A Movement Toward Greater Integration of the Global Economy

Abstract

We introduce our topic and identify our primary research questions. We also show that, since the 1970s, there has been a general shift toward greater globalization. A part of this increased globalization has been increased international economic integration and, thus, greater inter-connectedness among developed and developing countries. This places us at a point in history where societies are more connected than perhaps at any time in human history, yet the extent of globalization remains uneven and “lumpy.” Given these facts, it is unsurprising that we observe pronounced cultural differences across societies. Survey findings from Germany and the USA lead us to posit that greater cultural distance may contribute to the observed variation in opinions of international trade and perhaps also of opinions toward immigrants and immigration and on foreign direct investment inflows.