The World is Flat by Thomas L Friedman

I just finished reading this book on globalisation (phase 3.0 as Friedman names what is happening now) that I picked up about two weeks ago, after its new and expanded paperback version was released. The book is striking, not because it has made any predictions or cracked theories but because it has described what has happened in recent history, in an unbiased,lucid and interesting way.

Notwithstanding the fact that I am a novice to the subject of macroeconomics and the forces that shape the business world, I found the book to be extremely informative, relevant and revealing of the concept of globalization and what happened to bring this around. Friedman has made this a narrative in first person and explained the whole idea through many stories and discussions with business leaders, interspersed with the insights and interpretations of a world class multiple-Pulitzer-prize winning journalist.

'While I was studying at college' and when Friedman says ' while he was sleeping' many levellers came up that made the ground for developing countries flatter in which to play. He then goes on the explain the way several countries, India and China primarily, have adopted new technologies and economic policies to make leaps in the global trade race.

Being in the IT industry myself, I am able to relate to a lot of what Friedman has said about how the industry has been able to work, what with the abundance of English speaking skilled youth and the obvious time zone advantage of India. In the process of reading this, I could draw parallel to the theory of Tipping Point by Malcom Gladwell. There had to be in place several of the right things before China and especially India could take advantage of this and attempt to tip the scales. Anyway, that is not anywhere the main point of the book, but my own little observation.

In an unbiased way, Friedman has also churned various aspects related to outsourcing (as I am able to appreciate now, it can only be called 'right-sourcing' in today's world), and explain how outsourcing can be beneficial to the Americans, despite their natural and understandable dissent.

Based on facts again, Friedman has also tried to make his case for how religious and ideological politics have worked to the disadvantage of several nations (like Pakistan, Arabian states and many sub-Saharan states) and why if they refuse to change, there can only be more disparity these societies will feel from the other economies and societies that have opened themselves up.

It is worth reading how Friedman has tried to depict the impact of right kind of parenting on the future course of globalisation especially for the Americans. It may give us Indians a wee bit to be proud of the way our culture and society pressures push us to pursue the best of educational options.And now suddenly it seems OK that , even if only in this context, we went through it and are going through it. Well, this can also be argued against, but that will not be here.

This is an unputdownnable book, and a must read for anyone interested in the recent history of the world.