Globalisation to Protectionism

It appears that the 'globalisation' era maybedue to some ill-conceived economic misadventure of
tempering down, hopefully not coming to an absoluteanother country/countries gained acceptance; the
end. My hope is based on the understanding that thecountries in the globalized net appear to be moving
globalisation wave is far too strong and too deep totowards protectionism, which may either be state
ebb out totally overnight. Also it has several benefitssupported / government directed or nurtured within
that the world has enjoyed and it would not be easyideological native citizen groups.
to forget the merits all together thereby gettingIronically the economic slowdown is largely a result of
bogged down by the economic downturn and startthe credit-bubble burst in the developed economy
looking only at the demerits of globalisation.economies due to which the entire global economy
Since ancient times, countries / civilizations havewas impacted and now when unemployment and
traded with each other and endeavoured to beother adversities of economic slowdown have hit the
globally linked for mutual fulfilment and growth.shores of developed economy/economies, attempt is
However, with maturity of the globalisation model, asto implement protectionist policies in the hope of
it stands in the current state, it is characterized andresolving the issues. I am not sure if this smells of
differentiated from the ancient trading relationships indouble standards - globalisation when I deal with you
that if country 'A' catches a cold country 'B' ends upbut protectionism when you deal with me.
sneezing! This characteristic of globalisation thatNot really sure where we would go from here but it
stares 'in the face' of the global ecosystem hasappears to me that globalisation is slowing down and
driven the impacted economies (initial proponents ofprotectionism may be coming back. The wheel surely
globalisation) to now practice protectionism in theirappears to have turned a full circle as far as
domestic context.protectionism > globalisation > protectionism is
The major economic slowdown, which started in endconcerned. I would certainly not hazard a guess on
2008 led to the advocates of globalisation to rethinkthe ultimate outcome or stand in judgement here;
their paths since at the very core a human being inhowever, one thing surely appears to be happening -
distress (who is not on the path of attainingthese are churning and changing times, which will
salvation) is a selfish being and looks first at self andpave the path into the future and could be reference
others. Hence, when the feeling that one's own/ discussion point for our next generation.
economy was suffering and coming into recession