Jihad vs. McWorld, or "Tribalism vs. Globalism"

Barber, B. (1992, March). Jihad vs. McWorld. The Atlantic Monthly, pp. 53-63. 

This article discusses the forces of Jihad and those of McWorld, terms the author uses to describe tribalism and globalism.  These two forces tend to impact the world with equal strength, but in opposite directions, both of which threaten democracy.  Together, they are operating in a way that tends to pull our world together as well as dismantle it and are able to be seen simultaneously in the same places. 

McWorld, or the globalization of politics, is made up of four imperatives that include a market imperative, a resource imperative, and information technology imperative and an ecological imperative. 
 The market imperative suggests the growing importance for common, transnational markets that demand a common language and currency to support an international economy. 
The resource imperative looks at the inevitability of interdependence when it comes to sharing resources with other countries. As resources continue to be depleted, every country will have needs that can only be answered by other countries with different needs. 
The information technology imperative involves looking at the dependence on open communication for scientific progress, collaboration and exchange of information, as well as the facilitation of our necessary information flow through communication technologies that enable such trades as business, banking and commerce. 
 Finally, the ecological imperative suggests that an ecological consciousness has brought about a heightened awareness and inequality among countries in various stages of development.  Each of these imperatives is transnational, transideological and transcultural, and applies to all religions and political viewpoints. 

Jihad, or tribalism, on the other hand, is essentially the force working in competition with McWorld that highlights global breakdown and national dissolution and is fractious in the name of identity.  Jihad offers " a sense of community, solidarity among kinsmen and neighbors, and a local identity, but is grounded in exclusion" while McWorld offers peace, prosperity and freedom of trade, press and love if at the price of " independence, community and identity".  What both forces have in common is that they are working against democracy because neither needs it or promotes it.  The author insists that such growing globalization and retribalization will continue to obstruct democracy as both forces race for the future. 

This was a very compelling article that examined globalization in a unique light.  It displayed how it is both joining us together but simultaneously breaking us apart as we head forward in two distinct directions.  It presented a foresight with much intrigue.

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