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Rating: 
Summary: Not quite perfect, but good
Review: Despite the hyperbole of the title, John Micklethwait and Adrian Woodrige strive to make this a book that does not take on of the extreme positions on globalization -- IE, neither an attack on it, like One World Ready Or Not, nor a full on, pie-eyed endorsement, like The Lexus and The Olive Tree. This is kind of a head fake, because really they are pretty much in favor of liberalizing trade as much as possible. They acknowledge potential problems, but almost always explain them away with a pro-market argument. If you're a fan of the Economist (I am) you'll enjoy the book no matter what your views on globalization, because it's written with the smarts and humor of that magazine. It's also lucidly argued, and packed with solid research and interesting anecdotes collected from every corner of the planet, even if they do cut corners from time to time when the facts aren't going their way, and are kind of cavalier about the losers in globalization. The biggest blind spot -- and of course it's easy to say this with the benefit of hindsight -- is that the shrinking of the world via increased trade etc. is much more fragile than it seemed a couple of years ago. They do acknowledge this to some extent -- there's a lot of good historical examples sprinkled in -- but the current environment feels more like one of fragmentation than oneness. (The paperback version is worth picking because the new introduction at least deals with Sept. 11.) Nevertheless, A Future Perfect is a solid introduction to a topic that is still incredibly important.
Rating:
Summary: written like The Economist, which is a good thing
Review: Fans of the Economist, like myself, will likely enjoy this book; however, like The Economist, there are a few chapters that I had to struggle to get through.
Globalization has been presented in the major news channels as the Outsourcing of Jobs, which is like judging a car by its cup holders. Only when the stock market turned bearish and Clinton moved out of office did I begin to hear so many complaints about global competition. So, this book is a welcome change from the usual rantings.
I would hope for a later edition that explains more about the impact of electronic commerce on globalization, as well as an explanation of the international commodity markets as they work today.
For a book that lacks charts and graphs, the process and wholesale impact of globalization is covered well and fairly.
Rating: 
Summary: The best book on globalization!
Review: GLOBALIZATION is a process where people, things, ideas, capital and commerce is able to freely travel anywhere in the world. As a result, the notion of comparative advantages are becoming far more frequent. More people are exposed to competition than ever before, and this has been a good thing for most people (i.e., witness the cheaper and better American cars). Globalization has been very helpful in attacking the status quo -- entrenched, pesky bureacratic public sectors unions, who take their job as a right, not a privilage; getting workers to think more about productivity, since, if they do not succeed, operations can move elsewhere. Most important, I would say that globalization has reformed governments. As the book explains, there are still extremes on the left (Nader) and the right (Buchanan) who don't understand economics and are perfectly willing to harp on the same old course they've been on. But as this book explains, many governments are learning that they too are not immune from competition. Countries must open their borders up to foreign capital, privatize state services, come up with more flexible labor laws (i.e., France's radical law that forbids anyone from working more than 35-hours a week. However, without such a law, the average person in the U.S. works only 34 hours a week). I am even more excited about globalization after reading this book. It's very timely, written in the familiar prose found in The Economist, and well worth the money!
Rating:
Summary: The best book on globalization!
Review: GLOBALIZATION is a process where people, things, ideas, capital and commerce is able to freely travel anywhere in the world. As a result, the notion of comparative advantages are becoming far more frequent. More people are exposed to competition than ever before, and this has been a good thing for most people (i.e., witness the cheaper and better American cars). Globalization has been very helpful in attacking the status quo -- entrenched, pesky bureacratic public sectors unions, who take their job as a right, not a privilage; getting workers to think more about productivity, since, if they do not succeed, operations can move elsewhere. Most important, I would say that globalization has reformed governments. As the book explains, there are still extremes on the left (Nader) and the right (Buchanan) who don't understand economics and are perfectly willing to harp on the same old course they've been on. But as this book explains, many governments are learning that they too are not immune from competition. Countries must open their borders up to foreign capital, privatize state services, come up with more flexible labor laws (i.e., France's radical law that forbids anyone from working more than 35-hours a week. However, without such a law, the average person in the U.S. works only 34 hours a week). I am even more excited about globalization after reading this book. It's very timely, written in the familiar prose found in The Economist, and well worth the money!
Rating:
Summary: panoramic and informative
Review: Micklethwait and Wooldridge have written a crucial work on globalization, drawing from a wide array of current and recent events. It is hard to see the forest when you are in the midst of the trees, but these two lead the reader to reasonable perspectives about the current evolution of the world. Years of editing and reporting, under the aegis of the highly reputable British magazine, the Economist, has rendered they two young writers nothing short of wise at an early age. They write in general with more permanence than journalists do generally. Their inherent alienation from US precepts, as foreigners, makes their perspective on that country more vivid than one might expect. This book is essential equipment for the informed adult.
Rating:
Summary: Globalization not Americanization!
Review: Micklethwait and Woolridge go through great lengths to explain globalization in terms that support an American slant to the phenomena and provide a great counterargument against the global view of Americanization. The views and examples provided enlighten the reader through real people and events that reads like a novel. The authors provide great insight about the effects and consequences of globalization on the underdeveloped and poor. They reject the myth of the evil markets and explain the real problem of subsidies, government mismanagement, and inefficiencies. They detail successful recipes and inevitable failures with discussions on education, political systems and monetary reforms. The Future Perfect should be a must read before becoming a protestor or supporter of Globalization.
Rating:
Summary: Comprehensive depiction of globalization
Review: This book is a wonderfully complete analysis of the causes and effects of globalization. It examines the benefits, the winners and losers, and the facilitators or impediments of globalization. The authors take a truely global stance themselves by examining cases around the world, describing both the glorious benefits and the much more publicised unfortunate consequences of the evolution from local to national to global economic competition. A must read!
Rating:
Summary: The age's great shift made reasonably tangible
Review: This book is often funny and insightful and most importantly offers a good survey of the processes and challenges that make up one of man's great products-Globalization. Brilliance is seen in chapter 10 where the authors examine the notion of the Americanization of the world. The common beliefs are flipped on their heads as the authors explain how complaints of Hollywood corrupting the rest of the world are actually contrary to fact. It is actually the world's influence on Hollywood that makes its product less desirable. Fascinating insight like this is found throughout the book. Refreshing techniques are used to explain themes of Globalization keeping the reader engaged and willing to learn. At one point, the authors examine the "losers" of Globalization by taking individuals in different situations and examining their unique dilemmas. Thereupon, the authors tie together the disparate instances and look at all three from another angle in attempt to exonerate Globalization. This book IS an attempt to promote Globalization. Some times, the aim gets in the way of logic and what seems to be contradiction results. In the conclusion, the authors laud the free market, but (for some reason) do so through the eyes of the anti-free-market Karl Marx and come up with an unsatisfactory excuse for taxes (liberalism's self-doubt). This kind of contradiction is not uncommon throughout the text and as a result, many of the proofs are severely lacking. Even if the explanations don't contradict, they are not as thorough as the reader might hope. I would really have liked a better explanation of the riots in Seattle and a more thorough examination of the anti-Globalization movement as a whole. Statements that appear to end a chapter and theme seemed like they could have been doors to more complex and penetrating analysis. Despite these flaws, the text is a good read. It is clear and offers several concepts that will stimulate the keen reader.
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