In the light of the recent political mood throughout the world, one can observe that the word globalisation is gaining currency everywhere. From Japan to the United Kingdom to the Indian sub-continent, it is the current obsession among the political elites in those countries.

However, what does globalisation actually mean to these men and women standing on their national pedestals?

Being a resident in Japan, I observed that for the political elite here, globalisation does not merely mean an exchange of cultures in its original etymological meaning. Sinisterly, globalisation, which the elite had committed to in the spirit of 'kaikaku' or reform, means these things: privatisation of government bodies including hospitals and universities, encouragement of cut-throat corporate competition and hostile takeovers.

Now, do these things ring a bell with you?

Indeed, if you are vaguely familiar with the vocabulary of political science, they mean one thing: neo-liberalism. Now what is neo-liberalism? It means basically, the abandonment of state control of the economy, in favour of the free market. Broadly speaking, it does not only mean market control of the economy, but of the social, cultural and other sectors of life as well. Or to put it even more simply, it is the state passing control of national life to the free market, which comprises capitalists, businessmen and economic marauders.

And where do you think this ideology is most prevalent in?

The beacon of freedom

That's right folks, the United States of America. She is the beacon of freedom in the world. She is the land of the brave. She is where the poor and the destitute are welcome with open arms.

She is also the world's largest possessor of nuclear weapons. She has the largest disparity between the rich and poor in any developed country in the world. With the distinct lack of a national insurance cover and other social safety nets, she is a country where the poor and needy have nothing to fall upon when the going gets tough, for being poor means being lazy means being bad in the US.

Too bad, it is a dog eat dog world out there, and you better get your wits going, otherwise nobody's going to care about you.

Back to Japan, the privatisation of hospitals and universities, and the introduction of American-style corporate culture with the various lawyers, hostile-takeovers and vultures is happening at lightning speed. Even the political sphere is rapidly moving towards the right, with its emphasis on a

strong and formal military, its focus on nationalism and a decidedly unilateral foreign policy. Japan is facing a change that had never been this rapid and mind-boggling ever since the Meiji Restoration.

It is a globalisation that is actually Americanisation.

Gone are the bad old days of seniority-based and lifetime employment, close relationships between companies and their distributors, economic development policies for rural areas, a social net for the poor and an almost universal middle class. Say good-bye to the pacifist diplomatic policies of the past.

The intellectuals who engineered the current egalitarian economic policies in the 1960`s that were so successful in the past have become somewhat a relic, in the age of cut-throat capitalist competition with no particular affection for the less privileged. Poverty is not an option in the age of neo-liberalism. If you are in need, that is too bad because it is somewhat your own fault. Some neo-liberal economists fret that by creating more billionaires, there will be more jobs and higher income for everyone.

What they conveniently forget is that some get much more, and some get much less. The world is not equal, but even thinking of making the world a better place economically, means partisan socialism for some, a sort of taboo.

Cowboy global capitalism

But why should ideology play a more important role than reality? If the communists were accused of that, how about the neo-liberal economists in Japan right now?

The current egalitarian Japanese society is cracking. With the increasing cost of previously affordable government services, inflation will no doubt rise which will be tough on lower-income wage earners.

The Koizumi administration's focus on American-style consumer-based economic growth will threaten to raise the disparity between different economic classes, inviting future social unrest. It is no longer a caring society for people of all classes and backgrounds, for it is not conducive fiscally.

Welcome to the real world, a new age of cowboy global capitalism. Even in egalitarian Japan, reform means globalisation which means Americanisation of the economy and society.

Indeed, Japan is now literally caught in a tryst with destiny. Should she form policies that are most conducive for her unique culture and society or blindly ape the cowboy economic advisors that are now predominating the White House?

It is the best of times, it is the worst of times.

Raymond Woo is a Malaysian currently studying law at Japan's Osaka University.