Backlash: Saving globalisation from itself

Globalisation. Source of prosperity for billions? Or a driver of increasing inequality, poor labour conditions, unceasing environmental damage, and cultural fracture? Can you imagine a new kind of trade deal which works for people and planet? “This is a book for this perilous moment; whether facing up to Brexit, populism or protectionism. Politicians, who have too often taken the inevitability of globalisation, and with it the benefits of free trade for granted, need now to read this and think fresh thoughts, radical thoughts, about how to make trade again serve the public and our democracies, not overbear them.” The Rt Hon the Lord Lansley UK Co-Chairman, UK-Japan 21st Century Group "This book clearly lays out how, to save globalization from itself, we need a new, more flexible set of principles to govern trade; better suited to the changing world, and more apt at stopping policy complacency.” Magdalena Polan Global EM Economist, Legal & General Investment Management Formerly, economist at the International Monetary Fund “Autarkic globalization is no longer an oxymoron, and ‘made locally’ is no longer the preserve of the rhetoric of populist politicians. As we head towards a world with negligible cross-border trade in goods and services, this book is a timely reminder of the changes at hand, and the need to overcome yesterday’s conventional wisdoms in harnessing tomorrow’s realities.” Simon Zadek Co-Director, UN Environment Inquiry into the Design of a Sustainable Financial System Visiting Professor and Senior Fellow in Partnerships and Sustainability, Singapore Management University “The rules-based trading system at the heart of globalisation has come under increasing scrutiny, its fairness questioned by the powerful and powerless alike. In this investigation into the roots of the discontent, “Backlash” doesn’t turn its back on globalisation but instead tries to find a way to save it. While it doesn't (yet) have all the answers, it asks the right questions and makes a solid contribution to finding a better way forward.” Robert McDougall International Trade Lawyer, Geneva The debate on the merits of open trade among nations has been bubbling for some time and is nearing its boiling point. The street protests against globalisation may have become less prominent than they were a few years ago, but the shape of our societies and our economies has changed beyond recognition, throwing globalisation into reverse. This wide ranging and provocative book examines the drivers behind the backlash against globalisation and what they might mean for the future of global trade. It questions whether the very foundations on which globalisation was built still hold true today and their relevance for the future. Exploring the political, cultural and economic factors underpinning what may be the slow death of globalisation as we know it, this book will be of great interest both to those involved in the debate and practice of international trade, as well as those who are looking for a clear, incisive explanation on a subject that looks set to continue dominating public discussion. What distinguishes this book is that, rather than taking a fixed ideological stance, the authors give a clear and incisive explanation of the benefits and harms of globalisation and puts forward concrete suggestions for how to improve the global trading system might be improved. By defining international trade not as an end in itself but merely as a tool of countries’ domestic and foreign policy, the authors bring a much-needed reality check into a debate that is all too often shrill and polarised. The book also proposes a whole new kind of trade deal that should work better and more effectively for everyone.