THE WORLD IS FLAT | THOMAS FRIEDMAN'S VISION & REALITY
Global Affairs Session 55 17 June 2026 END OF THE FLAT WORLD? Why globalization's great equalizer is losing its shine Thomas Friedman's "flat world" promised a globalised, technology-enabled playing field where individuals and companies anywhere could compete with established players. Two decades on, the same flattening forces that built outsourcing hubs and global supply chains have triggered a backlash of job losses, wage stagnation and rising inequality. As trade drifts from globalization towards regionalization and the digital world risks fragmenting along geopolitical lines, the flat world may be giving way to a more cautious, resilience-first order — one in which "bridge" nations like India could gain the most.