Labor and the Global Economy

By Alejandro Reuss

Labor and the Global Economy cover image
Date of publication:
January 2013
ISBN:
978-1-939402-02-8
Pages:
195
Price:
$35.95



From the introduction:

    Here are some questions about "globalization" that policymakers, and the public, grapple with and argue about every day:

•  Are wages and living standards in high-income countries doomed to decline, due to import competition from low-income countries?

•  Does international migration undermine wages and working conditions in high-income countries?

•  Are labor unions a thing of the past, due to international capital mobility?

•  Does international trade necessarily benefit all parties involved?

•  How long can countries like the United States go on running large trade deficits and borrowing to pay for them?

•  Did imbalances in the global economy cause the current worldwide economic crisis?

•  Do low-income countries have to embrace "free trade" policies in order to develop economically and lift their citizens out of poverty?

•  Do all countries have to cut government spending and regulation in order to attract investment and jobs?

These are just some of the questions addressed in Labor and the Global Economy—a brand-new and concise introduction to the essentials of labor, globalization, international trade and investment, economic development, and their alternatives. Great for anyone who wants a deeper understanding of globalization and the challenges it poses for workers everywhere. Ideal companion to the classic D&S anthology, Real World Globalization.

Labor and the Global Economy is an excellent text: clear and concise, progressive yet balanced, it provides a solid introduction to the basic concepts necessary to understand the process of globalization.”
   —MARTY WOLFSON, University of Notre Dame

“I have been using Dollars & Sense publications for nearly 20 years. I find them absolutely necessary for students to understand progressive, critical, real-world perspectives that are sorely absent from mainstream texts and readers.”    —GEORGE JOUGANATOS, California State University, Sacramento

“As textbooks become more conservative and less topical, I find that Dollars & Sense readers are more useful than ever in my undergraduate classes. They are jargon-free, up-to-date, and inexpensive, as well as consistently and thoughtfully progressive.”    —ROBIN HAHNEL, American University