Jihad vs. McWorld

Infobox Book
name = Jihad vs. McWorld: Terrorism's Challenge to Democracy
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption = Jihad vs. McWorld
author = Benjamin R. Barber
illustrator =
cover_artist =
country = United States
language = English
series =
genre = Political science
publisher = Ballantine Books
release_date = 1995
media_type = Paperback
pages = 389
isbn = 0-345-38304-4
preceded_by =
followed_by =

"Jihad vs. McWorld" is the title of a 1995 book by political scientist Benjamin R. Barber, in which he puts forth a theory that describes the struggle between "McWorld" (globalization and the corporate control of the political process) and "Jihad" (tradition and traditional values, often in the form of extreme nationalism or religious orthodoxy and theocracy).

The book was based on a March 1992 article first published in the Atlantic Monthly.cite news
title=Jihad vs. McWorld
url=http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/199203/barber
date=March 1992
publisher=The Atlantic Monthly
accessdate=2007-01-29 ]

The book employs the basic critique of neoliberalism seen in Barber's earlier, seminal work "Strong Democracy". As economic liberalism — not to be confused with political liberalism as it is defined in the United States — is the force behind globalization, this critique is relevant on a much larger scale. Unregulated market forces encounter parochial (tribal) forces. These tribal forces come in many varieties: religious, cultural, ethnic, regional, local, etc. As globalization imposes a culture of its own on a population, the tribal forces feel threatened and react. More than just economic, the crises that arise from these confrontations often take on a sacred quality to the tribal elements; thus Barber's use of the term "Jihad" (although in the 2nd edition, he expresses regret at having used this term).

Barber's prognosis in his 1995 book, "Jihad vs McWorld: How Globalism and Tribalism Are Reshaping the World", is generally negative — he concludes that neither global corporations nor traditional cultures are supportive of democracy. He further posits that "McWorld" could ultimately win the "struggle." He also proposes a model for small, local democratic institutions and civic engagement as the hope for an alternative to these two forces.

See also

* Clash of Civilizations
* "The McDonaldization of Society"
* "The Lexus and the Olive Tree"

Bibliography

* Barber, Benjamin R., "Jihad vs. McWorld", Hardcover: Crown, 1995, ISBN 0812923502; Paperback: Ballantine Books, 1996, ISBN 0345383044

References