Consider the fate of culture. Longer production runs and more efficient production can mean a decent standard of living for everyone, or it can mean the more efficient production of shoddy products, bigger mountains of garbage, and less happiness for everyone. Unfortunately, we cannot avoid our problems by rejecting economic integration. Building walls around nations or regions doesn't guarantee economic development on a human scale. Often, protecting a political, industrial, and cultural establishment only makes it arrogant.
Global competition has both positive and negative aspects.
It means giving workers and entrepreneurs everywhere a fair opportunity to compete for markets. It also means allowing international corporations to use the desperation of workers in poor countries against those in wealthier ones. Making global economic integration work takes not one single great idea, but many wise decisions. That makes the question of who makes those decisions important. It also makes it particularly important to have a way to hold the decision-makers accountable.