‘De-globalisation’, or ‘re-globalisation’?

Globalisation is under attack these days from all quarters. It has of course long faced criticism from the left for being divisive and undemocratic. That’s not new. But, remarkably and in an act of brazen but effective political theft, that core critique – which in effect alleged that the purported universal benefits of globalisation had not ‘trickled down’ inclusively enough and that the process was instead fostering growing and increasingly outrageous inequalities – has been purloined over the course of the past couple of years by the populist right. As we know and now hear almost every day, Donald Trump and his followers look forward to initiating a process of what is being called ‘de-globalisation’ whereby companies are hauled back to their national bases, rust-belts are made good again and trade wars seen as valid tools of national diplomacy.