This study attempts to find out in which direction global power distribution is shifting and whether or not we are justified to use “social class” and “class struggle” as explanatory concepts to understand the structure of our globalizing society. This is expected to shed light on the chances we have to build a democratic, ecologically sustainable and socially just world society. The paper raises, and explores to some extent, four questions: (1) Can the concept of social class as developed by Marxist scholars, be helpful in understanding the present formation of a new global power structure? What insights would it open? (2) How did the neo-conservative offensive help the global ruling class to evolve? (3) Does the global ruling class develop some sort of class consciousness? (4) If so: What are the means used by the global ruling class in the class struggle? (5) What are likely consequences for the future?
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After decades of isolation - imposed by major OECD countries out of concern for the country's human rights violations - Myanmar is emerging as a new darling of the "West" - judging by the accelerating succession of visits by senior officials and gurus. New groups of investors are waiting to enter the country as soon as possible.
Persistent high unemployment, the euro area debt crisis and premature fiscal austerity have already slowed global growth and factor into the possibility of a new recession. Now the United Nations have downgraded significantly its forecasts for the world economy in the next year.
Eastern European states are in for a new round of the crisis. The external control of the banking sector and high reliance on external credit has landed the countries of Eastern Europe in a vulnerable position. Now, credit flows from Western banks are drying up again. Hungary has been the first country in the region to ask for IMF support again.
While the G20 efforts to manage global aggregate demand, exchange rate management and stronger regulation of the international financial sector have not worked out quite as planned, in Cannes the Group was further solidifying its role in directing the system of multilateral institutions.
In November 2011, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) is celebrating its 50th anniversary.The new Minister, Dirk Niebel of the (neo)-liberal FDP has launched a 'radical change of course'. In the recent edition of the Reality of Aid shadow report the change is analyzed.