Socialists for globalization?

If you thought that to be a 'socialist' meant you had to opposed to globalization, then you might have to think again. The keynote speech at this year's Socialist International Congress in delivered by President Michelle Bachelet of Chile stated the issues bluntly this way:
"Let's admit it, comrades, modernity and globalization are not an imperialist invention ... They are realities and it is up to us to turn them into opportunities... Our rival is not economic modernity... Our rivals are the forces that oppose social progress and seek an accumulation of wealth that excludes many."
Of course today's socialists aren't the same as the socialists of yester-year, and many of the parties affiliated with the international are more properly labeled Social Democratic, which would include politicians like Tony Blair. Indeed, according to someone quoted in this press report the Socialist International is "the world’s largest political organization with 161 parties associated of which 50 are in office, including Tony Blair and the Labor party in the UK."

It used to be easy to say that someone located on the left part of the political spectrum was against free-trade. Such simple classifications seem to be making less and less sense today.

Comments

Anonymous said…
globalization used to be misinterpretated as the capitalist's invention. It turned up that it also benifits small consumers/worker like you and me.
In HOS model, workers in the expanding sector(the endownment sector)denifintly are benifited.If the socialist represents the small workers interest, surely they will not against trade. Socialism DOESN'T equal to Poverty. Close to trade, and self-sufficent sounds like old communisim.
10:49 AM
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