CONTEMPORARY WORLD

CHONA PAJARILLO-AGUSTIN, DPA

Associate Professor 4
College of Business, Entrepreneurship and Accountancy
 GLOBALIZATION
Any discussion on globalization – its meaning and content –
should necessarily begin with Roland Robertson, who could
be said to be father of globalization. Robertson had
contributed an article, ‘mapping the global condition:
globalization as the central concept’. It is here that
Robertson for the first time explained the concept of
globalization. He says in his introduction: “my primary aim
in this discussion is with the analytical and empirical aspects
of globalization.”
For Robertson, the beginning of the idea of
globalization goes back to the global uncertainty of
the relations between world nation- states. In his
effort to define globalization, Robertson links it
with modernity and post-modernity. He also
mentions about the politics of the global human
conditions.
 GORAN THERBORN OF
GLOBALIZATION

1. It is global; it replaces universal.

2. It is space, and replaces time.
3. It is modernity plus a flight into space.
4. It is plural, that is, globalizations.
5. It consists of several social processes.
6. It helps understand world issues.
Therborn elaborated the subject matter of globalization and
includes five major topical discourses

(1) competition economy

(2) socio-critical
(3) state impotence in the face of world economy
(4) cultural
(5) globe as a whole
Giddens’ definition of globalization is that he links it
with modernization. For him, modernization means a
capitalist system, which is concerned with the
commodity production, where there are social relations
between the owners of private capital and non-owners
who sell their labor for wages.
Globalization as a social process in which the constraints
of geography on social and cultural arrangements recede
and in which people become increasingly aware that they
are receding.
 MALCOLM WATERS THREE MAJOR
ASSUMPTIONSARENAS OF GLOBALIZATION

1. The economy arena:

it includes social arrangements for the production, exchange, distribution and
consumption of goods and tangible services.
2. The polity arena:
it includes social arrangements for the concentration and application of power,
especially in so far as it involves the organized exchange of coercion and
surveillance (military, police, etc.) As well as such institutionalized
transformations of these practices as authority and diplomacy that can
establish control over populations and territories.
3. The cultural arena:
it includes social arrangements for the production,
exchange and expression of symbols that represent facts,
affects, meanings, beliefs, preferences, tastes and values.
Waters has tried to develop a theory of globalization. The
main thrust of his theory is that globalization has
relationship between social organization and territoriality.
Globalization is a term used to describe how trade and technology
have made the world into a more connected and interdependent
place. Globalization also captures in its scope the economic and
social changes that have come about as a result.

Globalization is the word used to describe the growing

interdependence of the world’s economies, cultures, and
populations, brought about by cross-border trade in goods and
services, technology, and flows of investment, people
The present globalization era consists of the following variables:
(1) new markets:
foreign exchange and capital markets linked globally, operating 24
hours a day, with dealings at a distance in real time.
(2) new tools:
internet links, cellular phones and media networks. Privatization,
liberalization and intellectual property rights – are shaping the path
of technology, creating new risks of marginalization and
vulnerability.
(3) new actors:
the world trade organization (WTO) with authority
over national governments, the multinational
corporations with more economic power than many
states, the global networks of non-governmental
organizations (ngos) and other groups that transcend
nation boundaries.
(4)New rules:
multilateral agreements on trade, services and intellectual property, backed
by strong enforcement mechanism and more binding for national
governments, reducing the scope for national policy. There is also a brighter
side to globalization. The human development report says: “global markets,
global technology, global ideas and global solidarity can enrich the lives of
people everywhere, greatly expanding their choices. The growing
interdependence of people s lives calls for snared values and a snared
commitment to the human development of all people.”
Meaning of globalization
(1) building of a universal community of human
kind. The objective goes with the assumption that the
needs and interests of mankind dl over the world are
similar. The vision of globalization as a world
community would give liberty, justice and equality
for all humanity.
(2) globalization establishes linkages and
interconnections that cut across the nation-states.
(3) globalization involves a profound reordering of time
and space in social life. Giddens refers to it as time-space
distanciation or compression. Today, we have to learn how
to cope with an overwhelming sense of compression of our
spatial and temporal worlds. Harvey argues that there is
need to speed up or intensify time-space compression. It is
in this context that harvey talks about ‘global village’.
(4) capitalism occupies a central place in globalization.
(5) globalization is associated with technological progress.
(6) globalization is a product of political factors, in particular
the existence of a permissive global order.
(7) the theory of globalization involves the analytical separation
of the factors which have facilitated the shift towards a single
world. The spread of capitalism, western imperialism and the
development of a global media system.
(8) globalization is interrelationship between
the political, economic and cultural
dimensions of social life.
(9) globalization is dialectical having both
positive and negative consequences.
What is globalization?
Globalization is the process by which the world is
becoming increasingly interconnected as a result of
massively increased trade and cultural exchange.
Globalization has increased the production of goods and
services. The biggest companies are no longer national
firms but multinational corporations with subsidiaries in
many countries
Advantages of globalization

1. Globalization increases free trade

globalization has increased the free trade between
countries. The increases capital liquidity has allowed
investors in well developed nations to invest in
developing countries. Huge corporations from
developed nations have great flexibility to operate in
other countries.
2. Global mass media ties world together
the increased flow of communication has allowed
global mass media to tie the world together. Global
mass media has allowed vital information to be
shared between corporations and individuals
around the world. Globalization has
also contributed to greater speed and ease of
transporting goods and people.
3. Eradicates cultural barriers
countries joining together economically through politics
and education have reduced and can even eradicate cultural
barriers, and increase the global village effect.
Globalization has seen to be the medium to spreading of
democratic ideals to well developed nations and greater
independence to developing countries in the global south.
4. Reduction of war
reduction of war between well developed nations is probably one of the primary
benefits of globalization.
1. Increased free trade between nations
2. Increased liquidity of capital allowing investors in developed nations to invest
in developing nations
3. Corporations have greater flexibility to operate across borders
4. Global mass media ties the world together
5. Increased flow of communications allows vital information to be shared
between individuals and corporations around the world
6. Greater ease and speed of transportation for goods and people
7. Reduction of cultural barriers increases the global village effect
8. Spread of democratic ideals to developed nations
9. Reduction of likelihood of war between developed nations. Increases in
environmental protection in developed nations
Disadvantages of globalization
1. Decrease environmental integrity
globalization has the potential to decrease the
environmental integrity as polluting corporations from well
developed countries can take advantage of developing
nations weak regulatory rules.
2. The seek for cheap labor
globalizations increases of non-skilled and skilled jobs
from developing nations to well developed countries as
huge corporations seek for cheap labor. This economic
trend can also increase the likelihood of economic disrupt
in a single nations, which could affect all nations.
3. Limits cultural expressions
globalization imposes threat to mass media being
controlled by huge corporations. This could limit the
cultural expressions. This means that mass media can
be used by handful corporations to pose risks in the
cultural heritage of both well developed and
developing nations.
Globalization is a global economical trend that is here to
stay. It has advantages and disadvantages, and these
things will not disappear. People just need to knowhow
to reap its benefits and reduce its risks. People must
understand its impact globally, and work altogether to
remedy the problems that may arise in the future. All
countries in the global north and global south must work
altogether to spread its benefits.
1. Increased flow of skilled and non-skilled jobs from
developed to developing nations as corporations seek out
the cheapest labor
2. Increased likelihood of economic disruptions
in one nation effecting all nations
3. Corporate influence of nation-states far exceeds that of
civil society organizations and average individuals
4. Threat that control of world media by a handful of corporations
will limit cultural expression
5. Greater chance of reactions for globalization being violent in an
attempt to preserve cultural heritage
6. Greater risk of diseases being transported unintentionally between
nations
7. Spread of a materialistic lifestyle and attitude that sees
consumption as the path to prosperity
8. International bodies like the world trade organization infringe
on national and individual sovereignty
9. Increase in the chances of civil war within developing countries
and open war between developing countries as they vie for
resources
Globalization characteristics
globalization initiates growth and interconnectivity of
various sectors across nations. Its essential features
include the cross-border connectivity or integration,
free trade environment and interdependency of
nations.
In addition, it facilitates global business expansion,
cross-culture diversification, lower tariffs and taxes
on international business operations.
Migration of workforce and international investments
create job opportunities, enhanced goods and services as
well economic development.
The vast concept of globalization is often explained by
classifying into sections by educational institutes and
government bodies such as the IMF. The four more
major sections include –trade
capital movement, movement of people,
dissemination of knowledge.
PHILOSOPHIES OF THE VARYING DEFINITIONS
OF GLOBALIZATION MANFRED B. STEGER

Globalization is about the liberalization and global

integration of markets.
This is anchored in the neo-liberal ideal of the self-
regulating market as the normative basis for a future
global order. According to this, the vital functions of the
free market- its rationality and efficiency , as well as its
alleged ability to bring about greater social integration and
material progress -can only be realized in a democratic
society that values and protects individual freedom.
(Steger, 2005)
Globalization is inevitable and irreversible.
According to the market-globalist, globalization
reflects the spread of irreversible market forces
driven by technological innovations that make
the global integration of national economies
inevitable.(Steger, 2005)
Nobody is in charge of globalism.
Globalization hinges on the classical liberal concept of the
“self-regulating market. According to Rebert Hormats
(1998) vice chairman of Goldman Sachs international,
emphasized that” the great beauty of globalization is that no
one is in control. The great beauty of globalization is not
controlled by any individual, any government, any
institution (Steger, 2005).However, this idea that nobody is
in charge serves the neo-liberal political agenda of
defending and expanding global capitalism.
Globalization benefits everyone in the long run.
This lies at the heart of market globalism which is
unpacked on in material terms such as economic
growth and prosperity. In terms f the globalism
concept, it taps not only liberalism progressive
worldview, but also draws on the powerful socialist
vision of establishing economic paradise on earth
(Steger, 2005).
•Globalization Furthers the Spread of Democracy in the World
•This links ‘globalization’ and ‘markets” to the concept of democracy which
plays a significant role in liberalism , conservatism, and socialism. Globalist
tend to treat freedom, free markets, free trade and democracy as synonymous
terms. According to Francis Fukuyama (2000) ‘ there exist a clear correlation
between country’s level of economic development and successful
democracy”. Though it is true that globalization and capital development do
not automatically create democracies Fukuyaman believe that the “level of
economic development resulting from globalization is conducive to the
creation of complex civil societies with a powerful middle class which
facilitates democracy”. (Steger, 2005:32)
Economic globalization is the increasing economic interdependence
of national economies across the world through a rapid increase in
cross-border movement of goods, services, technology, and capital,
process of increasing economic integration between countries,
leading to the emergence of a global marketplace or a single world
market. Economic globalization comprises: globalization of
production; which refers to the obtainment of goods and services
from a particular source from locations around the globe to benefit
from difference in cost and quality.
Cultural globalization refers to the transmission of ideas, meanings, and
values around the world in such a way as to extend and intensify social
relations. This process is marked by the common consumption of cultures that
have been diffused by the internet, popular culture media, and international
travel. This has added to processes of commodity exchange and colonization
which have a longer history of carrying cultural meaning around the
globe. Cultural globalization involves the formation of shared norms and
knowledge with which people associate their individual and collective cultural
identities. It brings increasing interconnectedness among different populations
and cultures.
Political globalization refers to the growth of the
worldwide political system, both in size and complexity.
That system includes national governments, their
governmental and intergovernmental organizations as well
as government-independent elements of
global civil society such as
international non-governmental organizations and
social movement organizations.