Morality and Ethics in Globalization

I have always considered globalization in self-interested and nationalistic economical terms. After reading Singer and Wolf my ideas on the world economy have expanded to consider the morality of the market and the ethics necessary for justly executing this kind of global capitalism. Previous to this assignment, I definitely fell under the category of people who blamed extensive trade with third world countries on the "immiseration" of American and European low-skilled workers. The term globalization brought negative thoughts to my mind as I thought purely in "nation-state" terms (a structure that Singer challenges).


I also held the view that although a market economy is undoubtedly the most successful economic system, "markets encourage immorality and have socially immoral consequences, not least gross inequality" (Wolf pg. 53). Wolf greatly challenges this view and argues for the morality of the market based on the values it demonstrates such as freedom and democracy. It also instills important ethics in the people such as "trustworthiness, reliability, effort, civility, self-reliance and self-restraint" (Wolf pg. 55). I wholeheartedly agree with this argument. Although the market economy results in financial inequality, in a complex society inequality seems to be inevitable. For example, even the socialist nations of the twentieth century were far more unequal societies than those with market economies. Wolf also argues that people are not completely self-interested which I think is a good point. Wealthier nations are more inclined to work for charities or non-governmental organizations and to care about the environment than third world countries entirely focused on achieving the bare minimum. Therefore after reading this chapter, I understand that the market is not perfect because humanity is not perfect, but that it is moral based on the values it instills and the freedom it gives for positive change.


Unfortunately, the morality of the market only reaches as far as the nation-state level. The ethics are only being executed on a domestic level instead of an international level because nations are acting for their own self-interest rather than the interest of the entire global community. As Singer points out, "we are now one world" (1). Political leaders can no longer "see their role narrowly, in terms of promoting the interests of their citizens" without taking into consideration the welfare of the rest of the world (3). Singer calls for a new ethic which condemns giving absolute priority to soley the citizens of one's own country. He calls for a world community where the nation-state is less powerful and instead people are "ruled by our own creation, the global economy" (Singer, 11). I think that Singer's argument is different but quite on target. Listening to the speeches of George W. Bush and considering military decisions, I had failed to detect the serious immorality of purely self-interested nationalism. When hundreds of innocent civilians die to save one American soldier, this in global terms, is unjust. Singer discusses the idea of determining morality based on what views people would hold if they did not know what position they held in life (wealthy, skilled, poor etc.), especially what nation they were from. This really makes you think because if I knew that I may be a citizen of Haiti, I realize that my views would greatly shift. Due to technology which truly does change everything, "our newly interdependent global society, with its remarkable possibilities for linking people around the planet, gives us the material basis for a new ethic" (Singer, 12). Similar to how members of a nation feel like they must justify their behavior to one another, now all nations must work to justify their behavior in the global economy and community. I was once opposed to extensive globalization, which was simply ignorant and selfish, now I recognize that the future "will depend on how we respond ethically to the idea that we live in one world" (13).

If you are interested, I found a review of Singer's One World, I think it is always interesting to see other interpretations and opinions.