Globalisation – how and where
The CEO of the Bank of Italy provides a clear overview of the past and present of international relationships
Globalisation as something to be first understood and then properly managed, so as not to leave anyone behind and not be overtaken by events. Once more, what is needed are the right tools. This is why “Globalizzazione e frammentazione” (“Globalisation and fragmentation”) is useful to read – a contribution written by Luigi Federico Signorini (CEO of the Bank of Italy) for Geopolitica, geodemografia e il mondo di domani (Geopolitics, geodemographics and the world of tomorrow), event organised by the Polo Universitario delle Scienze Sociali of Florence, held at the beginning of April 2023.
Signorini outlines, in just a few pages, what happened in the last decades, paying particular attention to the economy but also considering other aspects of the global social system. And he immediately starts with a clarification that elucidates the topic: “The word ‘globalisation,’ he explains, “may mean different things in different contexts or depending on alternative viewpoints. Globalisation understood in its widest sense comprises not only economic, but also technological, social, cultural and political aspects; aspects that it is not easy to untangle. At the same time, it has generated – and keeps on generating – criticism, enthusiasm and fear that cannot be ascribed to just one dimension, whether economic, social or technological. That being said, I believe that following the evolution of this process from an economics viewpoint allows to capture some significant aspects that might contribute to the current debate, highlighting – or at least attempting to highlight – the risks of today and the prospects of tomorrow”.
Hence, the CEO of the Bank of Italy provides a broad narration of what happened over the past twenty years, including just a few numbers (which is a merit) yet several considerations that readers will find easy to grasp. Further, he defines some points that are often left neglected. “If we consider the whole of humanity as a single community,” he emphasises, “the decrease in inequality achieved in the last decades has actually been extraordinary and the contribution that globalisation made to this phenomenon is undeniable. Yet, the evolution of inequality within countries, especially advanced countries is, to say the least, much more controversial”.
Thus, the globalisation defined by Signorini is a non-linear, non-homogeneous one, though he provides readers with the right elements required to understand and assess the situation, up to our present day, marked by the unexpected eruption of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
As such, Signorini’s contribution not only represents an excellent example of what a clear analysis should be, but also a key tool to comprehend what is happening around us. To be read and retained.
Globalizzazione e frammentazione (“Globalisation and fragmentation”)
Luigi Federico Signorini
Geopolitica, geodemografia e il mondo di domani event, Polo Universitario delle Scienze Sociali, Florence, 5 April 2023
The CEO of the Bank of Italy provides a clear overview of the past and present of international relationships
Globalisation as something to be first understood and then properly managed, so as not to leave anyone behind and not be overtaken by events. Once more, what is needed are the right tools. This is why “Globalizzazione e frammentazione” (“Globalisation and fragmentation”) is useful to read – a contribution written by Luigi Federico Signorini (CEO of the Bank of Italy) for Geopolitica, geodemografia e il mondo di domani (Geopolitics, geodemographics and the world of tomorrow), event organised by the Polo Universitario delle Scienze Sociali of Florence, held at the beginning of April 2023.
Signorini outlines, in just a few pages, what happened in the last decades, paying particular attention to the economy but also considering other aspects of the global social system. And he immediately starts with a clarification that elucidates the topic: “The word ‘globalisation,’ he explains, “may mean different things in different contexts or depending on alternative viewpoints. Globalisation understood in its widest sense comprises not only economic, but also technological, social, cultural and political aspects; aspects that it is not easy to untangle. At the same time, it has generated – and keeps on generating – criticism, enthusiasm and fear that cannot be ascribed to just one dimension, whether economic, social or technological. That being said, I believe that following the evolution of this process from an economics viewpoint allows to capture some significant aspects that might contribute to the current debate, highlighting – or at least attempting to highlight – the risks of today and the prospects of tomorrow”.
Hence, the CEO of the Bank of Italy provides a broad narration of what happened over the past twenty years, including just a few numbers (which is a merit) yet several considerations that readers will find easy to grasp. Further, he defines some points that are often left neglected. “If we consider the whole of humanity as a single community,” he emphasises, “the decrease in inequality achieved in the last decades has actually been extraordinary and the contribution that globalisation made to this phenomenon is undeniable. Yet, the evolution of inequality within countries, especially advanced countries is, to say the least, much more controversial”.
Thus, the globalisation defined by Signorini is a non-linear, non-homogeneous one, though he provides readers with the right elements required to understand and assess the situation, up to our present day, marked by the unexpected eruption of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
As such, Signorini’s contribution not only represents an excellent example of what a clear analysis should be, but also a key tool to comprehend what is happening around us. To be read and retained.
Globalizzazione e frammentazione (“Globalisation and fragmentation”)
Luigi Federico Signorini
Geopolitica, geodemografia e il mondo di domani event, Polo Universitario delle Scienze Sociali, Florence, 5 April 2023