There are some terms that I simply dislike because they conflate different things.  Globalism is one such term.

There are certainly others.  I have never liked to use the term austerity unless I give my own meaning behind it.  In economics, austerity is often used as a term to describe balanced budgets or at least less deficit spending.

The problem is that some people refer to austerity when they are talking about government spending cuts. Others refer to austerity when they are talking about the government raising more revenue (i.e., higher rates of taxation).

From a libertarian standpoint, these two things could not be more different.  Libertarians want lower taxes and lower spending.  If someone uses the term austerity and you don’t know if they mean spending cuts or tax increases, then they probably shouldn’t be using the term.

Free Trade or One-World Government?

I see people use the term globalism, and it isn’t always clear what they mean by it.  It is usually said in a negative context, but the definition can vary quite a bit depending on how it’s being used.

I have heard people criticize globalism coming out of Klaus Schwab and the World Economic Forum (WEF). The WEF wants to impose some kind of a one-world government on the people of the planet.  At the very least, they see themselves as the elite who should control what the masses do.  Libertarians would obviously oppose this type of globalism.

Now, with tariffs in the news, some people refer to globalism and simply mean free trade.  They think we have to defeat globalism by restricting trade between countries, and tariffs are one way to do that.  They see it as harmful that people are engaging in so much buying and selling with people from other countries.

For most libertarians, they see nothing wrong with global trade if it is done on a voluntary basis.  This makes us wealthier by increasing the division of labor.

So, when someone speaks against globalism, we have to ask: Which kind?  One-world government or free trade?  I am firmly against one and firmly in favor of the other.  Please don’t conflate the two.

If somebody writes or speaks about globalism, they better make it crystal clear what they are talking about.  Otherwise, I will doubt their communication skills, and I am not going to give credence to what is being said.

For me, it is generally better to avoid the term.