Human Inequality in Global Perspective

Human Inequality in Global Perspective

By A. Haroon Akram-LodhiSociety & CultureDocumentaryScienceSocial SciencesEducationCourses
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Human Inequality in Global Perspective episodes

  • EP 06 Globalization and development, 1995 to now – rhetoric or reality? PT 3: Transnational corporations and corporate power
    Globalization is the economic integration of trade, production and finance on a world scale. Principally demonstrated by an increasing trade-intensity of production, an increasing share of foreign direct investment in production, and an increasing share of portfolio investment in production, globalization is strongest in the production of manufactured goods that are increasingly assembled in the global factories that serve as the coordinates of international supply network. However, the slowdown in globalization that has happened since 2008 begs the question: is globalization inevitable? And if it is not, is it uniformly good?

    Part 3 of this Episode dissects the corporate power that has accrued to transnational corporations and the implications of that power.
    9 min
  • EP 06 Globalization and development, 1995 to now – rhetoric or reality? PT 2: Elements of the transnational corporation
    Globalization is the economic integration of trade, production and finance on a world scale. Principally demonstrated by an increasing trade-intensity of production, an increasing share of foreign direct investment in production, and an increasing share of portfolio investment in production, globalization is strongest in the production of manufactured goods that are increasingly assembled in the global factories that serve as the coordinates of international supply network. However, the slowdown in globalization that has happened since 2008 begs the question: is globalization inevitable? And if it is not, is it uniformly good?

    Part 2 of this Episode introduces transnational corporations as the central agent of the process of globalization.
    9 min
  • EP 06 Globalization and development, 1995 to now – rhetoric or reality? PT 1: What is globalization?
    Globalization is the economic integration of trade, production and finance on a world scale. Principally demonstrated by an increasing trade-intensity of production, an increasing share of foreign direct investment in production, and an increasing share of portfolio investment in production, globalization is strongest in the production of manufactured goods that are increasingly assembled in the global factories that serve as the coordinates of international supply network. However, the slowdown in globalization that has happened since 2008 begs the question: is globalization inevitable? And if it is not, is it uniformly good?

    Part 1 of this Episode defines the key characteristics of globalization.
    10 min
  • EP 05 Structural adjustment and development dilemmas, 1980 – 1995 PT 4: Do IMF and World Bank policies work?
    The debt crisis that emerged in the late 1970s and early 1980s forced a number of states in Asia, Africa and Latin America to seek out financial assistance from the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. Assistance was given in exchange for a dismantling of the developmental state and the implementation of structural adjustment polices based upon macroeconomic stabilization, external trade de-regulation, and internal market liberalization. These policies have effectively continued into the 21st century, in the form of Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers in developing countries and austerity in the developed countries. Yet the success of these policies on their own terms can be questioned. At the same time, these policies laid the basis of contemporary globalization, and the inequality associated with contemporary globalization, by opening up states to inflows and outflows of trade and investment.

    In Part 4 of this Episode, the effectiveness of structural adjustment, Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers and austerity are evaluated by examining the consequences of such policies.
    12 min
  • EP 05 Structural adjustment and development dilemmas, 1980 – 1995 PT 3: The Washington Consensus, structural adjustment and PRSPs
    The debt crisis that emerged in the late 1970s and early 1980s forced a number of states in Asia, Africa and Latin America to seek out financial assistance from the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. Assistance was given in exchange for a dismantling of the developmental state and the implementation of structural adjustment polices based upon macroeconomic stabilization, external trade de-regulation, and internal market liberalization. These policies have effectively continued into the 21st century, in the form of Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers in developing countries and austerity in the developed countries. Yet the success of these policies on their own terms can be questioned. At the same time, these policies laid the basis of contemporary globalization, and the inequality associated with contemporary globalization, by opening up states to inflows and outflows of trade and investment.

    In Part 3 of this Episode, the hallmarks of the so-called "Washington Consensus" are laid out and the content of stabilization, structural adjustment and Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers are outlined.
    14 min
  • EP 05 Structural adjustment and development dilemmas, 1980 – 1995 PT 2: The Bretton Woods institutions
    The debt crisis that emerged in the late 1970s and early 1980s forced a number of states in Asia, Africa and Latin America to seek out financial assistance from the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. Assistance was given in exchange for a dismantling of the developmental state and the implementation of structural adjustment polices based upon macroeconomic stabilization, external trade de-regulation, and internal market liberalization. These policies have effectively continued into the 21st century, in the form of Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers in developing countries and austerity in the developed countries. Yet the success of these policies on their own terms can be questioned. At the same time, these policies laid the basis of contemporary globalization, and the inequality associated with contemporary globalization, by opening up states to inflows and outflows of trade and investment.

    In Part 2 of this Episode, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank are introduced and explained.
    12 min
  • EP 05 Structural adjustment and development dilemmas, 1980 – 1995 PT 1: The debt crisis
    The debt crisis that emerged in the late 1970s and early 1980s forced a number of states in Asia, Africa and Latin America to seek out financial assistance from the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. Assistance was given in exchange for a dismantling of the developmental state and the implementation of structural adjustment polices based upon macroeconomic stabilization, external trade de-regulation, and internal market liberalization. These policies have effectively continued into the 21st century, in the form of Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers in developing countries and austerity in the developed countries. Yet the success of these policies on their own terms can be questioned. At the same time, these policies laid the basis of contemporary globalization, and the inequality associated with contemporary globalization, by opening up states to inflows and outflows of trade and investment.

    In Part 1 of this Episode, the origins and consequences of the debt crisis are discussed.
    11 min
  • EP 04 Decolonization and state-building, 1950 – 1980 PT 3: Import-substituting industrialization: success or failure?
    Latin America decolonized in the early 19th century. Following the end of World War I, some limited decolonization took place. But as nationalism gathered pace in the 1920s and 1930s mass movements for liberation and independence blossomed. In the aftermath of World War II the decolonization of Asia took place. Starting in the late 1950s and through the 1960s the decolonization of Africa and the Caribbean took place. During the 1970s the decolonization of Oceania took place. Later still, Zimbabwe, Namibia, South Africa, Timor-Leste and South Sudan achieved their liberation. Today, only a handful of colonies remain.

    Part 3 of this Episode explores the key tenets of the development strategy of the newly-independent states of Asia and Africa, import-substituting industrialization, and evaluates the critique that was laid at the door of import-substituting industrialization.
    14 min
  • EP 04 Decolonization and state-building, 1950 – 1980 PT 2: The developmental state
    Latin America decolonized in the early 19th century. Following the end of World War I, some limited decolonization took place. But as nationalism gathered pace in the 1920s and 1930s mass movements for liberation and independence blossomed. In the aftermath of World War II the decolonization of Asia took place. Starting in the late 1950s and through the 1960s the decolonization of Africa and the Caribbean took place. During the 1970s the decolonization of Oceania took place. Later still, Zimbabwe, Namibia, South Africa, Timor-Leste and South Sudan achieved their liberation. Today, only a handful of colonies remain.

    Part 2 of this Episode looks at the strategy adopted by newly-independent states in Asia and Africa to try and "develop" by improving the living standards and livelihoods of populations, and reflects upon the theoretical basis of this strategy.
    13 min
  • EP 04 Decolonization and state-building, 1950 – 1980 PT 1: Origins of decolonization
    Latin America decolonized in the early 19th century. Following the end of World War I, some limited decolonization took place. But as nationalism gathered pace in the 1920s and 1930s mass movements for liberation and independence blossomed. In the aftermath of World War II the decolonization of Asia took place. Starting in the late 1950s and through the 1960s the decolonization of Africa and the Caribbean took place. During the 1970s the decolonization of Oceania took place. Later still, Zimbabwe, Namibia, South Africa, Timor-Leste and South Sudan achieved their liberation. Today, only a handful of colonies remain.

    Part 1 of this Episode examines the origins of decolonization, paying particular attention to the end of World War I, the Russian Revolution, and the rise of nationalism across Asia and Africa.
    22 min

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