My points revolve around outsourcing being a business advantage. I understand that there is a gap (widening) between the middle class and the lower classes of many countries. However, I would argue the transition from a society of relatively no middle class, to a growing middle class, despite the gap between the middle class and lower class, is better than a country without a true middle class. It is illogical to believe all members of a society can overnight move up to the middle class. It is a process, and a lengthy process. I believe globalization is the start of the process for the lower class of the developing economies of China, India, and other emerging countries.

I don’t doubt there are severe work conditions throughout emerging countries, and other non-emerging countries. Those individuals subject to the severe work conditions are not gaining physically nor mentally by the globalization. However, with increasing globalization, crimes against humanity (if you will) are gaining publicity, and with increased publicity comes increased scrutiny.

While I agree the economists you reference should be involved in the discourse on globalization, we no longer live in a world where the discourse is limited to only a select few - hence, the flattening, globalization of our world. To suggest only a select few should provide the discourse flies in the face of your comments about the widening gap between the haves and have nots.

Surprisingly, my reading of Friedman’s book is not an endorsement of his views. Rather, it is a reflection on my desire to better understand the world in which we live. I have previously read the NYTimes transcript you reference, and took the time this evening to reread the transcript. Thank you for directing me once again to the read. It confirms for me that there is not a clear cut outlook as you may lead me to believe.

At your suggestion, I will endeavor to read Aronica and Ramdoo. However, I note all your counter-perspective comes from that one source. If your implication is that I’m promoting a biased, one-sided view of globalization based on one book I’ve read (reading), the same could be said for you and your recommendation for one text and it’s supporting documentation as the source on globalization.

Similarly newspaper reports have pointed out how Chinese workers are working in apalling conditions, to chhurn out the low cost products, with poor pay, cramped rooms, no accident or health insurance benefits, no job security, no overtime, long working hours - so who is actaully benefiting from this sort of globalization? Corporates ofcourse, and the few privileged people of India nd China who have been able to get educated in engineering and technology! Not the vast majority of population.

I would much rather the discourse on Globalization came from economists like Joesph Stiglitz , Paul Krugman (Princeton), Pankaj Ghemawat (Harvard)etc. Ted Koppel interviews Friedman and Joseph Stiglitz, who ofcourse doesnt find a mention in Friedman’s book.
http://select.nytimes.com/2006/04/25/opinion/25friedman-transcript.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all&oref=slogin

The small, but interesting book, by Aronica and Ramdoo, “The World is Flat? A Critical Analysis of Thomas Friedman’s New York Times Bestseller,” offers a counterperspective to Friedman’s.

It is a small book compared to the 600 page tome by Friedman, and aimed at the common man and students alike. As popular as the book may be, some reviewers assert that by what it leaves out, Friedman’s book is dangerous. The authors point to the fact that there isn’t a single table or data footnote in Friedman’s entire book.

“Globalization is the greatest reorganization of the world since the Industrial Revolution,” says Aronica.

You may want to see http://www.mkpress.com/flat
and watch http://www.mkpress.com/flatoverview.html
for an interesting counterperspective on Friedman’s
“The World is Flat”.

Also a really interesting 6 min wake-up call: Shift Happens! http://www.mkpress.com/ShiftExtreme.html

There is also a companion book listed: Extreme Competition: Innovation and the Great 21st Century Business Reformation
http://www.mkpress.com/extreme
http://www.mkpress.com/Extreme11minWMV.html