Abstract
This text is an article written by J. Goldthrope, about social class in the context of globalization. According to the author, we can differentiate concepts from theories of globalization. There is a mere economic definition of globalization: a process by which economic activity is increasingly organized in ways that cut across political borders. A wider definition includes social and cultural changes which are the consequences of economic globalization. The author explains there are also two kinds of theory about globalization. The first recognize a historical continuity in this process whereas those of the second kind argue that contemporary globalization is different from its earlier stages. This second kind of theories is used by the author to understand the impact of globalization on social class through 3 aspects: economic inequalities, class structure and the relationship class/politics.
Firstly, the author focuses on class inequalities. He argues that after the post-war economic boom, these inequalities tended to decline but such optimism does not seem relevant anymore after the end of this boom. Unlike, there have been widening inequalities in terms of incomes and households. Unskilled workers are the losers because they are victims of the trade between opening-borders nations. Western societies are disadvantages in this economic competition (labor is cheaper in developing countries). To remain in the competition, deregulating the national economy is useful. Globalization also affects the secondary incomes provided by the states (tax and expenditure policies).
