Distributism vs. Globalism

There has been a tendency over the last several decades toward globalism. This goes beyond the so-called "global economy,” with its free trade deals favoring international banks and corporations. This trend has resulted in the formation of international bureaucracies imposing standards, if not laws, on otherwise sovereign states. While there was always some resistance to this tendency, it has nevertheless progressed to the point that there is now a growing movement of outright rejection. What was initially presented as a path toward peace and harmony is increasingly viewed by common citizens as a growing threat to their freedom and way of life. What is the position of distributism in relation to the idea of globalism?

Globalism is the idea of those who believe they should help direct the development of social, cultural, technological, or economic networks around the world through political influence, and who desire the establishment of international political bodies to govern on an international level. The idea is that, by having multiple people of various cultural and economic backgrounds come together to discuss issues, problems can be resolved effectively and peacefully. Since the resolutions of these bodies can only be effective if they are actually binding, these organizations have to acquire legally recognized legislative authority. This is gladly accepted by the promoters of these organizations who seem to assume that those who run these international legislatures will always see things the same way they do. They hardly ever seem to consider what happens if they don't. They also don't seem to care if the policies and laws they desire to establish are actually wanted by the people who will end up being subject to them.

The problem with placing such a wide-ranging authority in the hands of a political body with no political or cultural attachment to the people is that people from different countries have different cultures and customs. They are rightfully proud of them and reject efforts by "those who know better" to toss them aside in the wake of the globalist view of how things should be. They want their own way of doing business, of farming and manufacture, of protecting public health and the environment, of securing civil liberties, of running their schools, of deciding what should be taught in those schools and of deciding how to integrate immigrants into their society. They do not want people who do not share their views of culture and custom to make such decisions for them, and this is precisely what the globalists want to do.

The globalists “negotiate” a one-size-fits-all agreement which actually only appeals to those whose views have a majority representation in the international political organization. In other words, only the globalists really get to decide. This was a significant part of the movement in Great Britain to leave the European Union. The European Union started as a "common market" to work together to help the economies of the separate European countries. It has evolved into an international authority with its own flag, its own anthem, and its legislature makes laws that override the national and local laws of its member states. Even when the decisions of globalist organizations are not legislatively binding, their existence creates a great political pressure for states to comply even if the citizens of the state oppose them. For example, the United Nations not only told Ireland, a sovereign state, that it should change its abortion laws. The politicians in Ireland's government, led by the U.N. instead of their own people, put it up for a vote. It was resoundingly defeated because the people of Ireland don't want it. The United Nations even told the Catholic Church to change its religious doctrines according to its view of “child welfare.” There have been cases where globalist organizations have used economic pressure, like denying aide, to try and coerce countries to adopt unwanted policies. By moving the decision-making power further and further away from the people, the political process ultimately becomes less democratic as individual voices become less able to influence decisions that impact their daily lives.

Distributists, on the other hand, would not only promote a country's sovereign right to direct its own affairs, we also promote that right for political regions and local communities within a country in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity.

"A community of a higher order should not interfere in the internal life of a community of a lower order, depriving the latter of its functions, but rather should support it in case of need and help to coordinate its activity with the activities of the rest of society, always with a view of the common good."

This view provides a foundation for people to preserve their culture and customs and to direct their own lives, and does so while still making room for national assistance when and where needed. It is not an “isolationist” position. It is a view that does not exclude the idea of international cooperation in addressing wider issues, but it does not include relinquishing of sovereignty to permanent international organizations as part of the process.

The world is filled with various cultures and customs, and the people from those cultures who share those customs either love them or will change them on their own. There isn't a one-size-fits-all way of life and of doing things. The purveyors of globalism, even if they don't start out to do so, ultimately trample on the rights of the people they claim to be helping. The people who say we should "celebrate diversity” are the ones who end up trying to force everyone to be the same. The people who shout the loudest about tolerance end up being the most intolerant of all. They believe they are going to do good, but they end up establishing the very kind of repressive government they claim to hate, using the very tactics they villify. In the end, even though they want peace, they will cause rebellion because the people they claim to be helping will resent them for being oppressive overlords.