>Marshall Feldman wrote: > >>Perhaps one should go back before 1980. Most arguments re. globalization >>allude to a transition in the SSA/MSR c. 1969. So comparing 1960 and >>1997 might be more to the point. > >What then becomes the non-globalized Other of this model? The crisis years >1929-45? The period of nonglobalization ran from 1945, or 1950, to 1969? > >Doug I agree with you Doug. Capitalism has been a global system since its earliest days. The capitalist core has migrated from Italy, to Northern Europe, to England, to North America, to Asia (is that next?), Etc. Trade, raw materials flows, etc. have also been global since capitalism's inception. The question is what we mean by globalization and how it's different from other, earlier forms of capitalism as a world system. In this, I think most people who argue the globalization line see cross-trading in manufactured goods as the distinguishing feature. Immediately preceding forms of overseas investment (e.g., GM buying Opel) were to penetrate foreign markets with manufacturing plants in those countries. Current globalization involves investment in overseas manufacturing for purposes of export from those countries. This, I think, is one of the distinguishing characteristics (another is global money flows, and I'm comfortable with the demise of Bretton Woods as the date for that). The other issue is how one periodizes history. This is always problematic because things don't just start and stop. I'm sure one can find manufacturing investment of the sort I described before 1960, just as one still finds international investment in raw materials. The theoretical question is when quantitity becomes quality. The crucial thing in the globalization argument is that globalization changed the terms of class struggle in the core countries (or at least contributed to that change). This argument does seem to make a certain amount of sense. Marsh Feldman Phone: 401/874-5953 Community Planning, 204 Rodman Hall FAX: 401/874-5511 The University of Rhode Island Internet: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Kingston, RI 02881-0815
