Prime Minister Mahathir warned that it was dangerous for developing countries to embrace globalization. He noted that its negative consequences were seldom mentioned or instead blamed on bad governance, corruption and cronyism. Pointing to the glaring income gaps between industrialized and developing nations as proof, he added that the benefits of trade liberalization were still far from reaching developing countries. President Mugabe said that Africa did not yet have the capacity to enter the global village, as the continent was still grappling to set up basic necessities such as good roads, railways, and transport. The concerns of the critics We have to be very careful to distinguish among what different groups are saying.
Some critics are isolationists who are opposed to the process of globalization.
For instance, some who argue for stronger labor standards and better environmental standards undoubtedly use those issues as a cover for protectionism. But there is a genuine problem in both of those areas, and some who raise those issues want a better globalization, not necessarily its reversal. Similarly, not all the critics of the international financial institutions want to end globalization. In short, they too want what they see as a better globalization. Nor should we too quickly dismiss all the concerns of the developing country leaders - whether it is about the distribution of power and wealth in the world economy, or about industrial country markets that remain closed to their agricultural and textile exports.