Make-believe Globalization

2010-11-09

Everywhere, we see and hear claims that we live in a global world. Companies have branches and chains all over the world, and can and do move or open offices, factories, and design centers where ever they feel price or quality is best. Governments even sometimes offer tax breaks or other subsidies to entice companies to relocate.

But, for individuals, things aren't so global. Obtaining the legal status to live and work in a foreign country is typically difficult, expensive, and unpredictable. There are only two ways that most people can legally move to another country: by marrying a person with citizenship or by gaining visa sponsorship from a company. The kinds of jobs available to immigrants are limited. For a citizen of the United States, one generally can teach English. Sometimes a company might send an American employee overseas. In rarer cases, a person might find a company in the foreign country to sponsor his/her visa, but will be at the mercy of her/his company for visa status. I have a close friend who attended both high-school and college in the U.S. After graduating, he work for one company, and then another in the U.S.. Both broke their promises to sponsor a decent visa, and took advantage of my friend in other ways (such as giving him fake health insurance). He eventually gave up his search for stable visa status and returned to his home country. Even if those companies had sponsored my friend, work visas are granted by random lottery, and require expensive lawyers in many cases. Other immigrants willing to do manual labor for low pay while at constant risk of deportation look for illegal jobs. They also often risk their lives in order to cross borders. Hatred towards immigrants is also common in many if not most countries.

Even short-term travel to another country is challenging for many people. Travel requires money and sufficient time off of work. A friend from India pointed out that he could never in his life have afforded a plane ticket to the United States if he hadn't received a fellowship to study here. The number of work hours and days in countries such as the United States and South Korea are sufficiently high to limit travel abroad. Many workers opt to spend their limited free time with family instead.

Note that my point here is not to argue that people should be entitled to live, work, and travel freely. Rather, I'm simply arguing that globalization has not yet happened for most people, whether from rich or poor countries.

Corporation can comfortably move around the world, while workers and travelers face major barriers. Globalization didn't just suddenly happen like everyone pretends it did. In many ways it hasn't happened at all. Many things will have to change about the way societies and governments function and are organized before the world is a truly global place. Migration is still most prevalent in extremely poor or oppressed populations. The immense pressures these people face help justify the risks and sacrifices required to move. Independently wealthy people may also find it easier to migrate because they can afford to hire lawyers to argue for legal status. The rest of us will have to wait for globalization.