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Jihad vs. McWorld is a groundbreaking work, an elegant and illuminating analysis of the central conflict of our times: consumerist capitalism versus religious and tribal fundamentalism. These diametrically opposed but strangely intertwined forces are tearing apart—and bringing together—the world as we know it, undermining democracy and the nation-state on which it depends.
On the one hand, consumer capitalism on the global level is rapidly dissolving the social and economic barriers between nations, transforming the world's diverse populations into a blandly uniform market. On the other hand, ethnic, religious, and racial hatreds are fragmenting the political landscape into smaller and smaller tribal units. Jihad vs. McWorld is the term that distinguished writer and political scientist Benjamin R. Barber has coined to describe the powerful and paradoxical interdependence of these forces. In this important new book, he explores the alarming repercussions of this potent dialectic for democracy.
A work of persuasive originality and penetrating insight, Jihad vs. McWorld holds up a sharp, clear lens to the dangerous chaos of the post-Cold War world. Critics and political leaders have already heralded Benjamin R. Barber's work for its bold vision and moral courage. Jihad vs. McWorld is an essential text for anyone who wants to understand our troubled present and the crisis threatening our future.
The paradox at the core of this bold book is that the tendencies of both Jihad and McWorld are at work, both visible sometimes in the same country at the same instant. Jihad pursues a bloody politics of identity, while McWorld seeks a bloodless economics of profit. Belonging by default to McWorld, everyone is compelled to enroll in Jihad.
| Acknowledgments | ||
| Introduction | 3 | |
| Pt. I | The New World of McWorld | |
| 1 | The Old Economy and the Birth of a New McWorld | 23 |
| 2 | The Resource Imperative: The Passing of Autarky and the Fall of the West | 33 |
| 3 | The Industrial Sector and the Rise of the East | 50 |
| 4 | From Hard Goods to Soft Goods | 59 |
| 5 | From Soft Goods to Service | 73 |
| 6 | Hollyworld: McWorld's Videology | 88 |
| 7 | Television and MTV: McWorld's Noisy Soul | 100 |
| 8 | Teleliterature and the Theme Parking of McWorld | 118 |
| 9 | Who Owns McWorld? The Media Merger Frenzy | 137 |
| Pt. II | The Old World of Jihad | |
| 10 | Jihad vs. McWorld or Jihad via McWorld? | 155 |
| 11 | Jihad Within McWorld: The "Democracies" | 169 |
| 12 | China and the Not Necessarily Democratic Pacific Rim | 184 |
| 13 | Jihad Within McWorld: "Transitional Democracies" | 195 |
| 14 | Essential Jihad: Islam and Fundamentalism | 205 |
| Pt. III | Jihad Vs. McWorld | |
| 15 | Jihad and McWorld in the New World Disorder | 219 |
| 16 | Wild Capitalism vs. Democracy | 236 |
| 17 | Capitalism vs. Democracy in Russia | 247 |
| 18 | The Colonization of East Germany by McWorld | 260 |
| 19 | Securing Global Democracy in the World of McWorld | 268 |
| Appendix A. Justice-of-Energy-Distribution Index | 293 | |
| Appendix B. Twenty-two Countries' Top Ten Grossing Films, 1991 | 299 | |
| Notes | 302 | |
| Index | 363 |
Anonymous
Posted September 25, 2002
the tables in the back of this book which detail the chronological history of various global corporate mergers are astounding and informative. I consider it required reading if one wants to remain informed regarding the ways in which these mega-mergers shape our future, our world, and our perceptions. Highly thought-provoking and informative.
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Posted July 1, 2011
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Overview
Jihad vs. McWorld is a groundbreaking work, an elegant and illuminating analysis of the central conflict of our times: consumerist capitalism versus religious and tribal fundamentalism. These diametrically opposed but strangely intertwined forces are tearing apart—and bringing together—the world as we know it, undermining democracy and the nation-state on which it depends.
On the one hand, consumer capitalism on the global level is rapidly dissolving the social and economic ...