Globalisation versus protectionism

In a lively colloquium, these international relations experts opposed an outdated model of nationalism with the unstoppable process of globalisation. Both academics, members of Civismo’s Advisory Council, began by exposing that globalisation affects more fields than economics and engineering. Thanks to engineering and new technologies, the planet has been “narrowing down”, thus causing globalisation to affect almost all areas of our lives. It is often overlooked that its progress has important consequences also in the social, cultural and political spheres. Globalisation is causing profound changes, which historically are only comparable to those produced by the First Industrial Revolution. Cultural globalisation generates a new international standard culture and for many societies this is perceived as aggression. That is why nationalism and protectionism re-emerge strongly. What they do not take into account is that the “globalising” advance is something inevitable, nobody can do anything to stop it. Finally, they also explained that the economy is not a zero-sum game. Globalisation produces enormous benefits while protectionism and trade wars harm rivals.

«People begin to distrust the received state structures for the simple reason that they are not working. And they are not working because they cannot, and will not be able to, function as they did in the past»

Florentino Portero