Being told their governments are power less to contain the globalisation genie let out of the bottle in the 1980s is no salve for the disenfranchisement and anger so many Australians now feel. Those seeking to exercise political leadership in this country would do well to remember that most Australians still expect Government to develop economic policy which delivers economic prosperity, and provides for the vulnerable and disadvantaged. Joining a global race to the bottom will achieve neither. This disparity has blown out to grotesque proportions under globalisation, according to the tenth United Nations Human Development Report, released on Monday. The bottom fifth in the poorest countries had about one per cent in each category.
Globalisation hinders Governments' efforts to reduce the gap between rich and poor.
Of course, some ideologies and economic theories would not be in favour of such intervention. But, as the gap between the rich and poorer becomes more obvious in countries like Australia pressure will be on governments to intervene. And globalisation makes that more difficult. Of course, globalisation is not limited to the financial and economic spheres. Today, science and technology greatly impinge on international relations and foreign policy.