Globalisation as the Total Commercialisation of Politics?

Abstract

It is interesting and salutary to look back and review together the books by Naomi Klein, Noreena Hertz and George Monbiot, all of which have gained a certain fame since they were published two or three years ago. They emerged from the backlash against the recent wave of globalisation and have attained almost iconic status within the anti-globalisation movement. All share a common theme: that ‘globalisation’ is above all built on the back of the corporate takeover of economic, political and cultural life. This means that global capitalism not only now dictates the nature of our consumption habits to an unprecedented degree (Klein), but that it has undermined all democratic activity (Hertz) and has led to the capture of the state by commercial interests as well (Monbiot—who concentrates on Britain in particular).