Chapter 5

©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Col©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishinge Publishing

Becoming an Effective Becoming an Effective Policy AdvocatePolicy Advocate

Bruce Jansson, University of Southern CaliforniaBruce Jansson, University of Southern California

PowerPoint created byPowerPoint created by

Gretchen Heidemann, MSW, PhD CandidateGretchen Heidemann, MSW, PhD Candidate

University of Southern CaliforniaUniversity of Southern California

School of Social WorkSchool of Social Work


Chapter 5Chapter 5Expanding Policy Advocacy Across Expanding Policy Advocacy Across

National BordersNational Borders


Expanding Policy Advocacy Expanding Policy Advocacy Across National BordersAcross National Borders

This chapter broadens the horizon to include global realities and institutions– as they contribute to social problems abroad – also as they contribute to social problems

within the United States


Social Problems in an Interdependent World

GlobalizationGlobalization– The massive movement in recent decades of capital,

jobs, labor, and culture across national boundaries – A broad and complex phenomenon impacting:

economieseducational systemshealth and human service systems relations among ethnic groupspatterns of immigration and emigrationmass mediacultures



The benefits of globalization:The benefits of globalization:– It has created jobs in many developing

nations – It has fostered the sharing of technology and

information across national boundaries– It has created markets for industries in

industrialized nations– It has stimulated technological innovation



The drawbacks of globalization to the U.S.:The drawbacks of globalization to the U.S.:– It has led to the loss of jobs of many American

workers, and reductions in their pay and benefits – It has undermined some American trade unions – It has widened the gap between well-educated/skilled

workers and uneducated/unskilled workers– It has sometimes degraded environmental standards

and working conditions– It has increased the vulnerability of Americans to

illnesses that spread across international boundaries– It has led to huge migration flows to the U.S., whose

members are often victimized by American employers



The drawbacks of globalization to other nations:The drawbacks of globalization to other nations:– It has destabilized economies, exposed workers to

harsh working conditions, and encouraged child labor– It has contributed to growing inequality– It has undermined indigenous traditions with

American culture (i.e. music, film, food)– It has increased pollution in some places– It has fostered rapid movements of persons from rural

to urban areas in some nations– It has fostered massive immigration, with some

migrants occupying marginal and illegal status that accentuates their poverty in the destination nations



Policy advocates must expand their horizons to include issues and problems that cross international boundaries if they wish to help vulnerable populations that are impacted by globalization, both at home and abroad

They need to develop social policies that will prevent or offset some of globalization’s negative consequences while embracing some of its positive impacts


Globalization and Vulnerable Globalization and Vulnerable Populations in the U.S.Populations in the U.S.

Many Americans attribute their erosion or stagnation of living standards to globalization

The gap between the richest fifth and the poorest fifth of Americans has widened

The living standard of many American workers has remained stagnant during the past 5 years


Globalization and Vulnerable Globalization and Vulnerable Populations in the U.S.Populations in the U.S.

Many American industrial jobs have migrated to developing nations Corporations seek higher profits by replacing American workers with low-wage workersIt began with the automobile industry in the 1960sThe textile, steel, furniture, and many other manufacturing industries followed suitFree Trade Agreements (such as NAFTA) were signed in the 1990s


The Economic Gap Between Developing and Developed Nations

In 1800 there was a relatively level playing field, with the entire world being impoverishedThe economic gap between developed and developing nations was not caused by intrinsic differences between their citizens, such as in their intelligence or other innate characteristics. Instead, some nations moved forward economically because they gained access to technology that allowed them to produce and harness power, primarily from fossil fuels such as coal and (later) petroleum



This power spurred the Industrial Revolution, which allowed these nations to: – mass produce a wide array of products in factories– build infrastructure and develop mass transit– make machines to farm large tracts of land with relatively

little labor, producing crops en mass– manufacture ships driven by engines– distribute electricity to large segments of the population– mine minerals such as iron ore and copper which were

used to make steel and many other products – develop market economies, and systems of banking and

currency that allowed businesses to get loans and to invest their resources



By 1900, Europeans, British colonies, and the United States had colonized or controlled large sections of the globeAfter two World Wars, it seemed these empires, as well as Japan, would squander their economic advantage over the rest of the world They experienced marked economic downturns such as the Great Depression of the 1930sHowever, they evolved various international organizations and treaties, internal banking systems and economic policies, that allowed them to mitigate the economic chaos caused by these events



Large parts of the rest of the world failed to gain access to technology; as a result:– Their economies remained powered primarily

by human labor rather than machines and fossil fuels

– Their per capita incomes barely rose– They were victimized by colonizers who

invaded, plundered, took their timber and minerals, and killed vast numbers of them with diseases to which they had little immunity



By 2000, considerable differences existed By 2000, considerable differences existed among developing nationsamong developing nations – Some, such as India and China, had made

considerable economic progress– Others, such as Bangladesh, had promoted

growing numbers of small businesses– Yet others, such as Malawi, remained mired in

deep and persistent poverty


Why Globalization Harms Vulnerable Persons in Developing Nations

The Washington Consensus promoted an The Washington Consensus promoted an economic model ofeconomic model of “f“frree market capitalism”ee market capitalism”– In other words, free trade should be developed so that

specific nations specialize in producing only those goods and services where they have a competitive advantage

– They should produce these goods not only for internal consumption, but for export

– In turn, they should import products from other countries that are produced more efficiently elsewhere



The Washington Consensus favored eventual elimination of tariffsThey believed nations should gradually reduce subsidies and corporate tax concessions that give their products unfair advantage in a free-trade world

They also favored: – fiscal discipline in government spending so that nations

had relatively little budget deficits and debt– reduction of marginal tax rates– free flow of capital from developed to developing nations– privatization of public enterprises– developing private property rights



They used international organizations and treaties to They used international organizations and treaties to pressure developing nations to adopt these economic pressure developing nations to adopt these economic principlesprinciples– The The International Monetary FundInternational Monetary Fund (IMF) had been created (IMF) had been created

after World War II to rebuild Europeafter World War II to rebuild Europe– The The World BankWorld Bank was created to loan money to nations for was created to loan money to nations for

projects like roads and damsprojects like roads and dams– The The General Agreement on Tariffs and TradeGeneral Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) was (GATT) was

established to promote tariff-reduction agreements between established to promote tariff-reduction agreements between nationsnations

– The The World Trade OrganizationWorld Trade Organization (WTO) was established in (WTO) was established in 1995 to serve as a forum for trade negotiations between 1995 to serve as a forum for trade negotiations between nations, and to enforce their decisions through specific nations, and to enforce their decisions through specific penalties and finespenalties and fines



Developing nations were faced with a Catch-22:Developing nations were faced with a Catch-22:– In order to stimulate economic growth, they had to

invest considerable resources in their infrastructure – When they sought loans and grants from the IMF and

World Bank, they discovered that these institutions would give them resources only if they cut their spending markedly to reduce their budget deficits

– This forced them to cut spending on programs for vulnerable populations and their infrastructure

– These spending cuts increased inequality and curtailed programs needed to stimulate economic growth



Further harmful policies:Further harmful policies:– The IMF and World Bank pressured some developing The IMF and World Bank pressured some developing

nations to privatize publicly held firms, such as banks, nations to privatize publicly held firms, such as banks, energy-producing companies, and utilitiesenergy-producing companies, and utilities

– They demanded deep reductions in tariffs, particularly They demanded deep reductions in tariffs, particularly in agriculture, stimulating even greater inequality in in agriculture, stimulating even greater inequality in developing nationsdeveloping nations

– Corporations that shifted their production to these Corporations that shifted their production to these countries also began to focus their sales efforts in countries also began to focus their sales efforts in these emerging marketsthese emerging markets

– Corporations began to victimize many of their workers Corporations began to victimize many of their workers in developing nations, and could do so because of lax in developing nations, and could do so because of lax labor standardslabor standards


Another Vulnerable Population: Migrants Within & Between NationsIn China alone, roughly 120 million rural In China alone, roughly 120 million rural migrants have migrated to urban areas in just migrants have migrated to urban areas in just the past decadethe past decadeThey They choose to move because the economic situation in rural areas is intolerable– Insufficient arable land and jobs exist to support them

Migrants to urban areas in many developing Migrants to urban areas in many developing nations have uncertain legal statusnations have uncertain legal statusThey are often denied public education, health They are often denied public education, health care, and other amenitiescare, and other amenities


Another Vulnerable Population: Migrants Within & Between Nations

Massive migrations have also occurred between Massive migrations have also occurred between nations nations – Immigrants now constitute about 6 percent of the

populations in rich nations

Most immigrants cross borders for economic Most immigrants cross borders for economic reasons; others are refugees or asylum seekersreasons; others are refugees or asylum seekers

Many of them are Many of them are uunndocumented immigrantsdocumented immigrants– i.e. they crossed borders without the approval of host

nations


Another Vulnerable Population: Migrants Within & Between Nations

The situations of undocumented immigrants:The situations of undocumented immigrants:– They are frequently exploited by employers who

pay them low wages and deny them benefits

– They find it difficult to access social programs and education, even when they work and pay taxes

– They are often subject to harassment by persons who believe they place downward pressure on wages of naturalized citizens


Globalization’s Impact on the Globalization’s Impact on the EnvironmentEnvironment

Globalization has contributed to Global Warming– Scientists differ in their estimates of the rate of global

warming– Most agree that the release of carbon dioxide from

fossil fuels has led to increases in global temperatures and accelerated the melting of glaciers and ice caps

In addition, globalization has contributed to:– Depletion of the atmospheric ozone layer– Climate change due the greenhouse effect– Depletion of the Earth’s natural resources (e.g.,

forests and land)



Some possible scenarios if global warming Some possible scenarios if global warming continues:continues:– If oceans rise markedly, people in coastal regions

would have to evacuate to higher ground, causing massive migrations, industrial losses, and the destruction of ports that undergird the world’s economy

– The warming of the atmosphere could cause large sections of the globe to have insufficient rain to support agriculture, possibly contributing to widespread famine

– The world’s oceans and fisheries could be disrupted or depleted



In addition, continued industrialization In addition, continued industrialization could contribute to depletion of fossil fuel could contribute to depletion of fossil fuel and mineral reservesand mineral reservesThis could lead to a melt-down of the This could lead to a melt-down of the world’s economy since it is currently based world’s economy since it is currently based upon use of fossil fuelsupon use of fossil fuelsEscalating prices for fossil fuels could also Escalating prices for fossil fuels could also incite conflict between nations for control incite conflict between nations for control of deposits of oil, gas, and coalof deposits of oil, gas, and coal


Threats to Public HealthThreats to Public Health

Public health problems, such as communicable Public health problems, such as communicable diseases, are not bound by national bordersdiseases, are not bound by national borders– Ex: SARS, Avian flu, and Swine flu (H1N1)

Infectious diseases remain a leading cause of death Infectious diseases remain a leading cause of death globallyglobally

Many diseases that had been suppressed (such as Many diseases that had been suppressed (such as malaria and tuberculosis) are again on the risemalaria and tuberculosis) are again on the rise

Nations that face extreme poverty, malnutrition, and Nations that face extreme poverty, malnutrition, and lack of access to safe drinking water are even more lack of access to safe drinking water are even more vulnerable to the spread of diseasevulnerable to the spread of disease


Creating a Mono-Culture?Creating a Mono-Culture?

Some argue that a Some argue that a “g“gllobal monoculture” obal monoculture” generally reflects the values and lifestyles generally reflects the values and lifestyles of the United Statesof the United States

Gloablization is becoming synonymous Gloablization is becoming synonymous with Americanizationwith Americanization– American cultural products are sweeping the

globe: food, movies, news, television programs, music, etc.


The Great Caveat: The Great Caveat: Globalization’s Positive EffectsGlobalization’s Positive EffectsSome countries that have entered the global economy have experienced overall higher standards of livingImprovements can be seen in a broad range of measures: – life expectancies– literacy rates and public education– economic output and trade– poverty, per capita income, and income equality– access to technology – quality of life (e.g., work hours per year); – political participation (e.g. right to vote)


The Great Caveat: The Great Caveat: Globalization’s Positive EffectsGlobalization’s Positive EffectsHowever, this prosperity has not been However, this prosperity has not been shared by everyone or every countryshared by everyone or every country

To many in the developing world, To many in the developing world, globalization has not brought the promised globalization has not brought the promised benefitsbenefits


Policy Advocacy for Populations Policy Advocacy for Populations Harmed by GlobalizationHarmed by Globalization

Policy Options in the United States:Policy Options in the United States:– More resource investment in unskilled workers so that

they can rebound when they lose their jobs – Require corporations to give advance notice of their

intention to close or move their operations overseas– Pressure U.S. corporations to establish and enforce

minimum wage and work-safety standards in developing nations

– Amnesty and other legal protections for undocumented immigrants

– Protections for immigrants from victimization by employers and by citizens



Policy Options Abroad:Policy Options Abroad:– Pressure the IMF, World Bank and WTO to implement

policies that do not victimize vulnerable populations in developing nations

– Eliminate barriers to imports from developing nations that curtail the well-being of vulnerable populations

– Support or work with groups that provide assistance to vulnerable populations in developing nations

– Promote human rights, as specified by the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights

“basic rights and freedoms to which all humans are entitled”



Additional Policy Options:Additional Policy Options:– Work to increase the amount of foreign aid that the

United States gives to developing nations – Pressure the U.S. to sign treaties like the Kyoto treaty

and successor treaties that commit nations to reduce carbon dioxide emissions that threaten global warming

– Pressure the U.S. to increase its fiscal commitments to public health so that the nation has an infrastructure that can protect Americans from diseases that spread across national boundaries

Chapter 5

Education

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brooks cole publishing

social problems

developing nations

american workers

developed nations

industrialized nations

nations corporations