Globalization and the Welfare State

Paper Summary:

This paper examines three articles, Mark Weisbrot's , "The Scorecard on Globalization, 1980-2000: Twenty Years of Diminished Progress", an International Monetary Fund article, "Globalization: Threat or Opportunity?" and Robert Estes' , "Trends in Social Development, 1970-1995: Development Prospects For a New Century," in order to determine how globalization has impacted the European welfare state. It then
attempts to determine why the social welfare state developed differently in Great Britain compared to other Western European states and why the different origins of social welfare states produced varied patterns of globalization policy development, and vice versa. In particular, it focuses on the impact of globalization on the fall of the social welfare state in Great Britain, for many economists have linked the growing inequality of income and wealth throughout Western Europe to globalization.

From the Paper:

"Economic globalization is expanding and accelerating because capitalist institutions, ideology, and behaviors pervade much of the global economy. This translates into the dominance of capitalist market systems, market values, and market mechanisms. The reality of the world economy, however, is much more complex, and many people are increasingly frustrated by the negative economic aspects of globalization, for macroeconomic theory doesn't seem to affect them much, but a lost job because their company transfers its production facilities overseas because of cheaper labor does
affect them. "

Sample of Sources Used:

• Estes, R. (1998). "Trends in Social Development, 1970-1995: Development Prospects For a New Century." Journal of Developing Societies. Volume 14. No. 1.1998.
• "Globalization: Threat or Opportunity?" (April 12, 2000). IMF. Online. Available: http://www.imf. org/external/np/exr/ib/2000/041200.htm#V. 29 November 2006.
• Weisbrot, Mark. (July 11, 2001). "The Scorecard on Globalization, 1980-2000: Twenty Years of Diminished Progress." Center for Economic and Policy Research. Washington D.C. Online. Available: http://www.cepr.net/publications/globalization _2001_07_11.htm. 30 November 2006.

More papers on Globalization and the Welfare State:

• Research Paper # 118876 : "Origins and Possible Renewal of the Welfare State"
• Essay # 83817 : "The Welfare State"
• Research Proposal # 100125 : "Social Welfare, Globalization and Great Britain"

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