Globalisation

Question 1

What is globalisation?

Answer 1

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)

Question 2

Is globalisation a new phenomenon?

Answer 2

Globalisation is not a new phenomenon

There has always been interdependence across time and space

This has been happening for much longer than modernity

Question 3

What was an integral driver of globalisation?

Answer 3

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

Question 4

Modernity vs Postmodernity?

Answer 4

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

Question 5

What were the 3 main sources of globalisation and aspects of it?

Answer 5

‘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

Question 6

What is Economic interconnection?

Answer 6

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

Question 7

What is Political globalisation?

Answer 7

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)

Question 8

What is Liberalism and Neoliberalism?

Answer 8

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.

Question 9

What are the critiques of neroliberalism/global trade?

Answer 9

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

Question 10

What are the alternatives to neoliberalism/global trade?

Answer 10

Governance reform

Transparency and accountability

Question 11

How did ethical trade benefit small stakeholders in Kenya (case study)?

Answer 11

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)

Question 12

What are the four democratic reforms of globalisation?

Answer 12

Stronger support for democracy

More foreign aid

Forgiving debt

Removing tariffs – make some imports more affordable?

Question 13

What has research shown democracy does to inequality and economic growth?

Answer 13

It has seen to reduce inequality and stimulate economic growth.

Question 14

What are the differences with Globalisation seen as homogenisation vs diversification/hetroengisation?

Answer 14

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.

Question 15

Who proposed McDonaldisation and the 4 proponents of this?

Answer 15

George Ritzer:

Efficiency
Calculability
Predictability
Control

Undermines human capacity for thought, imagination, skill and creativity
Not good for individuals or society in general

Question 16

What are the two competing explanations of global inequality?

Answer 16

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

Question 17

What is the gap between poor and rich countries known as?

Answer 17

The gap between rich countries and poor countries is known as development and underdevelopment.

Question 18

What do modernisation theorists claim of the citizens of poor countries?

Answer 18

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

Question 19

What does dependency theory state?

Answer 19

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

Question 20

What is the global capitalist system and the core, periphery and semi-periphery?

Answer 20

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)

Question 21

What are some benefits of globalisation?

Answer 21

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.

Question 22

Why could globalisation be in crisis?

Answer 22

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

Question 23

What are some examples of resistance to globalisation?

Answer 23

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

Question 24

What are the 5 alternatives to globalisation?

Answer 24

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