Globalisation - EQ1 - What are the causes of globalisation and why has it accelerated in recent decades? Flashcards
Define Globalisation
- The process by which
- people, culture, finance, goods & information
- transfer between countries with few barriers
Define cultural globalisation
- Refers to the transmission of ideas, meanings and values around the world
- in such a way as to extend and intensify social relations.
- This normally consists of western cultural traits dominating territories.
Define environmental globalisation
- Refers to a holistic approach to natural problems and issues,
- looking at the international environment rather than just the local or national issues.
Define political globalisation
- Refers to the growth of trading blocs, free trade agreements and global organisations.
- The emergence of national, international and nongovernmental organisations
- that act as watchdogs over governments
- have increased their activities and influence.
Define social globalisation
- Refers to how population structures have changed as a result of shifting population characteristics such as migration, immigration and emigration.
- Global improvements in education and health has also accelerated this.
Define economic globalisation
- Refers to the increasing integration and interdependence of
- national, regional and local economies across the world
- through a strengthening of cross-border movement of goods, services, technologies and capital.
- TNC’s are the biggest driver of this.
Economic Integration means an increasing…
reliance of economies on eachother
Economic Integration provides the opportunities to…
be able to buy or sell in any country in the world
Economic Integration provides the opportunities for…
labour and capital to locate anywhere in the world
What are the 3 aspects of globalisation in terms of connections
Lengthening
Deepening
Faster Connections
Define “Global Flow”
connections between places
Define “Global Networks”
connection of different parts of the world resulting in the expansion of international cultural, economic, and political activities
Give examples of global flows
commodities (goods)
services
capital
people
information
technology
labour
culture
Define remittances
how money & capital is transferred across the world
Describe the strength of the global connections of low income nations
- the poorest people will be isolated from global influences
- limited connections to far off places for aid or growing of cash crops
Describe the strength of the global connections of middle income nations
- poorer people still rely on local produce but work for foreign firms
- they have global cultural (e.g music & football) & political awareness
Describe the strength of the global connections of high income nations
- the majority of people are affluent consumers of global products & culture (e.g imported film & TV)
- most people are widely travelled & fly overseas
Define Glocalisation
-the changing of the design of products to meet local tastes or laws
What is meant by Time Space Compression
the idea that distant places feel even closer & take less time to reach
What lead to the theory of Time Space Compression
- Heightened connectivity & changes to our conception of time
- impacting the global flow, distance & potential barriers
- to the migration of people, goods, money & information
What is meant by the Shrinking World Effect
- As travel times fall due to new inventions
- different places approach each other in ‘space-time’:
- they begin to feel closer together than in the past
What led to the Shrinking World Effect
- Developments in transport and trade in the 19th century (railways, telegraph, steam-ships)
- & accellerations in the 20th century in jet aircraft & containerisation
- all contributing to a ‘shrinking world’
Which factors lead to “the shrinking world”
- better transport
- broadband
- fiber-optics
Define cartogram
a thematic mapping variable is substituted for land area or distance
Define choropleth
a variable is displayed using different shadings to show trends
Describe Tourists as a Global Flow
- High-income nations - Budget airlines bring a ‘pleasure periphery’ of distant places within easy reach
- Low-income nations - Increasingly people travel abroad too, using budget airlines
Describe Migrants as a Global Flow
- The permanent movement of people still faces the greatest number of obstacles due to border controls and immigration laws.
- So, most governments embrace trade flows but attempt to resist migrant flows unless there are specific work needs
The combined number of economic migrants and refugees worldwide reached almost … in 2013
250 million
Give examples of ways Information as a Global Flow can be transferred
- Online Shopping
- Social networks
- On demand TV & Streaming services
- Information is stored in ‘server farms’
Describe how developments in Railways contribute to a Shrinking World
- In the 1800s, railway networks expanded globally
- For governments, railway construction remains high priority
- HS2 (linking London and northern England) will halve some journey times.
Describe how developments in Steam-ships contribute to a Shrinking World
- Britain became the leading world power in the 1800 using steam technology.
- Steam ships (and trains) moved goods and armies quickly along trade routes into Asia and Africa.
Describe how developments in Telegraph contribute to a Shrinking World
- The first telegraph cables across the Atlantic in the 1860s replaced a three week boat journey with instantaneous communication.
- This revolutionised how business was conducted.
- The telephone, telegraph’s successor, remains a core technology for communicating across distance.
Describe how developments in Jet Aircraft contribute to a Shrinking World
- 1960s - The intercontinental Boeing 747 made international travel more commonplace
- More recently - expansion of the cheap flights sector, including easyJet, has brought it to the masses in richer nations.
Describe how developments in Containerisation contribute to a Shrinking World
- Around 200 million individual container movements take place each year
- Containerisation has been labelled as the ‘backbone of the global economy’ since the 1950s.
- Intermodal containers transfer a wide variety of goods.
Define containerisation
A system of standardised transport that uses a common size of steel container to transport goods
How is the method of containerisation efficient and cheaper
These containers can be easily transferred between different modes of transport e.g containerships, lorries & trains
Describe how developments in Mobile Phones contribute to a Shrinking World
Core technologies used to communicate across distances
Describe how developments in the Internet contribute to a Shrinking World
- The internet began life as part of a scheme funded by the US Defence department during the Cold War.
- Early social networks were designed during the 1960s as a way of linking important research computers in just a few different locations.
- Since then, connectivity between people and places has grown exponentially.
Describe how developments in GIS & GPS contribute to a Shrinking World
- Satellites continuously broadcast position and time data to users throughout the world.
- First GPS launched in 1970s.
- Deliveries can be tracked by companies using vehicle-tracking systems, helping the growth of global production networks to be managed.
Define Fordism
- a manufacturing philosophy
- that aims to achieve high productivity
- by standardising the output using conqueror assembly lines (essentially mass production)
Describe how developments in Fibre Optics contribute to a Shrinking World
Gigantic amounts of data flow across the Earth’s ocean floors through fibre optic cables owned by national governments or Internet TNCs e.g Google
Define Fiber Optics
-Refers to the technology associated with the transmission of information as light pulses along a glass or plastic fibre
Describe the features of Fiber Optics
long distance
very high performance data networking & telecommunications
The cost of data transmission has become ______ due to global fibre optic communication network
cheaper
How has better communication technologies accelerated communication
- Modern computers handle large amounts of data and complex calculations quickly
- relatively inexpensive and accesibly - heightened connectivity
- these technologies have raised the standard of living by making commerce between countries more efficient
Define Protectionism
Policies to protect business and workers in a country by restricting/regulating trade with foreign nations
Define Trade Barrier
A barrier to free trade that restricts it or makes it harder
Define Tarriff
A tax imposed on imports
Define Quota
A limit on the quantity of a good a country allows into a country
Define Subsidy
Financial assistance to a domestic business by government to make it more competitive against foreign competition (or to save it from collapse)
Define Free Trade
A policy where a government does not interfere with trade (imports or exports) by using tariffs, subsidies or quotas
Define Trade Liberalisation
A policy of removing trade barriers and protectionism so that trade becomes free again
Define FDI
Investment by a foreign business into another business in a different country
Define Transnational Corporation
A company that operates across more than one national border
Define Special Economic Zone
An area set up by government to attract more FDI by using tax breaks and subsidies
Define Trade Bloc
A type of intergovernmental agreement, often part of a regional IGO, where barriers to trade are reduced or eliminated among the participating states and there is a free flow of goods and capital between member countries.
How can Global Flows be threats
Information
Information can provide citizens with knowledge that their government finds threatening
e.g China or North Korea
How can Global Flows be threats
Industries
Imports of raw materials & commodities can threaten a nation’s own industries
e.g closed economies like Ukraine
How can Global Flows be threats
Migrants
Migrants can bring cultural change & religious diversity, not everyone welcomes this
e.g Brexit
What are the 3 main IGOs
The World Bank
World Trade Organisation
International MonetaryFund
What is the world bank
-Lends money on a global scale
What did the world bank do in the 1950s
It began to finance the development of ex-colonies
Why did the world bank gain a bad reputation in the 1970s & 80s
For financing projects which were environmentally damaging or, beyond the ability of developing countries to repay
What is the world bank’s role in Globalisation
Lends money on a global scale to projects, particularly in developing countries as apart of its Millennium Development Goals which aim to eliminate poverty and implement sustainable development.
This provides financial stability & better quality of life
Positives of the World Bank
-Aims to eliminate poverty and implement sustainable development
-this provides financial stability & better quality of life
-Contributed to Congo’s Dam development program, + environmental impact
Negatives of the World Bank
-Proportional Voting System - 16% of power lies with USA, and other wealthier countries.
-Imposes conditions on its loans and grants.
-1970s & 80s financed environmentally damaging projects, beyond the abilities of developing countries to repay.
Name 2 examples of the World Bank helping developing countries
2014 - US$470 million loan granted to Philippines for a poverty reduction programme
- Help given to Congo to kick start a stalled mega-dam project
What is the world trade organisation
-draws up rules for International trade
-intends to supervise and liberalize world trade
What is the world trade organisation’s role in globalisation
-Asks countries to remove tariffs/ taxes on foreign imports and subsidies to domestic products so that trade is free without barriers, which would make a free global economy possible
Positives of the world trade organisation
Provides the possibility of a free Global economy, providing access to the market for free Global economies
Negatives of the world trade organisation
International trade exposes home grown products to foreign competition.
If foreign goods are cheaper and are of higher quality, local firms go out of business.
This reduces local employment
What is the International Monetary Fund (IMF)
-Based in Washington D.C.
-Channels loans from rich nations to countries that apply for help.
-In return, the recipients must agree to run free market economies that are open to outside investment.
-As a result, TNCs can enter these countries more easily.
What is the International Monetary Fund (IMF)’s role in globalisation
Formed in 1944 in the USA to stabilise currencies following The Great Depression and WW2.
44 governments originally joined to create a fund that could be loaned out to help countries in debt, thus helping to stabilise their currencies and economies with the intention of preventing Communism.
Positives of the International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Can help to stabilise economies, providing them with new trade opportunites
Negatives of the International Monetary Fund (IMF)
- The USA exerts significant influence over IMF policy
- IMF rules and regulations can be controversial, especially the strict financial conditions imposed on borrowing governments, who may be required to cut back on health care, education, sanitation and housing programmes.
What 2 things do the 3 main IGOs aim to promote
FDI and Free Trade
What is a SAP
policies imposed by the IMF which forced the state to play a reduced part in the economy and in social welfare, in return for rearranging loans at adjusted rates of interest, and at more affordable repayments.
Positive Impacts of SAPs
-developing country receives loan & debt relief
-SAP IMFs restructure loans to make them more affordable
Negative Impacts of SAPs
-Developing county must stop protectionism and adopt the free market
-Developing country must privatise its oil drilling facilities and cut back on education spending
-Developing country must privatise its water services, a foreign TNC takes over and raises prices
What is a Trade Bloc
Where flows of goods, money & sometimes workers can flow freely over national borders
Describe what is meant by a Preferential Trade Area
Lower, but not eliminate barriers between members
Describe what is meant by a Free Trade Area
Eliminate internal barriers, but maintain independent external barriers e.g NAFTA
Describe what is meant by a Customs Union
Eliminate internal barriers, agree on common external barriers e.g EU
Describe what is meant by a Common Market
- -Eliminate internal barriers
- -adopt common external barriers
- -allow free movement of resources (i.e. labour) among member countries
e.g East or West African Common Markets
What is meant by an Economic Union
-Eliminate internal barriers
-adopt common external barriers
-allow free barriers
-free movement of resources
-AND a uniform set of economic policies
e.g. European Union
What type of Trade Bloc is the United States and example of
Full Integration
Why would national governments want to attract FDI and TNCs in their country?
- Job creation/increased employment opportunities
- Increased tax revenues for government
- Positive multiplier effect –> economic growth
- Improve infrastructure
- Increase competition + services for domestic firms
- Technology transfer from TNCs
What would attract a TNC to invest in a country? (FDI)
- Wage rates (cheaper employment opportunities)
- Labour skills in the population
- Size of economy and population
- Political stability (little risk of a war)
- Raw materials
- Physical location and features (climate)
What can a government do to try and attract TNCs to invest in their country?
- Lower corporation tax
- Give a tax ‘holiday’ or concession
- Give preferential tariffs
- Give free or subsidised land
- Grant easier VISAs for expat staff
- Subsidise building infrastructure (provide some)
One of the biggest benefits of free trade is how it helps nations…
forge new trade deals and links easily
Examples of free trade enabling nations to forge new trade deals and links easily
EU & Vietnam
- EU and Vietnam trade deal in August 2015 removed all import tariffs and quotas on trade
- EU gain easy access to trade with 90 million consumers (electricals, aircraft, vehicles etc.)
- Vietnam gains access to over 300 million consumers (clothes, coffee, rice etc.)
- Prices in the EU become cheaper with lower prices now too
What is one of the biggest criticisms of free trade
- Western nations and trade blocs (e.g. EU) insist on LEDCs removing trade barriers (tarifts, quotas etc.) but still use them on LeDCs
- This means that MEDCs have easy access to LEDC markets but not vice versa - no level playing field
- e.g The EU sets a tariff on processed cocoa to prevent Ghana imports undercutting EU firms but ghana is not allowed to subsidise its farmers or put tariffs on western food
Name 3 Trade Blocs
ASEAN
EU
NAFTA
What does ASEAN stand for
Association
South
East
Asian
Nations
What are the main aims of ASEAN
- To accelerate economic, cultural & social development in the regions
- Promote regional peace
How many members are there in the EU
29
Main Aims of the EU
borders
to offer EU citizens freedom, security & justice, without internal borders, whilst also controlling external borders
Main Aims of the EU
sustainability
to work towards the sustainable development of Europe, promoting equality & social justice
Main Aims of the EU
money
to establish an economic union with the euro as its currency
What does NAFTA stand for
North
American
Free
Trade
Agreement
When was NAFTA signed
1994
Which 3 countries are apart of NAFTA
USA
Canada
Mexico
Mains aims of NAFTA
- to promote trade & economic cooperation between member countries
- to eliminate tariffs & other restrictions on trade
What are the strengths of ASEAN
- increases quality of life due to more development
- wide variety of countries involved, plethora of trade opportunities
- creates production and markets with equal economic development and a competitive region integrated in the global economy
- attracts considerable external FDI
- global flows of goods, people & finance between countries
What are the strengths of the EU
- a continent at peace with no internal conflicts
- freedom for its citizens to live, study, or work anywhere in the EU
- the worlds biggest single market
- aid & development assistance for millions of people worldwide
- increases political and economic interactions within the bloc
- increases global power for the bloc
What are the strengths of NAFTA
- creates jobs
- increased economic output
- lowers prices of goods
- increases FDI
What are the weaknesses of ASEAN
- weak leadership
- wide variety of countries involved could result in dominant countries corrupting the market
What are the weaknesses of the EU
- Fewer borders - increased danger
- local governments are powerless to act in some instances
- lack of transparency in elections of European Commission members
- EU favours bigger countries
What are the weaknesses of NAFTA
lowers wages
often poorer working conditions
How does the EU operate
- A trade bloc
- with intergovernmental agreement on trade within the group of countries
- and common tariffs on goods from outside the bloc.