Reaction Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 7

Reaction Paper - Essay Example Barber’s argument has attracted criticisms from democratic and capitalistic due to the insufficiency of evidence in support thereof. However, it is necessary to tame the pressures of Jihad and McWorld – as Barber argues – for democracy to thrive. Capitalism is a system of economics grounded on the private ownership of production inputs and capital. Goods and services are produced principally for profit. Goods and services are produced based on the demand and supply in the market (market economy) as opposed to central planning (planned economy). Competition between producers is the main characteristic of capitalism. Barber conducts an examination of the pressures of capitalism, communication systems, and advertising campaigns on the global scale. The world has become such a small village that governments have lost their authority to regulate the affairs of citizens. Barber uses the term â€Å"McWorld† to describe the scenario. Transactions today are concluded with such amazing efficiency and speed that no government of the present day can purport to control (Barber 4). Alongside these international pressures exerted by capitalism and associated practices, individual nations have suffered pressures from within as groups struggle to break free from the regimes in place. Determinism is at its peak in individual nations. The author gives the example of Quebec that has struggled for a long time to break out of Canada. Barber uses the term â€Å"Jihad† to describe this scenario. This term includes both religious factions determined to exert influence in certain regions and ethnic groups struggling to break free from nation-states to whose regimes they are subject. Rebellious movements with no political or religious ambitions are also included in the term. The two terms – McWorld and Jihad – are unbearable forces that the author believes are spirited attempts by the individual to define his or her place in a