GLOBALIZATION
Meaning of Globalization?
Globalization is characterized totally by the integration of
economies of the world through the machineries of trade and
financial flow. The dominant actor here is the free market.
However, to expand our knowledge on the meaning of
globalization, we will quickly look at some definitions of the
concept of globalization. The essence of looking at multiple
definitions is to afford the student the opportunity to have an
understanding that globalization is not cast in stone, rather it
means different thing to different people.
According to Shahzad (2006) the term globalization is best
defined as the expansion of economic activities across political
boundaries of nations. By this definition, it simply means that
globalization entails a process, and this process constitutes
the integration and interdependence of economic activities
between and among nations of the world.
Baylis, Smith & Owens (1997) defined globalization as a
process whereby social relations acquire relatively
distanceless and borderless qualities, so that human lives are
increasingly played out in the World as a single place.
Although Baylis et al. definition seems rather to concern itself
with social relationship between and amongst people, it goes
further to sensitize on the fact that the relationship is now on a
global scale without any limitation to the extent of interactions
between individuals and nation states in terms of reach. On
the other hand, Anthony Giddens (1999), defined globalization
as a “the intensification of worldwide social relations which link
distant localities in such a way that local happenings are
shaped by events occurring many miles away and
vice versa”.
Giddens definition simply sees globalization as a set of
processes which affects individuals at the level of their
everyday lives irrespective of their location. According to
Giddens, `although everyone lives a local life, phenomenal
worlds for the most part are truly global' (Giddens, 1990 in
Tomlinson, 1994:1). What transpires in Vietnam, a country
mile away in Asia has a corresponding impact in Uganda and
many more places.
According to Guillen (2001), globalization is a process leading
to greater interdependence and mutual reflexivity among
economic, political and social units in the world and among
actors in general. From the above definitions it follows
however that globalization is not just an appearance, neither
does it just occur. It means thus, that it takes time and space,
constituting a process in global development. Besides being a
process, globalization is equally an interdependence, which
signifies that there are actors. Hence, in this complex of
interdependence there is the tendency of profitability. This
profitability is also as a result of positioning and the
construction of the right position via a policy framework.
Globalization is beneficial, there is no two ways about it, yet
there is also the tendency of unequal benefit. Naturally, the
idea was that globalization would advance international co-
operation and development between countries but the
disparities it has created has led many to think less of it. Many
have argued that today’s migration is a response to the notion
that the world is now a global village. Many have also
maintained that the unequal benefit associated with
globalization is the cause of many young people seeking better
opportunities in other European countries who are better
positioned to benefit from the global market. This unequal
relationship according to
Brainard (2001) is responsible for the increased global
terrorism, especially the September 11, 2001 terrorists attack
in the UnitedStates of America as well as the proliferation of
terrorism in the world [Link] argument is far-reaching, but
the intent of globalization ordinarily, should be global
cooperation that would warrant clear benefits for all and
sundry. Even at that, many are still of the view that in the
global age, relationship of trade and profits are however
asymmetrical.
Dimensions of Globalization.
Globalization can be said to have three dimensions. These
dimensions in other words simply means the scope of
globalization, that is the areas for which globalization focuses
on. These three dimensions are: Political globalization,
economic globalization and cultural globalization. We will
provide a succinct explanation of the meaning of each of these
dimensions.
Political globalization
According to Steger (2003) political globalization "refers to the
intensification and expansion of political interrelations across
the globe". This simply means the rise and expansion of the
world political structure, whereby the authority of the nation-
state is gradually less relevant in global decision taking. A key
element of political globalization is the formation of other state
actors like the United Nations and her agencies, World Trade
Organization (WTO), International Monetary Federation (IMF),
World Bank as well as non-governmental organizations
(NGOs). These actors interact with other national governments
and international agencies in defining possibilities and the
directions the world should go. In many cases, political
globalization undermines sovereignty as non-state actors in
most cases are watchdogs over national
governments. For instance, the United Nations agency –
WHO(World Health Organization) has been the chief
determiner of what constitutes the coronavirus pandemic and
how countries should go about it. They had the political
strength to label which drug is fake, poisonous or
unacceptable in treating the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Recall in the very recent time where WHO ridiculed and
mocked Madagascar’s invention of a local herbal remedy
claimed to prevent and cure the novel coronavirus, stating that
there was no evidence supporting its efficacy. In the final
analysis, the argument is that globalization has relegated
nation-state authority and significance in international relations
to the background. While that is the case, there is also the
argument that there is nothing of such in terms of relegation,
that nation-states still hold sway in the scheme of things in
international relations. According to Giddens (1999), the
former relations of nation-state to nation-state is over as
national political leaders have become rather less
significantpaving way for multilateralism where the United
Nations and her agencies have the final say. In Giddens terms,
the level of wealth possessed by a nation-state combined with
military power is what determines the strength of influence a
nation-state wields in the global political order.
Economic Globalization
The second dimension of globalization is Economic
globalization. Economic globalization according to Shangquan
(2000) can be defined as “the increasing interdependence of
world economies as a result of the growing scale of cross-
border trade of commodities and services, flow of international
capital, wide and rapid spread of technologies”. There are
three factors that give rise to economic globalization as
explained by Bottery (2003). One is the increased mobility of
capital made possible by information technology. Secondly,
the existence of international bodies like the World Bank,
IMF and WTO who are responsible for the global facilitation of
the flow and movement of capital and lastly, the influential role
played by Multinational or transnational corporations (TNCs)
across the globe especially in the developing countries. These
TNCs are very large cooperation’s with immense budgets
larger than those of a nation-state and in many cases nations-
state are unable to compete with them rather would resign to
plead for the location of such corporation in their countries. For
instance, over the years Shell Petroleum Development
Company, a very influential TNC and a subsidiary of the Royal
Dutch Shell Company has been a force in the economic
development of Nigeria, creating employments, royalties, taxes
and generally revenue in-country whilst sending back billions
of dollars back to mother country. In many instances, nation-
states must oil the wheel for these kinds of corporations to
exist in their country by offering tax-breaks. TNCs are highly
organized and have increased astronomically over the years
having subsidiaries across borders of nation-states, expanding
and reshaping global economic operations across boundaries.
Cultural Globalization
This is the third dimension of globalization we mentioned
earlier. Thompson (2017:2) views Cultural globalization as “the
rapid movement of ideas, attitudes, meanings, values and
cultural products across national borders”. This means that in
this era, the era of globalization, the world has become
shrinked, compressed into a monoculture (that is, one culture)
where there is no disparity but a common way of life, where
attitudes, values, meaning, cultural products plus ideas have
converged and compressed into one common way of life.
Thompson says this monoculture is reinforced particularly by
the entertainment industry, of course the internet, international
tourism, brands and the general global market. The
emergence of globalization with attendant
information/communication industry has shaped the tastes,
perceptions and aspirations of people all over the world
creating in them one desire – the desire to embrace the new
way of life which entails online shopping, brands,
fashion/clothing, pop culture, foods etc.
Globalization acculturates, undermining one culture to the
advantage of the other which essentially becomes the
dominant culture. Anthony Giddens (1999), in his book
Runaway World, stated that globalization has changed
people’s culture to the extent they have to interrogate the
authenticity of their own cultural behaviours. Giddens says
globalization detraditionalizes people from their actual and
particular cultural orientation, thus fixates them with new
realities. By “Detraditionalization”, Giddens means a situation
where people question their traditional beliefs about religion,
marriage, and gender roles and so on. Traditionally, most
societies in Nigeria have their own marriage rites, religious
rites and worship as well as belief systems. However, with
globalization, there is the withering away of indigenous cultural
affiliations and movement towards embracing globalized ways
of life. The strong sense of “community” in the African context
is fast eroding and paving way for European/Western
geoculture of individualism, communicated via music, videos,
movies as well as cable television. People in Africa now
embrace ‘sagging’ as a new way of dressing and justify it.
African women now artificialize their faces with ‘MaryKay’ to
look like the Western woman, jettison their local dialects and
speak via the nose like a foreigner, thus shifting away or
detraditionalizing.
Conclusion
Globalization has been defined in different ways by different
scholars. No matter how it is viewed globalization is
characterized
totally by the integration of economies of the world through the
machineries of trade and financial flow. Globalization is a
process and is beneficial, yet with attendant flaws. The scope
of globalization or its dimensions include: political, economic
and cultural globalization.
Advantages of Globalization
1. Globalization has created access to New Market.
2. Globalization has enhanced spread of knowledge and
Technology
3. Globalization has promoted Economic growth, Globalization
cooperation and tolerance.
Disadvantages of Globalization
1. Globalization has necessitated Exploitation of Labour and
Resources
2. Globalization has Increased competition between local
businesses and multinationals.
[Link] emergence of Globalization has brought domestic job
loss in most countries.
Footnotes
Baylis, J.; Smith, S. & Owens, P. (1997) The globalization of
world politics. Oxford University Press.
Bottery, M. (2003) Globalization and the educational policy
context. In, Davies, B. &
Burnham, J.W. (Eds.), Handbook of educational leadership
and management. Pearson, Longman.
Brainard, L. (2001) Globalization in the aftermath: Target,
casualty, callous bystander? Giddens, A. (1999) Runaway
world: How globalization is reshaping our lives. Profile books.
Giddens, A. (1990) The Consequences of Modernity. Polity
Press. In, Tomlinson, J. (1994) A Phenomenology of
globalization? Giddens on global modernity. European Journal
of Communication, Vol.1.
Guillen, M. (2001) Globalization of markets Colorado.
Macivers.
Hill, C. W. (2003) International Business: Competing in the
global [Link]-Hill.
Thompson, K. (2017) What is cultural globalisation?
[Link]
definition-examples/
Shangquan, G. (2000) Economic Globalization: Trends, risks
and risk prevention. CDP Background Paper No. 1,
ST/ESA/2000/CDP1.
[Link]
cdp_background_papers/bp2000_1.pdf
Shahzad, A. (2006) What is Globalization - Historical
Background. Jadavpur Journal of International Relations.
[Link]
Steger, M.B. (2003) Globalization: A very short introduction.
Oxford University Press.
Williamson, J. (1998) Globalization: The concept, causes, and
consequences. Keynote address to the Congress of the Sri
Lankan Association for the Advancement of Science. Peterson
Institute for International Economics. December 15.