Globalisation

I just picked up a magazine produced by our trade union – Amicus. There was a brief mention of how so many ‘quality jobs are being lost to cheap labour in countries like Poland’.

This reminded me a question that I never end up asking or resolving. Globalisation, especially the free movement of labour, will result in wage equalisation – at least to some extent. From a left-wing global humanist perspective, how can this be a bad thing? I think the more jobs and money and resources, that flow out of wealthy nations like the UK, US, Australia etc into poorer countries, the better. The mini-globalisation process in the EU is a perfect example. London, and even the South West of England now, is being flooded with cheap, and often skilled, labour from eastern European countries. Why do anti-globalisation demonstrators want to prevent this free movement of wealth between countries? I thought they came from the left?

I admit openly that I am under-briefed on this issue. But assuming that there is no exploitation of cheap labour – which there isn’t when people are legally competing for jobs in a regulated labour market such as the UK – where is the problem? Again I would be making assumptions about the regulation of industries and especially tight controls on the activities of trans-national corporations, but the free movement of labour and removal of protectionist trade policy can only be a good thing for developing countries can’t it? (again, can I re-iterate the assumption I am making about the domestic policies of developing nations regarding the role that TNCs are allowed to play in their nation – which gives me the feeling that the crux of the argument against globalisation might be related to this point – in which case protestors are possibly barking up the wrong tree and should be lobbying the IMF/World Bank to encourage such policy – then again maybe they are…. ). Am I being too micro-economically minded here? Some input - for and against – would be appreciated.

Meanwhile, I have 7 days of work left – two of which will be taken up with the oft mentioned seminars and five of which will be used to write a paper that looks like an options appraisal to the naked eye, but is actually the plans for a Marxist revolution.

Trent and Amanda have moved into our place and will take on the mantle of Kings of Kilburn when Lucas and I abdicate from the position to go and find our fortunes in the East.

The network is down at work so I am not able to access any documents I need to work on – and am typing this in Word. Did deadlifts at the gym yesterday and my legs are feeling great – I want to charge up stairs and through doors to use the explosive potential that this exercise unlocks. Just a quick note to all sportspeople – focus on the posterior chain for improved sporting strength, balance and quickness (that would be calves, hams, glutes, erector spinae – and core in general, lats, traps and delts).

Longest day of the year today (or shortest for you Southern Hemisphere lot).

Why does time fly when I write a page of whatever I want compared to a page of something for work, when time seems to freeze and my body has a physical rejection of what I am trying to do (nail biting, agitation, tight shoulders, sweat, hunger, blurred vision)?