“Wide income and wealth inequalities that have turned democracies into oligarchies; new forms of surveillance; inter-state competition and rivalries that have encouraged conflicts and wars; and waves of migration by the poor that have generated right-wing backlashes. In the wake of such contradictions, globalization has come under attack by the pro-capitalist Right ...as well as by the anti-capitalist Left, who were the first critics. Globalization’s expansion was facilitated by the weakening and eventual collapse of world communism, and its possible contraction represents crisis, chaos, and transition in the capitalist world-system.” (Moghadam, 2021, p. 698)

Quote

I chose this quotation because it captures the contradictions of globalization. Globalization is often presented as something positive that connects societies through trade, technology and communication, but Moghadam shows that these connections are deeply unequal. Instead of strengthening democracy, globalization concentrated wealth and power among political and economic elites, creating what she describes as "oligarchies". I found this argument especially important because it challenges the assumption that economic growth automatically improves society for everyone.
The quotation also shows how globalization creates instability at the same time that it creates global integration. Migration, war, economic competition and surveillance aren't separate from globalization but are consequences of how the capitalist world system operates.

Globalization continues systems of domination through economics, politics and knowledge production. Moghadam’s argument expands this idea by showing how neoliberal globalization benefits wealthy states and corporations while producing insecurity for poorer populations. I also found it interesting that she discusses both right wing and left wing criticisms of globalization. This demonstrates that globalization is not universally accepted even within capitalist societies. The quote reflects how globalization creates crisis and backlash because many people feel excluded from the benefits it promises. Rather than producing a stable "global community", globalization has intensified inequality, nationalism and political division.

Questions

Why do economic crises caused by globalization often result in anti-immigration and nationalist backlash rather than criticism of capitalism itself?

If globalization depends on unequal labour systems and capitalist accumulation, is it possible to create a form of globalization that is genuinely equitable, or would inequality always be reproduced within the system?

Connection

One connection I made from the reading was to digital surveillance and social media. Moghadam's discussion of surveillance reminded me of how governments and corporations increasingly collect data through online platforms such as Meta and Google. Social media enables global communication, activism and the rapid spread of information. However, it also creates new systems of monitoring and control. This reflects one of the key contradictions of globalization because technologies that connect people globally can simultaneously strengthen corporate power and state surveillance. In many ways, capitalism has moved into a new stage of surveillance capitalism, where human experiences, behaviours and personal data are extracted and transformed into profit. Everyday activities such as using social media are now connected to larger systems of global capitalism, data extraction and political power. This also connects to the class discussion of the Colonial Matrix of Power because control over information and knowledge has become another way powerful institutions regulate and shape global society.