Most of us get really excited about such terms as "globalization," mainly because we associate it with learning how to appreciate a good Thai green curry and being able to buy cheap T-shirts made in Bangladesh.

Tsk. What we really need to worry about is a global uprising among the growing ranks of the poor against the rich.

At the annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland, experts such as Nouriel Roubini, chairman of Roubini Global Economics, warned of a backlash that would be "very, very severe," if the gap between rich and poor isn't bridged. While economists maintain that globalization has been a boon for the world's economy, they're also coming around to realizing that overall, rapid-fire international trade tends to make the rich richer and the poor worse off. Unskilled workers sink lower into poverty while skilled workers worry about their jobs being outsourced.

All this is turning us into middle-class protectionists, which makes the situation worse. Roubini suggested we improve our lot by higher taxes for the wealthy matched with more government investments in education and job training.

We're with him. Let's do whatever it takes.

According to a 2006 study by the World Institute for Development Economics Research at the U.N. University, the top 2 percent of the richest people in the world control more than half its household wealth. Meanwhile, the poorest half of the world owns 1 percent of global wealth.

Do those stats make you uneasy? They should.

Soundoff (Read 43 comments)
Tell us what's on your mind.