Chapter 5 > The Global Economy > Reactions to Globalization

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Reactions to Globalization

It appears, however, that Americans hold a complex— and perhaps ambivalent—mix of attitudes about the impact of globalization. On the one hand, when asked if globalization is mostly good or mostly bad for the United States (see Figure 5-3), only 27% say it is mostly bad; 56% say it is mostly good (8% volunteer that it is equally good and bad). Antiglobalization protesters are viewed at a cool 45 degrees on the thermometer scale.

On the other hand, there are signs of an increased wariness about globalization. The percentage saying that globalization is “mostly bad” for the United States has risen 7 points since 1998. When asked whether it should be a goal of the United States to actively promote further globalization, simply allow it to continue, try to slow it down, or try to stop or reverse it, only 14% say that the United States should actively promote it, down from 28% when PIPA asked this question in 1999. Thirty-five percent say allow it to continue, and 39% percent overall take the negative positions, with 24% saying slow it down, and 15% saying reverse it, up from 9% in 1999.

When asked about the impact of globalization on a variety of economic and social conditions, the response is mixed (see Figure 5-4), with an overall negative trend over time. Americans seem to view globalization as most beneficial for other countries. Sixty-four percent think it is good for providing jobs and strengthening the economy in poor countries,—though this is down from the 75% that Harris Interactive found in response to the same question in 2000. Sixty-one percent feel that globalization is good for democracy and human rights abroad. Perhaps surprisingly, 53% even see globalization as good for maintaining cultural diversity in the world. This may stem from a belief that it promotes the exchange of cultural influences, rather than an impression that it helps preserve indigenous cultures.

Modest majorities of 55% think globalization is good for American companies and good for “consumers like you,” but the latter figure is down from 68% in the 2000 Harris Interactive survey. Bare majorities (52%) see globalization as good for the U.S. economy—down from 64% in 2000—and for “your own standard of living” (51%).

Globalization is seen as having the most negative impact on American jobs. Fifty-one percent think globalization is mostly bad for the job security of American workers, with only 32% saying it is good. Interestingly, respondents make some distinction between globalizations’ impact on job security and on the creation of jobs. A bare plurality (43%) say globalization is good for creating jobs in the United States, down from 50% in 2000, with 41% saying it is bad.

Just 42% say that globalization is good for the environment—down slightly from 45% in 2000. This suggests that Americans may be concerned that globalization is detrimental to the environment or may lead corporations to build plants in countries with lower environmental standards.

Many Americans are even responsive to the idea that globalization poses a threat to the vital interest of the United States. When presented with a list of possible threats, 29% say that globalization poses a critical threat, while 44% say it is an important but not critical threat. Only 15% say it is not important.The decline in enthusiasm for globalization may be explained by changes in the U.S. economy. At the time of the 1998-2000 polls by the Chicago Council, PIPA and Harris Interactive, the economy was enjoying a remarkable boom, which some attributed to globalization and the growth of trade. As the U.S. economy weakened in 2001-02, the public’s optimism about the impact of globalization apparently weakened with it.