhere, and we can no longer afford to be everywhere! For more, read: The Evil Military-Industrial Complex.

It’s time to forget about containing China (Don’t Mess with Nuclear-Armed China!) or Russia (Vladimir Putin: Don’t mess with nuclear-armed Russia). Work with them, instead! For more, read: President Trump in the Real World of Three New Kingdoms.

It’s time to focus on ourselves, starting with reforming our failing political system, as I have suggested (American Democracy – Why is it failing & how to fix it?)!

5.6 The globe, again

Africa appears to be waking up … Watch the short video below.

6. Closing

Once again, globalism is a reality. Thrive with it or become oblivion without it.

Now, please sit back and enjoy the long video below.

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