Why Globalization Works (Yale Nota Bene)

Martin Wolf explains how such progress depends on the spread of liberal capitalism and how this necessarily involves further globalization. He refutes with care and remarkable politeness the ill-considered arguments of his opponents.

The book's outstanding quality derives from the author's passionate goodwill for humanity and the controlled patience which he has brought to the rebuttal of arguments which are often exceedingly weak or even downright silly.

Being on the side of the angels is not enough to produce a great work but, as the author has the additional qualities of an incisive mind and elegant style, the result is a book which will increasingly be recognised as a classic.


Brilliant.   March 30, 2005
DP (UK)
9 out of 10 found this review helpful

This book provides a powerful argument for governments to encourage rather than hinder the development of a liberal globalized economy. Martin Wolf's thesis is presented intelligently and clearly, and should be comprehensible to non-economists. There is none of the jargon and convoluted discourse, loved by both social scientists and economists, which prevents the reader from truely understanding what the author is saying and hence hiding any illogicality in the arguments.

My main fear was that there would be little in the way of new material for someone who has been an avid reader of Wolf's articles in the FT and who has read other authors on the subject. However, there is such a wealth of interesting detail and originality in the analysis that this book is a must read for everyone.


The definitive work on globalisation   October 29, 2005
Mark Kobayashi-Hillary (London)
8 out of 9 found this review helpful

Why is this book so good? Because it is so very readable. Wolf has taken a very large subject and broken it up into all the various sections that really need to be covered. He takes all the main arguments against globalisation and argues each case in turn. He explains the benefits in a clear and simple way, using interesting case materials. This book is well researched and can be used as reference material for a University course, but at the same time it is an easy read that can be consumed from cover to cover - not easy to achieve with a subject such as this. Wolf has written a classic.


A very good book (even if you are against it)   December 3, 2005
Thomas Koetzsch (Hong Kong)
7 out of 8 found this review helpful

In coherent and readable style Martin Wolf lays out the case in favour of globalisation. Whether you are in favour or against you should read this book. In making his case, Wolf tells why a global market economy makes sense and why there is too little globalisation. In Part IV he sets out his arguments on why the critics are wrong. This part should be the most exciting for anti-globalisionists given that every chapter starts off with a number of arguments against globalisation (some of which struck me as somewhat bizarre). He then goes on to explain quite comprehensively why the critics should be wrong.
I found Martin Wolf’s book indeed a blueprint for a better world.


Very clear analysis   December 24, 2004
Todesca Tommaso (Trento Italy)
9 out of 11 found this review helpful

The book provides a very clear analysis of globalization, mostly from an economical point of view. With a simple and down to earth writing style, it helps understanding world-wide issues as the development of the WTO, and the future patterns of globalization.