If Travel Is an Indicator; The East is Becoming a Major Global Player, While Parts of Europe Struggle

Well, if traveling is an indicator, it seems that Asia (particularly China) is becoming the major global player everyone is predicting it to be, while many parts of western and eastern Europe are, as they have been over the past couple years, struggling.

Here is my anecdotal evidence as a traveler.  Throughout the U.K. and in Germany, where I was last week--and, increasingly, in my other travels throughout Europe--the main tourists I see are German, French, British, American, and, at increasing levels, Asian, mostly Chinese.  Behind these countries is a much smaller group of Scandinavians and Italians.  In contrast, however, one does not see many Spaniards or Greeks or Eastern Europeans.  For example, I think I have heard one person speaking Russian in my seven weeks here.



Statistics at the macro-level seem to support my traveling experiences.

As the chart above shows, the increasing economic power of China is finally beginning to be realized in Europe.  For those of us in sociology and economics and political science--or just anyone who reads the darn world news and is paying attention--this is not a novel or sudden realization.  It is more a confirmation of what we have been saying, for example, in our classes, as professors.  "Hello folks!  The world economy is much more massive and dynamic and global and now eastern and southern than you think it is."

What has gotten people in Europe to suddenly taking notice and actually acknowledge the shifting dynamics of global economics was a report released on the 9th of November, by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).  While Europe and the states struggle, the report basically shows that China, along with other developing economies, such as India, are fast rising to become the new economic super-powers in the world.


Here, for example, is an article in the Guardian, on the increasing number of Chinese tourists in Europe, where they like to go, and what appeals most to them, in their travels--Click Here.

Perhaps even more than the story, though, are the comments made by readers in the online chat room below it.  Here one sees how everyday people are thinking, and it is not very nice.  It is a combination of pride, prejudice and hate, with very provincial views being expressed by people who struggle to realize they live in a global world.  To be fair, some of the comments are by good minded people who are trying to think through the global economy in which they now live. 

To get a good, overall, sense of the OECD report and reaction to it, read this Guardian article--Click Here--and watch this video put out by the OECD, on YouTube--Click here.

Europe and the states face new challenges as the rest of the world seeks to live western-style middle-class lives.  With these changes come some very good things: increased political freedom, increased rights for women, improved health and economic well-being.  And, with these changes come some very troubling things: massive population growth, over-usage of resources, environmental challenges, cultural clash.  It is time we paid attention.


It's funny, as I sit here writing this, because I just realized that I got "Friedmanized." What is that, you say?  In a series of books, over the last decade or so--The World is Flat; Hot Flat and Crowded, and That Used to be Us--the New York Times columnist, Thomas Friedman has been making the case for what is currently happening globally.  In fact, my students know my point in this posting, as I teach Friedman's work in my Intro to Sociology and Global Social Problems courses.  Funny how things happen.

Anyway, if you are interested in more of this, read his books.