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which is peanuts compared to the positive impact it could have on workers。 This program
would not replace classic state…run unemployment insurance for workers who opt for
that； but if it worked as projected； it could actually reduce the cost of such programs
by moving people back to work quicker。
Some might ask； Why be compassionate at all？ Why keep any fat； friction； or barriers？
Let me put it as bluntly as I can： If you are not a com296
passionate flatist…if you are just a let 'er rip free…market flatist…you are not only
cruel； you are a fool。 You are courting a political backlash by those who can and
will get churned up by this flattening process； and that backlash could become
ferocious if we hit any kind of prolonged recession。
The transition to a flat world is going to stress many people。 As Joshua S。 Levine；
E*Trade 's chief technology officer； put it to me； 'You know how sometimes you go
through a harrowing experience and you need a respite； but the respite never seems
to come。 Look at the airline workers。 They go through this ＇terrible＇ event like 9/11；
and management and the airline unions all negotiate for four months and management
says； 'If the unions don't cut 2 billion in salary and benefits they will have to
shut the airline down。' And after these wrenching negotiations the unions agree。 I
just have to laugh； because you know that in a few months management is going to come
right back 。 。 。 There is no end。 No one has to ask me to cut my budget each year。
We all just know that each year we will be expected to do more with less。 If you are
a revenue producer； you are expected to come up with more revenue every year； and
if you are an expense saver； you are expected to come up with more savings every year。
You never get a break from it。〃
If societies are unable to manage the strains that are produced by this flattening；
there will be a backlash； and political forces will attempt to reinsert some of the
frictions and protectionist barriers that the flattening forces have eliminated； but
they will do it in a crude way that will； in the name of protecting the weak； end
up lowering everyone's standard of living。 Former Mexican president Ernesto Zedillo
is very sensitive to this problem； having had to manage Mexico's transition into NAFTA；
with all of the strains that put on Mexican society。 Speakingof the flattening process；
he said to me； 〃It would be very hard to stop； but it can be stopped for a time。 Maybe
you can't stop it totally； but you can slow it down。 And it makes a difference whether
you get there in twenty…five years or fifty years。 In between； two or three
generations…who could have benefited a lot from more trade and globalization…will
end up with crumbs。〃
Always remember； said Zedillo； that behind all this technology is a political
infrastructure that enables it to play out。 〃There have been a series of concrete
political decisions； taken over the last fifty years； that put the world where it
is right now；〃 he said。 〃Therefore； there are political decisions that could screw
up the whole process too。〃
As the saying goes： If you want to live like a Republican； vote like a Democrat…take
good care of the losers and left…behinds。 The only way to be a flatist is to be a
compassionate flatist。
Social Activism
One new area that is going to need sorting out is the relationship between global
corporations and their own moral consciences。 Some may laugh at the notion that a
global corporation even has a moral conscience； or should ever be expected to develop
one。 But some do and others are going to have to develop one； for one simple reason：
In the flat world； with lengthy global supply chains； the balance of power between
global companies and the individual communities in which they operate is tilting more
and more in favor of the companies； many of them American…based。 As such； these
companies are going to command more power； not only to create value but also to
transmit values； than any transnational institutions on the planet。 Social and
environmental activists and progressive companies can now collaborate in ways that
can make both the companies more profitable and the flat earth more livable。
Compassionate flatism very much seeks to promote this type of collaboration。
Let me illustrate this notion with a couple of examples。 If you think about the forces
that are gobbling up biodiversity around the planet； none are more powerful than
farmers。 It is not that they are intending to be harmful； it is just in the nature
of what they do。 So how and where people farm and fish really matter to whether we
preserve naturalhabitats and species。 Conservation International； one of thebiggest
environmental NGOs in the world； has as its main mission preserving
biodiversity。 It is also a big believer in trying； when possible； to collaborate with
big business； because when you bring a major global player around； it can have a huge
impact on the environment。 In 2002； McDonald's and Conservation International forged
a partnership to use the McDonald's global supply chain…a behemoth that sucks beef；
fish； chicken； pork； bread； lettuce； pickles； tomatoes； and potatoes from all four
corners of the flat world…to produce not just value but also different values about
the environment。 〃We and McDonald's looked at a set of environmental issues and said；
'Here are the things the food suppliers could do to reduce the environmental impact
at little or no cost；'〃 explained Glenn Prickett； senior vice president of
Conservation International。
McDonald's then met with its key suppliers and worked out； with them and with CI；
a set of guidelines for what McDonald's calls 〃socially responsible food supply。〃
〃For conservationists the challenge is how do you get your arms around hundreds of
millions of decisions and decision makers involved in agriculture and fisheries； who
are not coordinated in any way except by the market；〃 said Prickett。 〃So what we look
for are partners who can put their purchasing power behind a set of environmentally
friendly practices in a way that is good for them； works for the producers； and is
good for biodiversity。 In that way； you can start to capture so many more decision
makers。 。 。 There is no global government authority to protect biodiversity。 You have
to collaborate with the players who can make a difference； and one of them is
McDonald's。〃
Conservation International is already seeing improvements in conservation of water；
energy； and waste； as well as steps to encourage better management of fisheries； among
McDonald's suppliers。 But it is still early； and one will have to assess over a period
of years； with comprehensive data collection； whether this is really having apositive
impact on the environment。 This form of collaboration cannot and should never be a
substitute for government rules and oversight。 But if it works； it can be a vehicle
for actually getting government rules implemented。 Environmentalists who prefer
government regulation to these more collaborative efforts often ignore the fact that
strong rules im