Jihad Vs. McWorld is an astonishing and insightful book--the best non-fiction I have read all year. I only wish I had read it sooner. It was first published in 1995, though there is a new introduction from the author post-September 11. This is a thouroughly engaging exegesis of the conflict between ethnic tribal nationalism and globalization.If we usually think of the major ideological forces of the 20th century as communism and fascism, then Barber may have found what the major forces shaping the 21st century are. By Jihad, he does not mean Islamic religious warfare, but more generally fundamentalist, parochial interests that are deeply distrustful toward Western modernity. By McWorld, he means a varient of the Marxist idea of hegemonic power, though it is not connected to an individual nation-state, but rather driven by multi-national corporate entities. Barber's analysis both readable and sophisticated. He presents a convincing argument that these forces are powerful and in conflict with each other, and moreover, that both forces are profoundly anti-democratic in their effects. McWorld has largely changed the way individuals in the West think of themselves, exchanging being a citizen for being a consumer. The fundamentalists that support what he terms Jihad look backward a pretend golden age that would strip away the rights and openness that are associated with modern democratic government. Barber also exposes how these forces in conflict are also codependent, each needing certain aspects of the other.If there's a weakness in the book, it is in Barber's solutions to these issues. He calls for a renewal of democratic sensibility; reinvigoration of our common spaces (his defense of the word "public" in the term "public option" for health insurance in a recent Huffington Post article is, I think, an example of what he might mean by this) and voluntary civic organizations, a la Putnam in Bowling Alone. It's well and good to suggest this, but something else altogether to suggest a method of accomplishing this. Although he doesn't outright say so, I think Barber also realizes the difficulty there, which would go some way toward explaining why the book is relatively pessimistic about the prospects for a functional democracy returning anytime soon. In the years since the book's initial publication, I think it's become increasingly clear that McWorld's mindset has replaced a democractic mindset in the U.S. and McWorld increasingly seems to have Jihad backbeddling around the world, though September 11th was an awful reminder that fundamentalist forces still can lash out with great lethality. Nonetheless, even after the 2008 elections, which saw a significant increase in citizen engagement and activity in the electoral process, we seem to have a government that remains incapable to serving the basic needs of the polity. Perhaps that is too hyperbolic, but perhaps not, either. The fact that there could be legitimate debate on that point says a lot in itself.
There's probably a reason why one should read "current affairs" books when they are current. While the title of this one is clearly still topical, it was written in the mid-1990s, prior to the start of our current war on terror. While the overall thesis is still relevant, the whole book was really dragged out much longer than it needed to be (in fact, the thesis was first presented in a lengthy magazine piece and then adapted into a book). Nevertheless, the citations are excellent and provided further fodder for me to Google, since I was more aware of some (but not all) of the referenced events when they occurred (when I was in high school).
Do You like book Jihad Vs. McWorld (1996)?
At the time I read this book (soon after it was published in 1995) Barber's concepts were new to me, His main premise in the book is that the opposing forces of tribalism and consumerism are creating a tension in the world that leads to interesting and often volatile consequences. The last twenty years have seen this concept play out countless times and although I haven't read the book in this century, I feel that it will remain insightful for those looking to gain greater understanding of our complex and often baffling world.
—Gerald
When I bought it, it seemed quite prescient, and having studied some anthropology, I thought his thesis was really important. However, his writing was very repetitive and a little sloppy. Also, reviews since the original printing have pointed out that he got significant facts about the muslim world wrong, so very flawed, but an interesting and relevant theory at one time regarding globalism, monoculture versus tribal culture/fundamentalism. Wish it wasn't so sloppy and repetitive in its presentation.
—Melanie Doyle
Surprisingly, given the title, this book is over ten years old although this British edition has a foreword post - but not much post - 9/11. The Jihad of which it speaks is more to do with the impulse towards fragmentation of states, petty nationalism and tribalism than specifically religious movements, while its McWorld is the forces of globalisation - almost entirely commercial. The key point seems to be that the relationship between the two is one of mutual dependence as much as, or probably more than, the commonly accepted mutual destruction. While there are some amusing nuggets - especially reading it during the News of the World phone hacking scandal - the tone is serious. I thought in aiming to present arguments for his thesis thoroughly Barber ended up coming across as over-earnest and the book too long. A decently edited edition might have more impact.
—Catherine
