| La Lettre du GERPISA | no 112 (avril 1997) |
Book Note - Nicolas Hatzfeld
Robert Boyer and Daniel Drache (eds.)
London and New York, Routledge, 1996, 448 p.
After an introduction which puts the current movement of globalization into a very wide perspective, this book deals with six related themes.
The freeing of markets. The new type of "lean, mean" State is harmful: the domestic market remains decisive for employment, investments and forputting local companies to the test (Drache). Partial and unstable globalization creates deep rifts between social classes in developed countries and between the North and the South; companies have to be aware of their responsibility (Petrella). Markets do not organize themselves automatically, and are firmly rooted in national institutions which govern money, work and the environment (Boyer).
The limits of Japanese power. Japanese technology is marking limits, at a national level and in developing countries (McMillan). Japanese transplants in Europe and in Asia illustrate the attempts at transferring technology in the face of labor market practices (Abo). Is Japan capable of managing a regional bloc in Eastern Asia? The industrial strategy of a country is decisive for its success in global economy (Bowles and Mc Lean).
Three articles criticize current financial deregulation and the common idea that financial markets influence everything. Currently, the specificity is not really globalization but rather social dumping (Bairoch). A re-regulation of world financial markets in not inconceivable (Helleiner). Moreover, the real question is not to know when financial markets will be regulated: theState and the flow of capital are linked (Epstein).
Labor markets and professional practices. Lean production does not really give power to workers (Drache). Globalization has changed the role of labor markets and countries have to link their external trade strategy and the ways they adjust the labor market (Betcherman). Competition calls on governments and companies to spend more money, and not less, and global strategies do not necessarily increase a company's competitiveness (Lazar).
What social strategy should be adopted after the difficulties of the welfare state? A new sort of state is emerging, which is more fragmented, while economic integration has created more international obligations (Streek). The cut-backs made in welfare are mainly political and ideological, and entail a differentiation in social protection and its partial privatization (Mirsha).States have to organize their public services in a decentralized and flexible way (Bakker and Miller). There are no norms for defining a limit for debt or deficit, and doing away with deficits does not bring about a boost (Chorney).
During the 1990's, social movements re-emerged in all countries. New international commercial agreements are going to marginalize socially disadvantaged groups, who are going to seek new forms of activism (Cohen).Opposition groups have to reach agreement so as to build a new social concensus (Brodie). Finally, the State is the only entity which is capable of re-establishing harmony between the different social, economic and political dimensions of reality (Bienefeld).