Thomas Friedman

Thomas L. Friedman (born July 20, 1953) is an American journalist, columnist, and author, currently working as an Op-Ed columnist for the New York Times. His columns, concentrating mainly on foreign affairs, appear in the Op ed page on Wednesdays and Fridays. Friedman is known for advocating a compromise peace between Israel and the Palestinians, modernization of the Arab world, and globalization and laissez-faire capitalism, while sometimes remarking on their potential pitfalls. His books address various aspects of international politics, from a centrist perspective on the political spectrum.

Friedman on globalization

Friedman's main thesis is that individual nations must sacrifice a degree of economic sovereignty to global institutions (such as capital markets, multinational corporations, and NGOs like the International Monetary Fund), in order to achieve Western-style economic prosperity. Friedman termed these restrictions the "Golden Straitjacket". This stance drew criticism from groups that oppose these global institutions, especially those on the political left that charge that globalization actually restricts prosperity in developing countries. In particular, Friedman was criticised for presenting the views and experiences only of elite members of developing societies such as political and business leaders. He was also criticised for advocating the use of American military force to maintain the stability of the global economy. However, he has been widely praised for his strong stance on America's geopolitical, economic, and security need to become more energy independent. He believes this would force the authoritarian rulerships in the Middle East to join the global market, help strengthen America's economy by basing its energy infrastructure on domestic products, and ease the tensions in the burgeoning global energy demand.

Related Topics:
Multinational corporation - NGOs - International Monetary Fund - Political left

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~