*** PHILIPPE MOREAU DEFARGES: La mondialisation. Presses Universitaires de France (6 av. Reille, F-75014 Paris. Internet: http://www.quesais-je.com http: //http://www.quesais-je.com ). "Que sais-je ?" series. 2001, 127 pp. ISBN 2-13-051846-X.
This small and condensed book has been updated and is now in its third edition. The book is of particular relevance and interest given the turbulent international situation we are now experiencing. As well as being an International Advisor in Foreign Affairs in France, Professor Philippe Moreau Defarges teaches at the Institut d'Etudes politiques de Paris and the Institut français des Relations internationales, where he is developing a detailed analysis of the globalisation phenomenon. A phenomenon that is very much in fashion, and which from Seattle to Genoa via Gothenburg has been inciting protest or at the very least, raising a number of questions. The author's strength lies is ability to follow clues, without claiming to have all the answers, which allows us to examine the whole complexity of the issues. He also makes a reference to Paul Valéry, who in 1931 was the first to attempt to define the problem: Le temps du monde fini commence. This globalised world has since then come spectacularly into being but Moreau Defarges believes that this process goes back to the dawn of history, as globalisation is nothing less than the extension of an inexorable "movement by man for taking over the Earth". An impetus provided by Europe, by "the Europeanisation of the world", notably, "the formidable expansion of European countries conquering the world and obliging the whole of humanity to redefine itself under the shock of Western modernity". Since the end of the fifteenth century, the laboratory for this Europeanisation has been the American continent, which since the end of the Second World War has become, by way of establishing "a single global space" through decolonisation (which has led to the emergence of "confrontations between civilisations" since the 1970s, first of all between "the West and Islam or more precisely between the West and the Islamisms which aim at getting rid of the corrupting influences of the West and just keeping the instrument of its superiority: technology"), to the setting up of a global system of exchange and the collapse of self-sufficiency models' affirmation. Philippe Moreau Defarges describes how, "Each global conflict (between the West and the South, between democratic capitalism and fundamentalist communitariansism etc,) results not in the embodiment of compact enemy blocks but rather, infinite decay with countries confronting each other and societies destroyed". A particularly pertinent observation for our current era. The following prophetic observation sums the situation up: "globalisation neither means peace, nor the end of History; on the contrary, it provides human passion and rivalries with a single scene: the whole world".
Michel Theys
*** ALAIN BARRAU: Des alliances pour une mondialisation maîtrisée. Délégation pour l'Union européenne de l'Assemblée nationale (Kiosque de l'Assemblée nationale, 4 rue Aristide-Briand, F-75007 Paris. Internet: http://www.assemblee-nationale.fr ). "Les documents d'information de l'Assemblée nationale" series, No. 3211. 2001, 114 pp, 30 FF, 4.57 Euro. ISBN 2-11-115393-1.
This information report was put together under the auspices of the President of the EU Delegation to the French National Assembly, and both describes and weighs up the "three regional cards" the European Union can use to contribute to the emergence of a multipolar world, namely the agreements reached with third Mediterranean countries and Mercosur and Asia. These agreements vary of course quite substantially but each is basically made up of three elements - political, economic, cultural and social - allowing each of the partners to have an opportunity of "dialogue and negotiations in all fields contributing to economic and social progress". The rapporteur is of the opinion that the European approach (which he considers "global and balanced, given that it affords the same importance to the values of peace, democracy, justice and development") is being made more concrete, with dialogue being established between Europe and the different regions - as well as with the African, Caribbean and Pacific states - which reflects the "common desire" to "promote an international system founded on the principles of multilateralism". The rapporteur therefore considers that this European approach can be interpreted as, "a real commitment to a globalisation based on a sense of law and justice" and is a suitable "model of civilisation" which should be "given a greater sounding out" beyond Europe's borders. This objective has certain similarities, asserts the French Member of Parliament, to the "real strategic imperative" at stake - if the Union does not succeed in putting its notion of globalisation across to other regional entities, "the USA will be able to lay down the rules of the game", which are based on unilateralism. Given that the globalisation project conceptualised by the EU is in fact one of "a situation of competition" with the USA (even though this report was published in June, is not certain that the events of the 11 September and the action that followed would have changed the essential tone of what Alain Barrau purports…), the conclusions to the report put forward ways in which these European partnerships can become real alliances".
(MT)
*** BERND FAHRHOLZ (Ed.): Arbeit ohne Barrieren. Chancen für Deutschland. Universum Verlagsanstalt (54 Taunusstr., D-65183 Wiesbaden. Internet: http://www.universum.de ). 2001, 239 pp, 69 DM. ISBN 3-933355-95-8.
The crisis of the "German Model" - unemployment, economic stagnation, industrial restructuring, etc - is the central theme in this selection of opinions on the traditional German economy, with a preface by the German Minister for the Economy, Werner Müller. Entitled, "Employment without Limits", the authors aim to tackle the questions that have arisen on this subject. A goal that turns out to be too ambitious, for although the book includes an impressive number of expert contributors (including Bernhard Jagoda, President of the Federal Employment Bureau, Hans-Olaf Henkel, former President of the Federal Association of Industry (BDI) and Dieter Schulte, President of the German Trade Union Federation) it ends up being sterile and disappointing. It is more theoretical than analytical and the exclusive technical jargon it employs, combined with the interchangeable diagnoses and the lack of new ideas, means that this rather sterile account leaves the reader feeling bored. The mantras of flexibility, information society and the service economy which it repeats ad nauseam are particularly dull. It is perhaps guilty of focusing too much on future employment prospects in Germany, without situating the phenomenon of social exclusion on a wider European or even global scale (only the comments on the problems of migration at the end of the book attempt in a small way to deal with this issue). To conclude, the political and intellectual milieu in other European countries which are engaged in discussions about social exclusion and the non-economic challenges of globalisation, appear much more up to the task than does this all too German book.
(PB)
*** Esprit. Revue internationale (212 rue Saint-Martin, F-75003 Paris. Fax: (33-1) 48045053 - E-mail: revueesprit@aol.com). July 2001, No. 7, 93 FF.
This issue contains a number of articles on "Currency, Sovereignty and Social Coalescence". As well as an introduction by Professor Jacques Généreux (Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris), this international magazine also includes a "Manifesto for a Human Economy", to which around sixty academics and researchers from a variety of countries have added their signatures. This sets out to both vigorously and realistically provide a multi-disciplinary appraisal of the purpose and socio-economic strategies for achieving this primary objective, which is to fairly, and at all levels, satisfy human need. An international association for the human economy is currently being set up (Fax: (33-1) 42223126 - E-mail: fmeh@wanadoo.fr <mailto: fmeh@wanadoo.fr). This issue also includes an article by Commissioner Pascal Lamy on "Measures for European Economic Action".
(JRR)
*** Quaderni della Scuola Europea. L'Europa sociale. Giuffrè Editore (40 via Busto Arsizio, I-20151 Milan. Tel. (39-02) 38089290 - Fax: 38009582 - Internet: http: //http://www.giuffre.it ). 2001, 140 pp, Euro 12.39, 24,000 lira. ISBN 88-14-08938-8.
Co-ordinated by Professor Antonio Tizzano, this assortment emphasises the challenges that a social Europe is faced with: the ageing of the population and immigration. In the part dealing with the impact of the demographic problem, Cristina Giudici examines "the role of demographic variables in the construction of social indicators", whereas Simone Castellani and Lorella Di Ciommo assess the means for "measuring poverty and dignity in Europe". In the section on immigration (which focuses on the Balkans), Sokol Axhemi and Nevila Sokoli analyse the situation in Albania, while Rachele Rutili compares developments in Albania and Bulgaria. Lisa Francovich gives "some reflections on the role and migratory behaviour of academically qualified migrants from former Yugoslavia". (MG)
*** Eurete. Agenzia Europea per lo sviluppo. Eurete scarl (11-11 via Cairoli, I-16124 Genoa. Tel: (39-010) 2470044 - Fax: 2470385 - E-mail: segreteria@eurete.it mailto: segreteria@eurete.it - Internet: http: //http://www.eurete.it ). 2001, No. 4, 16 pp.
This Newsletter on a specific theme gives us essential information from the "round table" on the "liberalisation of the markets in a European scenario" organised by Eurete, the European Development Agency, in Genoa last July. Introduced by Roberto Speciale, President of Eurete, this meeting brought competition policy and internal market experts together, such as Gianfranco Rocca, Assistant Director General at the Directorate General for Competition at the European Commission, Fabiola Mascardi, member of Vice President Loyola de Palacio's Cabinet, and Manuel Medina Ortega, member of the European Parliament's Legal and Internal Market Committee. At this event, Professor Sergio Carbone from the faculty of law at the University of Genoa, spoke about the "positive and negative aspects of Community action and liberalisation" in the light of certain cases being brought before the Court of Justice.
(CB)
*** Commerce mondial et protection des droits de l'homme - World Trade and the Protection of Human Rights. Les droits de l'homme à l'épreuve de la globalisation des échanges économiques - Human Rights in Face of Global Economic Exchanges. Etablissements Bruylant (67 rue de la Régence, B-1000 Brussels. Tel: (32-2) 5129845 - fax: 5117202 - E-mail: lib.bruylant@pophost.eunet.be mailto: lib.bruylant@pophost.eunet.be - Internet: http: //http://www.bruylant.be ). Collection "Publications de l'Institut international des droits de l'homme". 2001, 270 pp, 35 Euro. ISBN 2-8027-1492-9.
This volume unveils a collection of thematic texts from the annual teaching conference, as well as the proceedings from the scientific and academic research demonstrations initiated by the Institut Cassin de Strasbourg. It is dedicated to the memory of Thiébaut Flory, Jean Monnet chair at Université Paris XII, who was due to give a course in the 31st teaching session on the WTO and human rights, but was taken ill. The studies in this volume explore the manner in which human rights - whether they are civil, political, economic, social or cultural - are taken on board at the time of global exchange, within a context where "indifference to the international rules of trade with regard to economic and social rights, together with apathy, indeed hostility to the international financial institutions, constitute a threat to the efficacy of second generation human rights". The authors put forward a revolutionary approach, "aiming at a renewal of the guiding principles, indeed the foundation of the international protection of human rights". Throughout the collection, readers are led to ask themselves whether companies could not be brought round to the idea that the promotion and respect for human rights is also in their interests…
(CB)
*** ROSTANE MEHDI (Ed): La démocratisation du système des Nations Unies. Editions A. Pedone (13 rue Soufflot, F-75005 Paris). Collection "Rencontres internationales d'Aix-en-Provence". 2001, 208 pp, 28 Euro, 183.66 FF. ISBN 2-233-00386-1.
This book provides an account of the "Ninth International Meeting in Aix-en-Provence" held last December. It examines the way in which the United Nations adapts itself to the rise in power of new non-governmental actors on the international stage (civil society, NGOs, associations, the business community, etc). It deals both rigorously and unsuperficially with three essential aspects of this equation: the fundamental changes occurring in the decision-making process at the heart of the United Nations system; the way in which this system reacts to the emergence, role and demands of these new actors on the international scene; and the position taken by certain countries where this situation is having an impact, namely, France, USA, Japan, Algeria and India.
(MT)
*** Trade Unions of the World. John Harper Publishing (Turpin Distribution Services, Blackhorse Road, Letchworth, SG6 1HN, UK. E-mail: books@turpinltd.com). 2001, 410 pp. ISBN 0-9536278-4-5.
Over the last decade, the trade union world has changed a great deal. The collapse of the Berlin wall made it possible for it to develop freely, without any state control, in the former Soviet bloc. In parallel, an increasing level of pluralism has been observed in African and Latin American countries. This book, in its fifth edition, details the changes country by country and provides information about the history and structure of the trade unions and the role they play in politics and industry. The last section covers international trade union organisations. A full and very detailed working document.
(LD)
*** Europa Europe. Fondazione Istituto Gramsci onlus, Bollati Boringhieri editore (95c via Portuense, I-00153 Rome. Tel: (39-6) 58334151 - Fax: 58349186 - E-mail: abbonamenti@europaeurope.it - Internet: http://www.europaeurope.it ). 2001, No. 1, 194 pp. Subscription: 180,000 lira. ISBN 88-339-1310-4.
In brief: the British and Italian left, the CNN effect and the identity of NATO, the European Charter of Fundamental Rights, American democracy after the election of George W. Bush. It includes a series of articles on the new historical research perspectives on European integration: the historiography of European integration, monetary questions, European construction, social policy within the integration process, the development of a European security and defence policy, Euro-Mediterranean relations and migration, etc.
*** The Federalist Debate. Papers for Federalists in Europe and the world. Einstein Center for International Studies (26 via Schina, I-10144 Turin. Tel/Fax: (39-11) 4732843 - E-mail: federalist.debate@libero.it). 2001, No.2, 64 pp. Annual subscription: 15 Euro.
Introductory editorial by Lucio Levi on "Globalisation and a World Parliament", this issue of the federalist publication opens with a number of reflections on global problems: "Development, World Peace and the New Millennium", food safety, world governance in the field of the environment, etc. One of the main articles focuses on the endless debate on the European Constitution. There is also an article by the German President, Rau, who comes out in support of a "federal Constitution".
*** Bulletin de jurisprudence constitutionnelle. Editions du Conseil de l'Europe (F-67075 Strasbourg cedex. Tel: (33-3) 88412581 - fax: 88413910). 2000, No. 3, 230 pp. Annual subscription: 76.22 Euro, 500 FF.
Published by the European Commission for a Democracy of Rights (also known as the "Venice Committee"), this constitutional jurisprudence bulletin provides a regular report back on jurisprudence as practised in the constitutional courts of Europe: the European Court of Human Rights and the Court of Justice; certain third countries are also included. The objective is to provide magistrates and experts in constitutional law with information on important judgements in this field on a prompt basis. The summaries of the decisions and opinions published in the Bulletin are not, however, official reports.
*** Resolutions and decisions adopted by the General Assembly during its fifty-fifth sitting. United Nations (New York). 2001, 570 pp.
This publication presents us with the resolutions adopted by the United Nations during their General Assembly, which took place during the last four months of last year. In brief: the Millennium Declaration, Co-operation between the United Nations and the Council of Europe, the Afro-Asian Legal Consultative Committee, Co-operation with the Arab League, the Law of the Sea, Problems Posed by the HIV Virus, the Convention against Organised Transnational Crime, and the Year of Dialogue between Civilisations
*** Global illicit drug trends 2001.United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention. United Nations publications (Sales Division, New York, Geneva). 2001, 282 pp. ISBN 92-1-148140-6.
In 1998 Member States decided to carry out a number of substantial measures for controlling the supply and demand for illicit drugs by 2008. With this in mind, this objective can only be achieved by way of a "balanced approach" (controlling the demand as much as the supply) and on the basis of assessments of problems linked to drugs. In this perspective, this reliable data and statistics are really indispensable. This report seeks to cover all the different problems, providing a complete picture of market assessment, production, trafficking and consummation.
Reviews in brief
*** Comuni d'Europa. 2001, No. 7/8, Rome. The publication of the Association of Italian Towns, Provinces and Regions provides information about European and Italian reforms impacting in this area. It also gives us an insight, "unlike any other", into Il Mulino (The Windmill) a "convinced Europhile" publication that has studied Europe over the last fifty years. *** News from Cyprus. August/September 2001, No. 5, Brussels. This monthly newsletter from the Cyprus Permanent Delegation to the European Union announces the European Parliament's support for the speedy accession of Cyprus, which has already made substantial progress in the negotiation process. *** Look Japan. October 2001, Singapore. The economic "Mega Competition" in East-Asia is looked into here.