Globalisation Ranters

I wished yesterday, to buy a book as part of
mrs maytrees birthday present for 4th June. Sebastian
Faulks "Engleby".

Wimbledon Broadway boasts
3 booksellers in close proximity, WH Smith,
Waterstones and Books etc. Smith's sale price was
£17.99p. Books Etc. £14.99p and Waterstone's £13.99p.
Waterstones it was then Not that long ago
the UK book sellers were legally bound by
something called Retail Price Maintenance outlawing
any reduction in a book's retail selling price.
Ostensibly
this was to protect authors, independent book shops
publishers and you name it, any other lobby group
except those who actually read the books. In those
days the book's price would have been £17,99p
everywhere -like it or lump it. Today,
after the abolition of RPM, book
readers can shop around for the cheapest price and
save ££s.
Furthermore there are no shortages
of books or of different places to buy them or of publishers
or so far as I can judge, of authors new and old.

Competition locally and nationally, works then
so logically internationally too.

"Globalisation" protests I really
do not understand. Taking the book example
above, Amazon, a product of globalisation if there
ever was one has the same book on sale for £8.99p
(but mine was an impulse rather than planned buy
hence Waterstones won despite their price).

Similarly not that long ago buying a decent cup of
coffee in decent surroundings in many British
towns was well nigh impossible. Starbucks
arrived and though I loathe their coffee and style
they certainly "bucked" the market into
delivering choice and now that new coffee houses have
set up shop, decent coffee whenever
the mood takes one.

Of course the globalisation protests are said to
be about the impact of Starbucks Nike et al on
the 3rd and developing worlds not on Wimbledon Braodway.
Frankly the
corruption and self gratifying behaviour
of many of the politicans in parts of the third
world, cause more suffering for their poor peoples
than global commercialisation by the rich countries

Trade restrictions like EC agriculture
are damaging as may have been some colonialisation.
However many people in Ireland complained of 100s of years
of British colonial rule yet now look at
how quickly, aided by the absence of very much
corruption, they have powered through to prosperity.

The Irish were assisted by the Europeans but surely
Non-corrupt African nations could aid their neighbours
in the same way? Help from the wealthy nations
is also needed but what on earth are the Rostock
protests about and what are they trying to achieve?