Global reach, local depth, and the future of health equity

Abstract

"Global Reach" was the title of one of the first popular books on the power of transnational corporations, published in 1974. Since then globalization has transformed the world to an extent that would then have been difficult to imagine. In this article I explore the effects of globalization with respect to two dimensions, global reach and local depth, and draw some rather pessimistic conclusions about prospects for the ambitious agenda advanced by the Commission on Social Determinants of Health in 2008.