1. SOSC 188 Lecture 18 The Globalization Project (IV): In Action

2. What’s Globalization? Globalization: The Corporate-led Mode Marketization ideology penetrates into Society The Legitimation crisis

3. What’s Globalization? It refers to multi-dimensional (economic, political, social/cultural) processes that dilute nation-state boundary and intensify worldwide social interdependence Debate: Is it a recent phenomenon (since the 1980s) or had it happened long time ago (since the 16 th century)?

4. The Corporate-led Globalization since the 1980s Neo-liberalism: Against the welfare state (in the West) and the developmental state (in the South) The state is seen as a barrier to the economy (the government is too big, too many rules, too big a public sector, taxes too high, welfare too generous, labor union too strong) Goal: revitalize the economy. Talk about competitive state, competitive economy

5. Programs of Globalization Marketization: Expand the role of the market, or dis-embedded the market from the state De-regulation: cut down the rules and regulations of the state Downsizing: cut down the size of the state bureaucracy Privatization: cut down the public sector, sell it off to provide more space for the private sector

6. Marketization ideology penetrates into Society The norms of productivity, efficiency, and hyper- competition become the yardstick to judge other institutions Examples : -- Education is to make money, becomes a seller’s market, degree (diploma, certificate) for sale, to attract customers -- Citizens are asked to engage in life-long learning to be competitive in the job market -- Hospital is asked to be profit-oriented, a user-pay perspective -- Welfare is treated as a waste because it creates lazy people

7. The Impact of Marketization ideology on Society Social Psychological: The competitive personality, the feeling of insecurity, short-sightedness Social Polarization due to cut backs in education, welfare, & health care, the poor gets poorer A divisive society : breakdown of solidarity and community, pit one group against another

8. The Legitimation crisis Citizens dissatisfaction increased- Expect the state provide more services, But the state ends up providing less The end of the social protection and social insurance The legitimation crisis of the state HK – 500,000 people rose up in July 1 protest in 2003 Rising protest everywhere in the world