Memo+18+Shifts+in+sign+systems+(Dan+F)

The concepts surrounding and imbedded in globalization are the culmination of tons of shifts occurring over a long span of time that have attempted to address failings of the systems in place before them. No matter how many times the system is tweaked it always seems to need more in order to make it do what it was actually supposed to. The results of one of the most immediate shifts surrounding how people interact in the global system act today are microfinance, and fair trade. Both of these concepts represent a growing frustration in large-scale failures in the fight to bring the poorest people of the world out of poverty. Both solutions are on a very focused individual-approach scale. Microfinance seeks to help individuals bring themselves out of poverty and fair trade seeks to give the vote back to individuals. Both are examples of a shift towards individualistic solutions and away from the failings of more encompassing policy and regulation. Whether because governments fail to make the necessary changes that people want or because corruption on various levels undermines the effect, the only solution that appears left to people is to vote by more immediate everyday actions. Attempting to appeal to a higher level of the system that could change things for multiple people instead of just one is becoming less common. Instead of voting politically, people vote with their purchases. Instead of giving countries loans they are giving individuals loans.

A lot of my ideas feed into this shift. I don’t generally agree with fair trade or microfinance, but my arguments are in a similar vein. I believe a major flaw in development is the relationship between developed countries relations with significantly less developed countries. My solutions for part of my thesis involves the proper transfer of technology on a very local level to avoid dependence and ensure that people get things they actually want and will use in the relationship. It is a matter of giving the people a choice instead of forcing a solution on them that more developed countries believe should work for them.