Gennifer George
LA 497A
Global Perspectives
Optional Readings Assignment
Dr. Ameer Ali is a lecturer of Economics at Murdoch University in Australia. He
has written several articles, papers, and books on the Muslim perspective of
Globalization, however, in reading Globalization and Greed: A Muslim Perspective, I
found myself disagreeing with much of his article. His title insinuates that globalization
and greed are synonymous, and that he is able to provide a Muslim’s view of it.
However, what he delivers is actually many different views of globalization, with
Western Civilization being the root of all the problems.
Capitalism is defined by Webster’s dictionary as “an economic system
characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods, by investments that
are determined by private decision, and by prices, production, and the distribution of
goods that are determined mainly by competition in a free market.” Global capitalism is
just world-wide capitalism, and that coupled with economic liberalism, or “individual
freedom to own and inherit property, to choose one’s own occupation, and to profit from
one’s own abilities” is, by Ali’s definition, greed. This greed, according to Ali, which is
against all the laws of Islam, is why Muslim communities are against globalization. He
also states that globalization “wants the market to be free of all cultural and ethical
encumbrances.”
First of all, globalization is not a person, so it doesn’t want anything. The
businesses that use globalization as a way to get their products into homes all across
the world are who wants a market free of encumbrances. Secondly, the market is never
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going to be that free. Realistically, there are cultural and ethical differences in all parts
of the world, and businesses have learned to adapt their products so that they can bring
their products into areas with these cultural and ethical differences. Glocalization allows
international businesses to intermingle among local businesses.
In China, a traveler will find a restaurant originally founded in the United States,
called KFC, or Kentucky Fried Chicken. In the U.S., the menu is pretty typical, with fried
chicken, biscuits, mashed potatoes, etc. However, in China, a traveler will find local
items on the menu, such as, spicy chicken rice, sesame seed cakes, porridge, and fried
dough sticks. Why would KFC change their menu to suit the people of China? It is a
very simple, but intelligent way to make sure a restaurant on a foreign soil is more
accepted by locals, and in turn profitable.
Ali’s biggest complaint regarding globalization is that it promotes greed, a direct
violation of the laws of Islam, and has increased the “economic gap between the
minority have-lots and the majority have-nots.” Islamic religion does not own the market
in the abhorrence of greed. Most religions that I am aware of frown on greed, and
encourage charity. The problem lies not with Western Civilization, but with people
themselves. The “me me me” complex has spread all over the world. There are very
few citizens in today’s world that follow the teachings of religious leaders of the past so
extremely as Dr. Ali seems to think Muslims should be. I understand completely why
globalization is seen as such a problem for Islamic countries, however, because the
majority of the leaders in those countries are so out of touch with their Muslim roots,
there will be no change in the system. In order for there to be change, leaders must
come forward and insist that those changes be made in socially acceptable way, with
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give and take, rather than by making demands and placing the blame at the feet of
others.
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Work Cited:
Ali, Ameer. "Globalization and Greed: A Muslim Perspective." Subverting Greed:
Religious Perspectives on the Global Economy (2002): 137-53. Print.
"Capitalism About Our Definitions: All Forms of a Word (noun, Verb, Etc.) Are
Now Displayed on One Page." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 31
Oct. 2012. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/capitalism>.
Chossudovsky, Michel. "Global Research." The € œDemonization€ • of Muslims and
the Battle for Oil. Global Research, 4 Jan. 2007. Web. 31 Oct. 2012.
<http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-demonization-of-muslims-and-the-battle-foroil/4347>.
"Rice on the Menu at Shanghai KFC." People's Daily Online. N.p., 8 Mar. 2010. Web.
31 Oct. 2012. <http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90778/90860/6912182.html>
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