Globalization versus internationalization - some implications

For all the sins historically committed by the nation, it is still our basi c locus of community and policy. Although national boundaries are changeabl e, they are far from arbitrary either historically, culturally, or politica lly. The nation, along with international federations of nations, must not be sacrificed to the unexamined ideal of 'globalization' which, when examin ed, turns out to be unfettered individualism for corporations on a global s cale. Paradoxically, globalization even undercuts our ability to deal with irreducibly global problems such as climate change, because nations with po rous borders are not able to carry out any effective national economic poli cies, including the ones that they agreed to in international environmental treaties. The IMF and the World Bank are abandoning internationalization a nd promoting globalization, contrary to the interests of their member natio ns, and to the intent of their charter. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.