Globalisation & Multiculturalism: The Australian Experience
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Globalisation & Multiculturalism: The Australian Experience. Griffith University Southbank 15 September, 2010 Dr Paul Williams. Guiding Questions. What is ‘Globalisation’? How did Australia become ‘globalised’? How has Australia economically integrated with the world?
Globalisation & Multiculturalism: The Australian Experience
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Globalisation &Multiculturalism:The Australian Experience Griffith University Southbank 15 September, 2010 Dr Paul Williams
Guiding Questions • What is ‘Globalisation’? • How did Australia become ‘globalised’? • How has Australia economically integrated with the world? • What is multiculturalism? • How did Australia become ‘multicultural’? • What are Australia’s migration patterns?
Part One Globalisation
Defining ‘Globalisation’ • Defies easy definition Two common uses: • A “thing” in itself (an ‘outcome’) • An explanation of change (a ‘process’)
Defining ‘Globalisation’ • “A process in which the economic, political & cultural separation between nations is breaking down & an international order is emerging” (Smith, Vromen & Cook 2006).
Defining ‘Globalisation’ • “A process occurring in the economic, political & social realms which is the result of the dismantling of fixed boundaries around nations, cultures and economies” (Ryan et al. 1999). • What’s common in these definitions?
Globalisation covers… • Economic (trade, transnational corporations [TNCs]) • Technological (communication, transport) • Media (diversity, reach) • Migratory (business, tourism, politics) • Cultural (export of ideas, beliefs, fashions) • Legal (international treaties, bodies)
When did Globalisation begin? • Many assume it began in the 1980s & 1990s, but it’s as old as imperialism, trade & colonialism • i.e. a process begun hundreds of years ago!
Imperialism / Colonialism • Late 1700s – early 1900s: apex • European demand for ‘foreign’ goods • Europe’s “scramble for colonies” • British, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, German, French colonise… • Africa, Asia, South America, Pacific • One cause of World War One (1914-1918)
Technological Globalisation – connecting Australia to the world • Early 1800s - Steam ships • 1872 - Australia linked by telegraph line to Java (capital could be moved in matter of hours, not days or weeks) • 1900s – telephones • 1910s – cinema • 1920s – propeller aircraft • 1930s – radio • 1950s – television • 1960s – jet aircraft • 1970s – fax machines • 1990s – internet • 2000+ - 2.0 web communications
Political & Cultural Globalisation for Australia • Open migration pre-1900 • 1914-1918 – WW1 (League of Nations) [failed] • 1939-1945 – WW2 (United Nations) • 1940s on – mass migration from Europe • 1960s on – flood of US popular culture • 1966-72 – end of White Australia Policy • 1970s – migration from Asia • 2000s – migration from Africa
Some Global Economic Instruments • 1944 est. International Monetary Fund (IMF) & World Bank • 1947 - 1995: GATT – negotiator of lower tariffs; various ‘rounds’
WTO • World Trade Organisation (WTO) – est. 1995 – successor to GATT • deals with rules of trade between nations • Goal - to help producers of goods & services, exporters & importers conduct their business • Australia plays by WTO rules
World Bank • Est. 1944 • Source of financial & technical assistance to developing countries • Comprised of over 180 member countries
IMF • International Monetary Fund (IMF) est. 1944 • More than 180 members • Promotes international monetary cooperation & exchange stability • Provides temporary financial assistance to countries with balance of payments problems
Dissent Both the World Bank and IMF – as symbols of globalisation & capitalism – are objects for dissent and protest
Post-war global economic developments • 1950s – postwar reconstruction • 1960s – GATT moves to freer trade • 1971 – end of Bretton Woods agreement • Early 1970s – oil shocks (quadruple crude oil costs) • Ushers in new economic thinking in West (incl. Australia)
Economic Globalisation for Australia • 1901–1970s - Australia’s trade & agriculture ‘protected’ i.e. high tariffs, subsidies, quotas • Early 1970s – oil shocks (quadruple crude oil costs – ‘stagflation’) • New economic problems require new economic thinking
Economic Globalisation for Australia • 1979 – Margaret Thatcher (UK) • 1981 – Ronald Reagan (US) • 1983 – Hawke / Keating (Aust.) • End of ‘Keynesian’ economics • Rebirth of ‘supply-side’ economics
Economic changes in Australia since 1980s… • In theory, smaller government (in practice, still a welfare state) • Lower income taxes • Lower public spending • Currency deregulation (1983) • Deregulated labour market • Reduction of tariffs • Increased foreign investment • Sale of public-owned businesses e.g. Qantas, Telstra, Commonwealth Bank • i.e. a ‘freer’ economy, BUT… • Some say GFC inevitable outcome of globalisation
Australia & the Global Financial Crisis • Collapse of Lehmann Bros Sept. 08 • Grim forecasts for Australia • Rudd’s anti-neo-liberal essay • Rudd Government pre-empts stalled demand: • Dec 2008 – 1st ‘stimulus package’ = $10.4bn (lump sum payments to seniors, families; $ for auto industry, local councils)
Australia & the Global Financial Crisis • Feb 09 – 2nd ‘stimulus package’ = $42bn (lump sum payments to most taxpayers up to $950; $26bn for infrastructure esp. schools (BER); $2.7bn for small business) • OECD says these packages lowered Australian unemployment by 2 % • Similar ‘bailouts’ in UK, US & Europe • Is this the end of neo-liberalism & a new era of ‘big government’?
Globalisation creates winners & losers Winners include… • Highly skilled white-collar workers in finance & IT industries Losers include… • Farmers, lower skilled blue-collar workers in manufacturing industries
Global winners…one analysis • Recent per capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of developing nations • China: 11.1 % p.a. • India: 9.7 % • Philippines: 7.5 % • Malaysia: 5.4 % • Turkey: 5.2 %
Global losers…another analysis • North-South divide grows (gap between rich & poor nations) • 1960 - top 20 % in the world had income x 30 that of bottom 20 % • 1970 - 32 times • 1980 - 45 times • 1989 - 59 times • 2010 - 74 times (some dispute this gap)
Global losers… • The richest 1 per cent of people in the world receive as much as the bottom 57 percent • i.e. < 50 million richest receive as much as 2.7 billion poor (Milanovic 2002, p.50)
The Global Income Gap Green = High; Yellow = Mid; Red = Low
Anti-globalisation movements • Protest at Group of Eight (G8) meetings • Anti-IMF; anti-World Bank • Pro-debt cancellation • Major protests at Madrid (1994); Seattle (N30 1999); Genoa (2001); Edinburgh (2005)
Australia’s trade patterns… • 1788-1901: colonies trade with UK • 1901-1945: trade mostly with U.K • 1945 - present: mostly with US, Asia & EU
Australia’s trade patterns… • Heavy reliance upon primary products • 1901 - 50: Agriculture • 1950s - present: Minerals • 1945 – early 1970s: high international demand for Australian products esp. wool, wheat, coal; iron ore • 1980s – on: reduction in tariffs
Tariff reduction… • Until 2005: Cars - 15% tariff • From 2005: Cars - 10% • 2003-2013: TCF: 5 % to 17.5%
Australia’s biggest trading partners… • EU (incl. UK) • USA • Japan • China & Hong Kong • Taiwan • South Korea • Singapore • Malaysia • India • Thailand
What does Australia import? • Food – $5 bn • Fuels – $10 bn • Manufactured goods – $16 bn • Machinery & vehicles – $60 bn
What does Australia export? • Food ($18 bn) • Fuels ($20 bn) • Manufactured goods ($11 bn) • Machinery & vehicles ($12 bn) • Trade deficits
Australia’s biggest exports… • Coal • Tourism • Iron-ore • Education
Foreign Investment in Australia • Today, about 30% foreign-owned equity in Australia • 1% of all firms (or 8,000) foreign-owned • Employ 750,000 people • Add $78 billion to economy • Esp. important to mining • Monitored by Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB), over which Treasurer has veto power
Current or coming Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) Australia's Free Trade Agreements • Singapore - Australia • Thailand - Australia • Australia - United States • Australia New Zealand • Australia-Chile
Key foreign investors… • US (half of all foreign businesses) • UK (make more profits than US firms) • Also New Zealand, South Africa, Hong Kong, Germany & Japan