Explain and discuss the effects of economic globalization on the institutions of government and economics in the United States as illustrated by contemporary trends in these areas. Why is it important for social workers to become observers of trends in the social world?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

There is much agreement that economic globalization is pushing all countries toward some embrace of market capitalism. Two examples demonstrate some of the complexity of current globalization. First, let's look at the U.S.-based athletic shoe industry. The design and marketing of the shoes are typically done at headquarters in the United States by workers earning relatively high wages. The materials are produced, dyed, cut, stitched, and assembled and then packed and transported in work sites in South Korea, Taiwan, China, Indonesia, and the Philippines, primarily by women earning low wages. The shoes are sold globally but disproportionately to consumers in wealthy advanced industrialized countries. A second example involves the food we eat. In wealthy countries, we have become accustomed to having our favorite fruits and vegetables available year-round. We can have this because of the global food market. During the winter months, if we live in the United States, we can get grapes, apples, pears, apricots, cherries, peaches, and avocados from Chile and tomatoes, broccoli, bell peppers, cucumbers, and cantaloupe from Mexico. If we live in Japan, we might get pineapples and asparagus from Thailand; and if we live in Europe, we can buy strawberries, mangoes, and chilies grown in Kenya as well as organic fruits and vegetables from China. What do we know about the labor conditions under which the food on our table was produced? Corporations are constantly seeking cheaper labor sites to stay competitive. Much of the global economy is controlled by transnational corporations (TNCs). TNCs have become very powerful over the past several decades; in fact, UN data indicate that TNCs account for two thirds of world trade and hold most product patents. Most TNCs are headquartered in France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, or the United States. Social workers need to be aware of such trends in order to recognize widening social inequality and injustice, and to not only fight for relief for clients on the micro level, but to lobby for changes on the macro level.