Benjamin Barber, in Jihad Vs. McWorld (1996), puts forth an interesting argument: the two most dominant forces in the world are globalisation and tribalism. Or as he more provocatively puts it: McWorld and Jihad. According to Barber, neither of these two opposing forces are good for a democratic world. In fact, the decisive victory of one over the other will lead to a dictatorship of one kind or another. The best thing that can happen is for the two to remain at odds and evenly balanced.

Barber defines McWorld in the same way that Ritzer does: a method of doing business where efficiency, predictability, calculability, and control over all processes are of prime importance. This is the world of Western technology and industry, the rational system first proposed by Weber. McWorld

According to Barber, those who believe in jihad are fighting against what they feel is a loss of national identity, culture, and religious beliefs. This type of society relies on the ability to remain separate and not be amalgamated. Jihad means almost constant warfare between one ôtribeö and another, between regions. It represents a world that is split along clan lines, tribalised and fractionalised rather than globalised. This type of society does not want to achieve interdependence with others outside the tribe. They are not interested in cooperation. All those things might lead to contamination. Instead, they offer a sense of being part of a closely-knit community and a feeling of solidarity.

There is little doubt that globalisation in the form of American rationalisation of all processes is an attractive option for many people. This option will definitely lead to homogeneity when it comes to culture. It will also lead to a way of