Wealth concentration was the goal, globalization was the means. The rich saw a great arbitrage opportunity in the fact that the price of labor (and its legal rights) in the developing world was much lower than in the first world.
In the late 90s, there was a big political struggle over globalization.
The pro-globalists (the economic establishment and the Clinton administration) argued that it would (A) grow the economy (based on comparative advantage), (B) enrich the developing world, and (C) push them towards liberal democracy, as a consequence of having a richer middle class.
The anti-globalists (mainly left-wing opposition) argued that it would (D) destroy the working class in the first world, (E) shift the balance of power enormously in the favor of corporations, (F) destroy the developing world too.
The pro-globalization side won the fight completely: the WTO was established, China was brought into the global trade system, etc.
Twenty years on, it is clear that both sides were partially right. The pro-global side was right about A and B, and wrong about C. The anti-global side was right about D and E, and wrong about F.
Strangely, the anti-global side disappeared entirely from the public discussion; in fact, that entire period of history seems to have been memory-holed with incredible rapidity. Even as D (the destruction of the working class in the developed world) was brought into the 2016 presidential campaign as one of the main issues (by Sanders and, surprisingly, by Trump), nobody seemed to recall the anti-globalization protests of the 90s. None of the activists from back then came out of the woodwork to say "we were right!"; no journalists went to look for them.
This should give pause to those who put trust in the media, even (especially?) the self-proclaimed progressive ones, like Vox.
Fascinating points you make, thank you for posting this.
Can you elaborate on what you mean when you say
"This should give pause to those who put trust in the media, even (especially?) the self-proclaimed progressive ones, like Vox"
Why does the media's lack of memory, and lack of pursuit of the anti-globalists, mean we should not have trust that what they report now is accurate? (Genuine question not trying to make a point with my question).
In the late 90s, there was a big political struggle over globalization. The pro-globalists (the economic establishment and the Clinton administration) argued that it would (A) grow the economy (based on comparative advantage), (B) enrich the developing world, and (C) push them towards liberal democracy, as a consequence of having a richer middle class. The anti-globalists (mainly left-wing opposition) argued that it would (D) destroy the working class in the first world, (E) shift the balance of power enormously in the favor of corporations, (F) destroy the developing world too.
The pro-globalization side won the fight completely: the WTO was established, China was brought into the global trade system, etc.
Twenty years on, it is clear that both sides were partially right. The pro-global side was right about A and B, and wrong about C. The anti-global side was right about D and E, and wrong about F.
Strangely, the anti-global side disappeared entirely from the public discussion; in fact, that entire period of history seems to have been memory-holed with incredible rapidity. Even as D (the destruction of the working class in the developed world) was brought into the 2016 presidential campaign as one of the main issues (by Sanders and, surprisingly, by Trump), nobody seemed to recall the anti-globalization protests of the 90s. None of the activists from back then came out of the woodwork to say "we were right!"; no journalists went to look for them.
This should give pause to those who put trust in the media, even (especially?) the self-proclaimed progressive ones, like Vox.