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Globalisation finds favour; but job worries remain

People around the world increasingly favour globalisation but worry about its impact on jobs, poverty and environment, a World Economic Forum Survey of 25,000 people in 25 countries shows.

Over six in 10 people see economic globalisation as beneficial for them and their families, especially in North America and Europe, while one in five sees it as negative, the largest-ever public opinion poll on globalisation, released on Friday, says.

Of the 18 countries where the question was asked in both 2000 and 2001, positive views are up significantly in nine (most notably in Germany and South Korea), and down in five mainly in economically troubled Turkey and Argentina, it says.

People, especially those in poorer countries, have high expectations that globalisation will deliver benefits in a number of economic and non-economic areas.

However, those surveyed believe globalisation will worsen environmental problems and poverty and reduce the number of jobs in their country.

In G-7 industrialised coutries, most people do not believe that poor states would benefit as much as the rich from free trade and globalisation.

Nearly one in two across the 25 countries disagrees with the statement that "globalisation benefits poor countries as much as the rich."

The poll involved 25,000 in-person or telephone interviews conducted between Oct-Dec 2001 by research institutes in each of the participating country.

The majority anticipates improvements on eight of 15 tors surveyed, most notably greater access to world markets, cheaper goods, improved cultural life, a better quality of life, strengthened human rights, a more robust national economy and a higher personal income.

The survey found significant support for peaceful anti-globalisation protesters.

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