Globalization, Inequality, and War
17 August 2006
Editor, The Boston Globe
Dear Editor:
Mark LeVine ignores relevant facts in his argument that the Israeli-Hezbollah war proves that "globalization isn't working" ("Why globalization isn't working," August 17).
First, no serious thinker in the past century has claimed that freer trade is sufficient to ensure peace. More importantly, economies of middle-eastern countries, including Israel, aren't particularly free. This dearth of economic freedom strips citizens of these countries of much economic opportunity. Finally, Mr. LeVine is wrong to suggest that globalization increases income inequality. An important paper* by Columbia University economist Xavier Sala-i-Martin shows that global inequality has fallen since the 1970s - that is, as globalization has intensified.
Sincerely,
Donald J. Boudreaux
Chairman, Department of Economics
George Mason University
* http://papers.nber.org/papers/w8904
Editor, The Boston Globe
Dear Editor:
Mark LeVine ignores relevant facts in his argument that the Israeli-Hezbollah war proves that "globalization isn't working" ("Why globalization isn't working," August 17).
First, no serious thinker in the past century has claimed that freer trade is sufficient to ensure peace. More importantly, economies of middle-eastern countries, including Israel, aren't particularly free. This dearth of economic freedom strips citizens of these countries of much economic opportunity. Finally, Mr. LeVine is wrong to suggest that globalization increases income inequality. An important paper* by Columbia University economist Xavier Sala-i-Martin shows that global inequality has fallen since the 1970s - that is, as globalization has intensified.
Sincerely,
Donald J. Boudreaux
Chairman, Department of Economics
George Mason University
* http://papers.nber.org/papers/w8904
Posted by Don Boudreaux on
Monday May 7, 2007 at 12:21pm