Globalisation: Jihad and McWorld

Benjamin Barber explains the occurrence of two contradictory phenomena. He names them “Jihad” and “McWorld”. He explains “McWorld” like globalization we understand today with “a market imperative, a resource imperative, an information-technology imperative, and an ecological imperative” but beyond simple interpretation, it describes a moving away from democracy. Barber claims “McWorld” promises a lot (as for globalization), however “at the cost of independence, community and identity.” To the correct running of “Mcworld”, is needed freedom, tranquility and a no war state. The author sites Saddam Hussein as in example, explaining, if not for thriving war with neighboring countries, no intervention would have been likely on the bases of his many crimes. Through Barber, McWorld is thriving for peasable undisturbed economic activity at the expense of other values. Governments are also omitting certain powers to international institutions in which Barber explains “International law ceases to be vision of justice and becomes a workday framework.”
“Jihad” expresses a strong will for nationalism. “More than thirty wars in progress last year, most of them ethnic, racial, tribal, or religious in character” explained Benjamin Barber. He furthers his argument with Soviet Georgia haven gained independence and now facing demands of independence by Ossetians and Abkhasians (minorities in the state). These claims hold true when observing the many ethnic and religious conflicts that have arisen this past decade. It is possible that in the midst of being open to and now connected to the millions across the world, individuals search for their own identity and belonging and attempt to figure out what is right amongst all the bads that flow through nations. Maybe as a reaction to the visible negative aspects of globalization, groups feel a need to isolate and regroup themselves for their own benefit. Some say the problems are deep rooted and have just been surfacing more these past years. It visibly clear that “Jihad” is happening but I am not completely convinced that it is in big part due to globalization or to be associated to globalization. I believe it has been mediated more now a days, but has been around since and just plainly reflects certain people’s true wants without needing to go into globalization.
I do not agree however to the claim that democracy and globalization cannot move together. I think people and governments are realizing even more now the drawbacks to globalization and are securing for safer advance towards further advancement. Each country and government searches for their own interest in globalization, so the final outcome will be whatever the people choose benefits them best. I think most people rather obey and listen to their own government then some foreign institution, so local governments won’t lose power nor agree to give up all authority and control.