ABSTRACT
Globalization has become a buzz-word that can mean everything and anything. The multilateralism that Washington contributed to build and then arduously fought for in successive General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade rounds, notably during the seven tortuous years of the Uruguay Round, is being jeopardized by its increasing proclivity to resort to unilateralism. The three central pillars of globalization are the business strategies of firms—primarily their willingness to invest their resources abroad—the supporting technologies, and the international economic order. Many non–governmental organizations are fired by the belief, shared by many ordinary people, that globalization is responsible for the trampling of human rights on a global level and the destruction of the environment on a comparable scale. There are cultural concerns about globalization, some of which may appear to be silly, but not all of which should be summarily dismissed.
