The Intimate Economies Of Bangkok Analysis

Globalism is not an easily identifiable entity; many different ideologies, concepts and developments contribute to its definition. However, a problem with defining the process of globalization is the improper association of those ideologies, concepts and developments as products of globalization. As time goes on many regions throughout the globe possess these varying attributes, however they are not a result of the mainstream global cultures. Thus, it is important to make the distinction between what aspects were already a part of these economies and what were products of global cultures influences. Our readings throughout the year have gone in depth, explaining the dynamics and influences of globalization throughout various regions and depicted …show more content…
In The Intimate Economies of Bangkok, Wilson establishes the existence of capitalism in the local markets before diving into the expansion of globalism; pointing out merchant capitalism which existed within its intimate economy well before the tourism industry boom. Merchant capitalism sought to create business through merchant trade which would create and reinvest profit and possibly employ wage labor; larger, more modern cultures such as the U.S., China and European nations embraced an international capitalism, which differs in terms of scale, organization, values and its influence on the local culture and communities. Evolution of shop houses within Bangkok provide an ample representation of the differences between the merchant capitalism of Thailand and the international capitalism embraced by these larger, more developed countries. Many of the shop houses involved family labor and support, trade within kin and community networks. However, with the expansion of globalization came the evolution of the merchant capitalist to one on the international standards, increasing the scale of the operation. Shop houses became department stores, and along with that came other aspects of global capitalism. Family involvement is reduced, outside hires are used for labor and manufacturing is outsourced as well. Targeted consumers grow outside of the kin …show more content…
However, instead of just creating economic decline, industrialization was the principle cause in their civil war. What was originally filled with an intimate economy with agro-pastoralists, expansion of western influence brought the desire for oil, and as a result western style industrialization. Through the desire of creating a society of perpetual growth and influences of large developed economies, large scale oil operations began to displace the small scale farms throughout the country. Sudan’s government was desperate enough to resort to violent measures in enforcing the expansion of the oil industry, provoking the southern rebels and those who associate with them. Despite the violent measures, western societies involved in Sudan’s oil industry continue to support and defend it. Thus, Western societies have not only influenced the large scale industrialization of the oil industry, but Sudan’s value on the commodity and its communities as