Globalisation

Globalization is seen by many as primarily an economic phenomenon involving the increasing interaction or integration of national economic systems through the growth in international trade, investment and capital flow. However one can point to a rapid increase in cross border social, cultural and technological exchange as part of the phenomena of globalization.

It is a two-sided coin. The extreme optimists see globalization as a glass three quarters full of opportunities. The extreme pessimists see globalization as a container of problems especially exploitation, socio-economic injustice and international political domination. It is important to note positively that globalization offers great prospects. However it is probably more important to be clear about the negative aspects of globalization and the fact that its benefits are very unevenly shared and its costs are unevenly distributed among, across and within countries.

It is said that globalization is creating a global village out of the wide and diverse world. But is it really so? Indeed it is, but not without its repercussions. Globalization as it has very quickly become one of the trendiest buzzwords of contemporary political and academic debate, has created a global village of privileged people whose borders are impenetrable to the poor, unconnected and unskilled. The citizens of the global village are very few. As global actors pressurize governments to open up more and more to maximize foreign investment and capital influence, big multi-nationals and local enterprises utilize this environment to cater to their interests. The government is having lesser time to pay attention to the poverty among the people and the widening economic gap between the social classes. The big global actors can talk for themselves with little problems. The issue is who will talk for the poor?

Information and communication technologies on one hand have eased interaction among countries and people. On the other hand, the world is divided between the connected that know and have a monopoly on almost everything, and the isolated who do not know and who practically have nothing. It has further facilitated the emergence and growth of computer based crimes especially fraud. Moreover, there has been an increase in crimes such as drugs, pornography and international corruption etc. In addition to this, violent literature is available on the internet which can be viewed by almost anyone and just about anyone can learn how to make an atomic bomb! In short, globalization has encouraged illicit trade in drugs, prostitution, pornography, human smuggling, dumping of dangerous waste and depletion of the environment by unscrupulous entrepreneurs.

It has created a political hegemony. America happens to be the biggest super power. Thus it has an influence over all the other countries. It gives loans on easy terms but when the poor countries cannot repay them, it suppresses them by gradually taking control over them and using them for its own benefits. It will provide countries with arms in times of battle and then pressurize them. Countries that cannot afford to pay back the debt have to unwillingly support America. Consequently, it keeps on growing and becoming stronger as the only super power in the world and keeps on growing and becoming stronger as the only super power in the world.

International agencies such as the World Bank, IMF and the United Nations World Trade Organization etc take decisions that are binding on countries. This could be looked at as eroding the sovereignty and power of the State. The poorer the country, the more the chance of power erosion. However, as cultures interact, some cultures are being diluted and destroyed at the expense of others and negative values are being spread all over the world with relative ease. Despite this, it is also causing religious upheavals by propagating against Islam, trying to prevent it from gaining any power in today’s world.

Globalization has facilitated the “brain drain” in developing countries and their people, especially in areas of trade. The arrival of multi-national companies is destroying the local industry.

The state is getting caught in the middle of its need to speed development through industrialization, agricultural modernization and exploitation of natural resources as well as human rights.

The conclusion here is that globalization has posed enormous challenges for many administrative systems. It has put demands on institutions, structures, networks, technology, facilities, equipment, etc. whereas the systems themselves are still nascent and developing. Managing globalization effectively to benefit the people, especially the poor ones, calls for new attitudes and leadership. It requires sensitivity, willingness, change of attitude and the right technical assistance from global actors such as the UN, especially in supporting the administrative systems of different countries to deal with the issues of globalization.

Qizil Farasat
Section H
09U0139