From colonialism to globalization

By Franz Magnis-Suseno SJ

JAKARTA (JP): Is globalization the continuation of colonialism? Is it the postcolonial form of colonialism? That was the central question of an international conference on Colonialism to Globalization that took place in New Delhi, India, in the first week of February.

It was jointly sponsored by the Catholic Indian Social Institute, University of Delhi, Jamia-Milia-Islamia and three other institutions. The conference marked the fifth centenary of the beginning of colonialism, symbolized by the arrival of Vasco da Gama in Calicut, Southern India, 1498; and the beginning of its end, symbolized by the 50th anniversary of independence for India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

For five days, 95 participants from 26 countries, mainly Africa and Asia, and different religions, analyzed and debated the colonial legacy and the impact of globalization. Highlights were the opening speech by Dr. Gamani Corea, former secretary- general of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, and a forum where Sulieman Najjab, member of the executive committee of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, Hanna Nasir, mayor of Bethlehem, and Prof. Moshe Ma'oz from Hebrew University in Jerusalem sat together.

But the real work was done in dozens of well-focused papers and following discussions, all of a high standard, controversial, sometimes emotional, but always in a positive and very focused atmosphere.

To put the result first: it was not possible to place the phenomena of globalization under one simple heading. Too different are its angles, its impact on different countries and its degree of unavoidability. But one thing became clear during the conference: there is nothing innocent about globalization. Globalization, if not controlled and properly channeled, "perpetuates and intensifies poverty, exploitation and domination as a permanent structural practice" (final statement).

That does not mean that globalization has to be demonized or seen as a kind of sinister conspiracy to dominate the world. The reason is simply that the only motive of economic globalization is profit, therefore, common good, let alone social justice, do not enter into consideration.

Or, in other words, globalization in connection with dogmatic neoliberalism cannot avoid widening the schism between those involved in the process of accumulation and the marginalized masses which are usually the great majority of the people in developing countries. Thus, "globalization results in polarization both between rich and poor nations and within each country" (final statement).

Thus, and this was the second point of consensus at the conference, globalization -- which cannot be completely avoided -- should and can be controlled. Globalization is not a destiny that has to be passively accepted. Developing countries should open up selectively to the international flows of capital and commodities according to its own national interests (the conference did not enter into the question whether the global information network can also be screened). The most important task in facing globalization would be the safeguarding of the welfare of the poor.

Some other points came up, including foreign debt as a major source of marginalization and impoverishment. Some countries, like Nicaragua, have no chance of climbing out of poverty despite continued two-digit export growth because their foreign debt stands at more than their national annual income, thus, all gains are immediately siphoned off out of the country.

Another point was the tendency to switch from food production for the domestic market to export crops, with the consequence that foodstuff has to be imported and thus becomes very expensive for the poor (from this point of view, President Soeharto's insistence on self-sufficiency in rice production was farsighted).

What can be done? The first thing would be to realize that something can be done. Globalization can be channeled and should be strictly controlled. The second point would be that since globalization is based on a coalition of interests of international capital and the local elites, pressure must be brought to bear from NGOs, human rights and religious groups, trade unions, people's movements and workers.

Civil society must be strengthened. Networking between committed parties in developing countries, for instance Southeast and East Asia, Southern Asia, the Southern Mediterranean and sub- Sahara Africa, would be helpful.

Another point stressed was that international institutions like the IMF, the World Bank and the World Trade Organization should be made more representative by involving developing countries in their decision-making process.

The conference closed with reaffirming that globalization should not be allowed to build up another net of domination of poor countries and people by exploitative powers only a few decades after the end of colonialism.

Father Franz Magnis-Suseno SJ is professor for social philosophy at Driyarkara School of Philosophy in Jakarta.