Global Village or Global Pillage (Second Edition): Economic Reconstruction From the Bottom Up (Paperback)

by Jeremy Brecher (Author), Tim Costello (Author) "Capital can move around the world with less and less regard for national boundaries..." (more)
Key Phrases: downward leveling, labor rights advocates, upward leveling, United States, World Bank, Corporate Agenda (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"'Penetrating analysis... crisp and simple language... as revealing as it is succinct... an effective antidote to the mood of resignation before the omnipotence of transnational business institutions which pervades the political discourse of our times.' David Montgomery, The Nation; 'Popular in style... packed with memorable titles [and] subtitles... offers a thought-provoking and easily-read alternative. In the face of economic reductionism and market fundamentalism, this suggests not only a political but an ethical agenda.' Development and Change; 'This book is much more than a critique of the new economic world order. It's a practical guide for action for those who want to think globally and work locally on the economy, trade, and the environment.' Elaine Bernard, director, Harvard University Trade Union Program; 'Brecher and Costello's critique of the current drift of the world economy is devastating, but the greatest value of their book is to depict an emerging politics of grassroots resistance that creatively opens up a new range of radical possibilities.' Richard Falk, professor of International Law, Princeton University"

Product Description
'An extremely accessible account of the process of "globalization"...a practical guide to what people can do about it.' The Ecologist; A basic guide to globalization and how to challenge it on the grassroots level; In clear, accessible language, the authors describe how people around the world have started challenging the New World Economy. From the Zapatistas to students and workers in France to the broad-based anti-NAFTA and anti-GATT coalitions, opposition to economic globalization is becoming a worldwide revolt. Global Village or Global Pillage is the best guide available to globalization and how to challenge it.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 268 pages
• Publisher: South End Press; 2 edition (July 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0896085910
• ISBN-13: 978-0896085916
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,108,355 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Important Voice but Naive Faith, October 21, 1999

By A Customer

This book is a more political version of Ben Barber's Jihad vs. McWorld. It is thorough and broad on the Political/Economic front, and rather weak on the cultural front. The authors have a good understanding of the unchecked and immorally wielded power of the IMF, and see a margin of hope in strategic cooperation of NGOs. I believe their faith in the potential of these groups to effectively challenge the powers is naive, and could be refined with a deeper understanding of the totalitanian participation of mass culture in the designs of the IMF. Culture is a powerful shaper of worldview, and is inherently conservative (In the sense of resistant to evolution). A holistic approach is needed. Global Pillage is an important book, and is fairly readable, but would be hard for a newcomer to the movement to understand. It is well researched and thoughtful, and successfully avoids any taste of Ivory Tower irrelevance. I recommend this book, with the warning that real change will require a holistic cooperation to engage the society beyond the political realm.

7 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Countering the race to the bottom, July 10, 1998

By	Jeff S. Miholer [e-mail] (Eugene, Oregon U.S.A. (left side)) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Global Village or Global Pillage: Economic Reconstruction from the Bottom Up (Paperback)

This book combines perfectly the thorough criticism of academic literature and the accessibility of popular writing to clearly communicate how multinational corporations have played different population bases against one another and what those groups are doing to build a common set of standards to counter the race to the bottom. Written in plain language with hundreds of citations, Global Village is a book that unites scholar and layperson in an exploration of the spreading marketplace while avoiding both dogma and tediousness.