globalization

In George Orwell’s “1984,” the leaders of his nightmare state poisoned speech by disfiguring meanings for political purposes. The War Department became the Department of Peace. Similarly, anti-globalists proclaimed a victory for democracy when the World Bank last week cancelled a meeting on global poverty reduction because of threats of violence.

Bank spokeswoman Caroline Anstey said the Bank couldn’t subject the host city, Barcelona, and conference participants to the abuse, property destruction, and violence marshaled by anti-globalization forces.