Global Communication and Imperialism

This chapter approaches the topic of globalisation and global communication based on the concept of the new imperialism and critical globalisation studies. It first engages with the notion of space then global space, lastly society and globalisation. The relationship of capitalism and globalisation is analysed before the connections between communication, capitalism, and globalisation. There are economic, political, and cultural dimensions of globalisation. Capital drives beyond national boundaries and organises itself on a transnational scale in order to find: (1) cheap(er) labour, (2) cheap(er) means of production, (3) commodity markets and (4) investment opportunities. Globalisation and de-globalisation often emerge as features of society as a result of crises. After the crisis of capitalism in the mid-1970s, a new phase of capitalist development emerged. Neoliberalism and corporations’ global outsourcing of labour in order to yield higher profits by lowering their wage costs have been an integral feature of this phase of capitalist development that can be termed as new imperialist capitalism. The world economic crisis of 2008 triggered a new phase not ending neoliberalism, but in parts of the world bringing about a shift towards authoritarian capitalism combined with neoliberalism. This form of capitalism features nationalism, xenophobia, hierarchical leadership, and coercive state politics. Communication technologies are a medium and outcome of the globalisation of capitalism. The rise of networked computing technologies is part of a flexible regime of accumulation and a new phase of time-space compression. No nation or block of nations can offer a counter-flow to capitalism, but only socialism.