Wrong side of the fence

I find myself in an new interesting position. I've been supporting big companies. For those of you who know me well, you know I go to great lengths to support small business. I buy my groceries at six different neighborhood stores. My butcher, my wine & cheese store, my organic food store, my locally owned deli, and my low income grocery store and my locally owned fresh fish store.... And this is just for food. But when you look at the global economy and how globalization changes the world I've come to understand the outsourcing of so many companies. Microsoft, Yahoo and Google are in Washington D. C. right now justifying their cooperation with China's strict censorship laws. Socially I' have always been one of the first to jump out and denounce such practices but I no longer feel that way. After learning more closely the way commercial development actually helps the social development of countries in the book The Travels of a T-shirt in the Global Economy I've changed my tune slightly on my hard edge fear of big business. In Pietra Rivoli's book she describes how the insertion a large company from an open society like the USA into closed countries such as China are slowly changing their social structure inspite of all the restrictions that the government imposes. The small changes that each company brings to the table. The opportunities that are given to women who live in such restrictive environments in these countries are pathetic to our sensibilities but are transformative dreams in their minds.
The slow change of mindset is the only thing that will eventually bring about social justice in these countries. It has to come from a change from within, not a forced "democratic" society brought in by other countries such as the US. As businesses such as Google enter the economic society of China then the minds of the people will grow and strengthen. Although this often takes generations to bring forth giant change it is also been proven in history to be the most permanent method of change.
Our country's government has taken a policy as of late to force our ideals upon the rest of the world. And although I agree that China needs more freedom for it's people, and Saddam Hussain was a crazy dictator that does not give our government the right to bring back colonialism in it's "altruistic" desire to change the world. I think Google is right in the belief that to change China we must first become a part of them. And to become a part of them Google must play by their rules. Ideas leak through societies and people like water through a aging dam. A strong impenetrable force in the beginning water will slowly break down even the strongest material. First just a tiny crack. Which gets sealed. Then another and another. And eventually, given patience and time, the water always wins. Censored materials will leak through. People will have their eyes and hearts and minds opened. And we will see change. But only if we let the door open. Even if it's just a crack.

So my belief in small business is as strong as ever but I now have a growing belief in the power a strong conscientious big business can have for the world. Google purpose of existence is to transmit information. All information. Google has thought long and hard on it's expansion into China. Google has seen that the best way to bring about it's ideals is to first get it's foot in the door. I, for one, support and commend Google for it's strength and fortitude against an intrusive and overbearing government.

Kat