Globalisation Flashcards
What is globalisation?
Globalisation refers to a set of processes which involve the increasing multidirectional flows of things, people, and information across the planet (Ritzer, 2009).
The intensification of worldwide social relations which link distinct localities in such a way that local happenings are shaped by events occurring many miles away (Giddens)
The widening, deepening and speeding up of worldwide interconnectedness in all aspects of contemporary life… (David Held et al, 1999: 14-16)
Is globalisation a new phenomenon?
Globalisation is not a new phenomenon
There has always been interdependence across time and space
This has been happening for much longer than modernity
What was an integral driver of globalisation?
Industrialisation radically transformed the economies and livelihoods of much of the world.
This process was closely linked with colonialism
Colonialism dictated the world order for most of the modern era
Modernity vs Postmodernity?
Modernity
Production oriented Production of material goods Fordist/Taylorist work principles Strong trade-unionism/welfare state Belief in science and ‘progress’ Nation state a key organising unit Local citizens = national identity Bureaucracy is rational, inevitable
Postmodernity
Consumption oriented Production of images, cultural products Flexibility in workplace/work relations Reduced unionism/welfare state Questioning of science and ‘progress’ Globalisation reshaping nation state Global citizens = fractured identities Bureaucracy is breaking down under IT
What were the 3 main sources of globalisation and aspects of it?
‘Time-space compression’: Ability to move things and information quickly and cheaply, Technological change.
Economic interconnection: Capitalist competition has been a key feature of economic globalisation
Incr. influence/power of transnational corporations
Politics: Increased political interconnections and international governance
Shapes the freedom to engage with another country culturally, economically and politically
Rise of neoliberalism
Global cultural flows: Diversity or homogenisation?; global village
Shared problems and risks: Global nature of problems; inequalities
What is Economic interconnection?
Weightless economy- products based in information, knowledge society, weightless and intangible; growth of ‘financial markets’ or ‘electronic economy’.
Cross-border economic transactions
Rise of transnational corporations (TNCs) and multinational corporations (MNCs)
New forms of regulation
Global production-consumption networks
What is Political globalisation?
Political globalization “refers to an increasing trend toward multilateralism (in which the United Nations plays a key role), toward an emerging ‘transnational state apparatus,’ and toward the emergence of national and international nongovernmental organizations that act as watchdogs over governments and have increased their activities and influence
Moghadam, V.M. (2005: p. 35)
What is Liberalism and Neoliberalism?
Liberalism – a belief that individual decision-making and action provides the most appropriate/beneficial basis for the socio-political and economic organisation of society
Neoliberalism – agrees with the above, but given that the state has ‘intervened’ in social and economic relations (the development project), the best outcomes for society will be realised when the state ‘retreats’ from involvement in economic and social matters.
What are the critiques of neroliberalism/global trade?
True: Current economic arrangement disadvantage the poor
False: Trade liberalization leads to economic growth, benefitting all
This is seen with:
Unequal protectionism for markets
Barriers to trade = barriers to growth
Vested interests and power
What are the alternatives to neoliberalism/global trade?
Governance reform
Transparency and accountability
How did ethical trade benefit small stakeholders in Kenya (case study)?
Global value chain: Kenyan export company providing directly to UK supermakets
Regulation – Ethical trade, fair trade, company codes of conduct (CSR)
Pressure from UK consumers – cultural + economic interconnections
Farmers’/women’s values of social justice, environmental sustainability, local livelihoods contrast with market values of efficiency, quality, CSR (i.e. cultural globalisation)
What are the four democratic reforms of globalisation?
Stronger support for democracy
More foreign aid
Forgiving debt
Removing tariffs – make some imports more affordable?
What has research shown democracy does to inequality and economic growth?
It has seen to reduce inequality and stimulate economic growth.
What are the differences with Globalisation seen as homogenisation vs diversification/hetroengisation?
Homogenisation: Cultural imperialism, cultural dependence, cultural hegemony, autonomy, modernisation, westernisation, cultural synchronization and world civilization.
Hetroengisation: Cultural planetarisation, cultural interdependence, cultural interpenetration, Syncretism (synthesis, hybridity), modernisation, global melange, creolisation/crossover and global ecumene.
Who proposed McDonaldisation and the 4 proponents of this?
George Ritzer:
Efficiency
Calculability
Predictability
Control
Undermines human capacity for thought, imagination, skill and creativity
Not good for individuals or society in general
What are the two competing explanations of global inequality?
One explanation is that some societies lack the infrastructure to support economic growth
The other explanation suggests the countries/corporations engage in exploitation of other countries for their own benefit
What is the gap between poor and rich countries known as?
The gap between rich countries and poor countries is known as development and underdevelopment.
What do modernisation theorists claim of the citizens of poor countries?
Sufficient capital to invest in Western-style agriculture and industry
Western-style business techniques of marketing, accounting and finance
Western-style governments that could provide a secure framework
Western mentality, including the values that stress the need for saving and so on
What does dependency theory state?
Economic development of West depends on appropriation of surplus from less powerful nations
Exploitative relations: Most powerful countries in the world earned their own wealth by exploiting resources from less wealthy countries
Focus on patterns of domination and submission. Leads to substantial foreign investment, support for authoritarian governments, mounting debt
What is the global capitalist system and the core, periphery and semi-periphery?
Inwards collapse of wealth power and stable governments, exploitation of periphery.
Core capitalist countries such as the United States, Japan and Germany
Semi-peripheral countries such as Australia, New Zealand, South Korea and Israel
Peripheral countries (former colonies)
What are some benefits of globalisation?
The growth in tourism Figure of people travelling tripled between 1980 and 2001 to 11.3% and grew a further 20% between 2003–05.
Cheap and easy international communication
By 2002 165 million servers connected nearly 600 million people. 34.3% of world’s population have the Internet.
Why could globalisation be in crisis?
Inter-related crises of food, climate, fuel and finance have highlighted:
Core elements of mainstream policy approaches (structural adjustment, poverty reduction strategies and MDGs) have proved inadequate and contradictory
Failure of neoliberal growth model
Intensification of poverty and growing wealth gap
Rise in inequalities and exclusion
Growing critique of TNCs and global governance institutions (e.g. World Bank, IMF)
Environmental degradation
Fragile institutional and governance arrangements
Unsustainable development model
Context of risk and uncertainty in policy making
What are some examples of resistance to globalisation?
Peasants’ protests against Mexican government’s trade agreements in 1990s
Battle in Seattle in 1994: Protests against the power of the WTO
Jihad versus McWorld: Islamic fundamentalist reaction to globalisation
Arab Spring
Occupy Wall Street
What are the 5 alternatives to globalisation?
Glocalisation: “The fusion of the global and the local”
Simultaneous homogenisation and strengthening
of local differences
Grobalisation
“Imperialistic ambitions of nations, corporations,
organisations etc., and their desire/need to impose
themselves on various geographic areas”
Deglobalisation
Re-embedding the market in society (Bello)
Alterglobalisation
“encompasses both alternatives to the current
economic globalization and alternative ways to
globalize economically.”
“other worlds are possible.”
Anti-capitalism
Opposed to the influence of global capitalism –
inequalities/problems are seen to be caused by
global capitalism in general, and power of TNCs in
particular
