Globalization and Technocapitalism : The Political Economy of Corporate Power and Technological Domination

Globalization and Technocapitalism considers the global reach of a new capitalist era, exploring the nature of 'technocapitalism' as grounded in new forms of accumulation, commodification, and corporate organization. As technological creativity, corporate research, and talent flows become more important than ever, this book explores the manner in which globalization acquires new contextual features that will become central to the macro-social dynamics of the twenty-first century. It thus sheds light on the resultant growth in global inequalities and more intrusive forms of global domination that are grounded in emerging sectors, such as nanotechnology, biotechnology and its diverse fields, such as genomics, synthetic bioengineering, bioinformatics and biopharmacology, and related advances in computing and telecommunications. A rigorous examination of developments in contemporary capitalism as driven by the forces of globalization, Globalization and Technocapitalism will be of interest to scholars working in the fields of social and political theory, international political economy, political philosophy, science and technology studies and globalization. Cover 1 Contents 6 Introduction 8 Technocapitalism on a Global Scale 14 Historical Panorama 16 Experimentalist World 34 Globalization and Domination 39 Conclusion 47 Fast Accumulation 50 Modes 51 Global Imperative 61 Global Effects and Pathologies 65 Conclusion 70 Intangible Global Commodities 74 Creativity and Knowledge 75 Commodification 79 Reproduction on a Global Scale 86 Value 91 Globalization and Dysfunction 96 Conclusion 101 The New Global Corporatism 104 Fast Decomposition and Globalization 105 Fast, Global Research Regimes 117 Global Dilemmas and Pathologies 131 Conclusion 149 The Haves and the Have-nots 152 Haves versus Have-Nots 153 Fast Neo-Imperialism 166 Inequality and Power 169 New Global Divides 178 Conclusion 182 Illusive Democracy 184 Corporatocracy versus Democracy 185 Global Inequality and Corporatocracy 197 Failed Governance 204 Conclusion 212 Is There Any Alternative? 216 Neo-Imperialism, Nations and Class 218 Defragmenting 220 Transformative Emancipation 228 Creativity as a Global Public Resource 235 Index 242 Considers the global reach of a capitalist era, exploring the nature of 'technocapitalism' as grounded in various forms of accumulation, commodification, and corporate organization. This book also explores the manner in which globalization acquires fresh contextual features that become central to the macro-social dynamics of the 21st century.