Date: Wed, 16 Aug 2000 09:56:24 -0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)
Subject: "new universalism"


Sounds like the old universalism to me. The "white man's burden" was based
on moral assumptions which were claimed to be ethical. Attacks on
multinational capital's use of underpaid workers are based on moral
assumptions which are claimed to be ethical. I would much rather deal with
an approach based on a stated moral code. The problem with that is it
seems either imperialist ("We in the west know what is good for you") or
else dangerously subservient ("What do you want us to do Mr. Mugabe?"). My
policy, at times absurd, is to ask, "What would be the moral code of
someone like me in that position?" To bring it close to home, the result
is while as a Canadian I don't like the idea of Quebec sovereignty, I
realize that if I were Quebecois I would likely support it, so I support
it.
terry

Terry Goldie
English Department
York University
North York, Ontario
Canada
M3J 1P3
voice: 416-604-3670
fax: 416-736-5412
email: tgoldie-AT-yorku.ca




     --- from list postcolonial-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---