In Goodbye Globalization: The Return of a Divided World, Elisabeth Braw delves into the decline of the globalized order that defined much of the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
With a focus on how geopolitical shifts, particularly the actions of Russia and China, have disrupted the promises of economic interconnectedness, Braw offers a detailed narrative of a world retreating into regionalism and division. Braw traces how Western democracies initially embraced globalization, viewing it as a path to shared prosperity and stability. However, this ideal faltered as authoritarian states like China and Russia adopted economic liberalization without democratization. Instead of fostering global harmony, this created strategic dependencies that these powers exploited.
For example, Braw highlights Lithuania’s experience with Chinese economic retaliation as a case study of globalization’s risks. Such events reveal how interdependence can become a weakness when weaponized in geopolitical competition.
What sets Braw’s book apart is her even-handed approach. Rather than glorifying globalization’s past or lamenting its decline, she aims to unpack its realities and lessons. Her storytelling is enriched by the voices of her interviewees, whose experiences span industries and continents. This narrative style gives the book a personal and relatable edge, helping readers grasp the tangible impact of economic and political shifts.
While Goodbye Globalization offers a compelling analysis, it does not provide definitive answers to what comes next. Braw avoids prescriptive solutions, instead prompting readers to consider how the world might navigate the challenges of a fractured global landscape.
By weaving together individual stories and geopolitical insights, she constructs a vivid tapestry of globalization’s rise and retreat. The result is a thought-provoking account of an era ending, and the uncertain future that lies ahead.
When I started planning Goodbye Globalization, two economics professors said I was wrong. There was nothing ailing globalisation, they argued. And here we are today. The latest example: Tesla’s car factor near Berlin will temporarily suspend production due to lack of parts as a result of the Red Sea crisis.
… explained Elisabeth Braw
