The Global Trap
Encyclopedia
Die Globalisierungsfalle: Der Angriff auf Demokratie und Wohlstand is a 1996
book by Hans-Peter Martin
and Harold Schumann that describes possible implications of current trends in globalisation
. It was published in English as The Global Trap: Civilization and the Assault on Democracy and Prosperity in 1997
.
The book was a best-seller in the author's native Germany.
In particular, the book is known for defining a possible "20/80 society". In this possible society of the 21st century, 20 percent of the working age population will be enough to keep the world economy going. The other 80 percent live on some form of welfare and are entertained with a concept called "tittytainment", which aims at keeping the 80 percent of frustrated citizens happy with a mixture of deadeningly predictable, lowest common denominator entertainment for the soul and nourishment for the body.
1996 in literature
The year 1996 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*Harper Lee's novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, is removed from an advanced placement English reading list in Lindale, Texas because it "conflicted with the values of the community."* In the United Kingdom, the first...
book by Hans-Peter Martin
Hans-Peter Martin
Hans-Peter Martin is an Austrian journalist and politician who has been a Member of the European Parliament since 1999.Born in Bregenz, Vorarlberg, Martin worked for the German weekly news magazine Der Spiegel...
and Harold Schumann that describes possible implications of current trends in globalisation
Globalization
Globalization refers to the increasingly global relationships of culture, people and economic activity. Most often, it refers to economics: the global distribution of the production of goods and services, through reduction of barriers to international trade such as tariffs, export fees, and import...
. It was published in English as The Global Trap: Civilization and the Assault on Democracy and Prosperity in 1997
1997 in literature
The year 1997 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*Tom Clancy signs a book deal with Pearson Custom Publishing and Penguin Putnam Inc. , giving him US$50 million for the world-English rights to two new books . A second agreement gives him another US$25 million for a...
.
The book was a best-seller in the author's native Germany.
In particular, the book is known for defining a possible "20/80 society". In this possible society of the 21st century, 20 percent of the working age population will be enough to keep the world economy going. The other 80 percent live on some form of welfare and are entertained with a concept called "tittytainment", which aims at keeping the 80 percent of frustrated citizens happy with a mixture of deadeningly predictable, lowest common denominator entertainment for the soul and nourishment for the body.
See also
- Criticisms of globalization
- Technopoly: the Surrender of Culture to TechnologyTechnopoly: the Surrender of Culture to TechnologyTechnopoly: the Surrender of Culture to Technology is a book written by Neil Postman in 1992 that describes the development and characteristics of a "technopoly". He defines a technopoly as a society in which technology is deified, meaning “the culture seeks its authorisation in technology, finds...
- The Future and Its EnemiesThe Future and Its EnemiesThe Future and Its Enemies: The Growing Conflict Over Creativity, Enterprise, and Progress is a 1998 book by Virginia Postrel where she describes the growing conflict in post-Cold War society between "dynamism" — marked by constant change, creativity and exploration in the pursuit of progress — and...