Here's a fact worth reiterating: despite the severe shocks and imbalances that have hit it off and on during the early years of this century, the world economy continues to grow, with low inflation. Of course, performance varies across countries and continents, but there are two generalizations you can make: The already rich countries keep enjoying expanding economies, and in the rest of the world millions of people overcome poverty every year, thanks to economic growth. Is there a force underlying this benign evolution that transcends national borders? Yes. That force is international economic integration—or globalization, if you wish. The market economy's capacity to fulfill human needs is being enhanced to an unprecedented extent by international trade and investment.
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