Globalisation Flashcards
What is globalisation?
Deepening interconnectivity + dependence between nations
Is globalisation new?
Isn’t new, but scale + scope has increased dramatically in last 50 years
Name 3 key factors in globalisation
- Freedom of trade
- Improved communication
- Improvements in transportation
How has freedom of trade been promoted by international organisations and agreements?
- Organisations like WTO help promote trade between countries by removing trade barriers
- eg. tariffs between countries
- Regional trade agreements e.g. EU’s Single Market, NAFTA also promote free trade
How has improved communication aided globalisation?
Growth of internet + mobile technology facilitates business and broader sharing of ideas + culture
How has improved transportation aided globalisation?
Speed of moving goods has increased whilst cost has decreased.
Containerisation is key.
What is economic globalisation?
- Deep integration
- All national economies have, to some extent, been absorbed into an interlocking global economy
- Production is internationalised
- Financial capital flows freely and instantly between countries
What is political globalisation?
- Shift of decision-making from states to IOs
- Which may have regional jurisdiction (EU) or global jurisdiction (UN)
What are most international organisations founded on?
- The principle of intergovernmentalism
- Rather than supranationalism
- As states take collective action without sacrificing national sovereignty
What is the impact of political globalisation?
- Regulation of economic globalisation
- Global spread of political ideas (human rights)
- Or political structures (liberal democracy)
What is cultural globalisation?
Information, commodities + images produced in one part of the world enter into a global flow that tends to flatten out cultural differences between nations, regions + individuals
Is cultural globalisation a form of cultural imperialism?
Brings about process of global homogenisation -> weakens indigenous cultures and values
Who does cultural globalisation benefit?
- Serves the interest of economic globalisation
- Advancing interests of TNCs
What is cultural globalisation associated with?
Associated with political extremism as perceived Western domination has stimulated growth of religious fundamentalism + ethnic nationalism
According to liberals, has globalisation had a dramatic impact on global politics?
- Globalisation has had a dramatic + far-reaching impact on global politics
- Profound shift that has intensified since 1980s
- Impact of globalisation greatest on state + state sovereignty
Liberalism: Traditionally, what did the global system look like?
A system of sovereign and autonomous states
Liberalism: In a globalised world, what does the global system look like?
- Increased interconnectedness means more porous state borders
- States are penetrated by external influences to a much greater extent
Liberalism: How has a borderless world been created?
The impact of global capital markets + the creation of an interlocking capitalist economy has created a borderless world
Liberalism: How is the decline of the state reflected?
- More porous borders
- Greater importance of non-state actors (TNCs)
Liberalism: How has growing interdependence changed relations between states?
- Growing interdependence has changed relations between + amongst states
- Creating strong pressure towards cooperation + integration
Liberalism: How has globalisation shifted the focus of global politics?
- Also shifted focus of global politics away from war + peace
- Forced other issues onto foreign policy agenda eg. environment, poverty, human rights
Liberalism: How has globalisation shifted policy-making responsibility?
- Led to shift in policy-making responsibility from states to IOs or IVOs
- Clear trend towards regional integration + strengthening of global governance
Realism: Has the international system changed as a result of globalisation?
Realists claim international system remains substantially unchanged
eg. War on Terror, Brexit
Realism: Where does the majority of economic activity take place?
Are states still the principal actors?
Overwhelming majority of economic activity still takes place within, not across, national boundaries
States therefore remain the principal actors. Only a tiny proportion (weak or failed states) unable to control what happens within their borders
Realism: What is the impact of IOs and IVOs?
- IOs and IVOs may have grown in number, but they remain weak and ineffective
- Control continues to reside with individual states
Realism: Does the growth of regional + international organisations imply a decline in state power?
- Growth of regional + international organisations doesn’t imply decline of state power
- As these tend to be instruments through which (powerful) states achieve their interests
Nation states NOT relevant: What has neoliberalism meant for the global political economy?
- Neoliberalism is the latest phase of globalisation
- It has resulted in the GPE resting on deregulated financial markets + free trade
Nation states NOT relevant: Why are TNCs now more important?
- TNCs free to roam world + organise production activities where there are most conducive conditions
- TNCs political power far exceeds that of many governments
- States wanting to attract investment + trade are bound by preferences of TNCs
- Policy autonomy has been eroded by TNCs
Nation states NOT relevant: What is the impact of markets + global capital?
- Markets + global capital undermine states power + authority
- Deregulation of finance + liberalisation of trade have eroded power that states previously had over economies processes + actors
Nation states still relevant: Do states have ultimate control over their territories?
- TNCs are not sovereign
- States have ultimate control over their territories
Nation states still relevant: Do states seize TNC assets?
- States can and do seize TNC assets, expel TNC personnel, impose draconian fines for alleged violations of law…
- Ultimately state is still sovereign
Nation states still relevant: Why might a state be reluctant to take extreme steps against a TNC?
May be reluctant to take extreme steps for fear of causing a flight of overseas investment or withdrawal of other TNCs from the country
Nation states still relevant: Have states themselves been responsible for their reduced role in economic governance?
- States themselves have been responsible for their reduced role in economic governance
- They continually act to maintain conditions for deregulation + liberalisation
Nation states still relevant: In what way are states instrumental?
States are instrumental in managing economic crisis + dealing with the consequences of economic instability
