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GlobalizationGlobalizationGlobalizationGlobalization
CMN 2168CMN 2168CMN 2168CMN 2168
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Protesters define globalization ‘as Protesters define globalization ‘as the various ways in which American the various ways in which American hegemony has imposed itself upon hegemony has imposed itself upon the world; or point to the ways in the world; or point to the ways in which the IMF and the WB , operating which the IMF and the WB , operating de facto arms of American free-trade de facto arms of American free-trade policies, have effectively undermined policies, have effectively undermined of developping nations’ (9). of developping nations’ (9).
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Globalization is based on capitalist Globalization is based on capitalist economy. To a certain extent, economy. To a certain extent, capitalism has always functioned as capitalism has always functioned as a world economy. a world economy.
Some argue that there has been a Some argue that there has been a rupture in contemporary capitalist rupture in contemporary capitalist productions and global relations of productions and global relations of power.power.
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The idea of interdependency and The idea of interdependency and interaction between individuals and interaction between individuals and corporations is central to corporations is central to globalization.globalization.
The implications of globalization are The implications of globalization are economic, political and technological economic, political and technological as well as social and cultural.as well as social and cultural.
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Globalists Globalists oror ‘liberals’ ‘liberals’ believe that believe that globalization is an important and overall globalization is an important and overall positive development (‘the effect of real positive development (‘the effect of real structural changes in the past few structural changes in the past few centuries’). centuries’).
ScepticsSceptics think that globalization is an think that globalization is an extension of ‘trends that developed in the extension of ‘trends that developed in the period of European colonial expansion, period of European colonial expansion, peaked during the period 1870-1914, and peaked during the period 1870-1914, and were interrupted by the two great wars were interrupted by the two great wars and the ‘cold war’ of the 20th century’ (7).and the ‘cold war’ of the 20th century’ (7).
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The The moderately optimisticmoderately optimistic agree agree ‘that there are globalizing tendencies ‘that there are globalizing tendencies which can be identified and which can be identified and measured, but that they are not all-measured, but that they are not all-encompassing as the literature might encompassing as the literature might imply: and nor are they operating imply: and nor are they operating without resistance, and without without resistance, and without exceptions’ (8). exceptions’ (8).
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ResistanceResistance (ATTAC!, fair trade etc). (ATTAC!, fair trade etc).
Concepts of Concepts of alter-globalization alter-globalization
Defence of globalizationDefence of globalization
http://www.freeworldacademy.com/globalleader/globalisation.htm#1http://www.freeworldacademy.com/globalleader/globalisation.htm#1
Globalization is the international system Globalization is the international system that replaced the Cold War system. It relies that replaced the Cold War system. It relies on two principles: on two principles:
-Firstly, the idea that -Firstly, the idea that freedom, human freedom, human rights and democracyrights and democracy are the most efficient are the most efficient means of sustaining growth and means of sustaining growth and development.development.
-Secondly, globalization implies a -Secondly, globalization implies a panel of policies based onpanel of policies based on thethe Washington consensusWashington consensus: fiscal : fiscal discipline, a redirection of public discipline, a redirection of public expenditure priorities toward fields expenditure priorities toward fields offering both high economic returns offering both high economic returns and the potential to improve income and the potential to improve income distribution...distribution...
In short, globalization is the In short, globalization is the integration of democracy, legal integration of democracy, legal reforms, capital, technology, and reforms, capital, technology, and information across national borders, information across national borders, in a way that is creating a single in a way that is creating a single global market and a global village.global market and a global village.
One’s understanding of globalization One’s understanding of globalization depends on the position one’s speaking depends on the position one’s speaking from (that is, the place one occupies from (that is, the place one occupies within the decision-making process). within the decision-making process).
‘‘What [globalization] means, and the What [globalization] means, and the effects it has, are determined and effects it has, are determined and identified variously, depending on the identified variously, depending on the perspective of those making such perspective of those making such determinations and identifications’ (p.19).determinations and identifications’ (p.19).
For liberals, globalization is the answer to For liberals, globalization is the answer to the world’s problems (not their cause).the world’s problems (not their cause).
Neo-liberalismNeo-liberalism
The Washington consensus is also called The Washington consensus is also called the the neo-liberal doctrineneo-liberal doctrine (or (or neo-liberalismneo-liberalism). ). It puts great emphasis on liberalisation of It puts great emphasis on liberalisation of trade and finance, privatisations and the trade and finance, privatisations and the supremacy of markets. This system supremacy of markets. This system praises the rationalisation of all activities praises the rationalisation of all activities and services, but it generally leads to the and services, but it generally leads to the concentration of money within the hands concentration of money within the hands of a small minority.of a small minority.
Neo-liberalismNeo-liberalism Neo-liberal doctrine is decided by the government Neo-liberal doctrine is decided by the government
of the USA (backed by the UK) and the various of the USA (backed by the UK) and the various financial organisms that the US control in great financial organisms that the US control in great part (Noam Chomsky, part (Noam Chomsky, Profit over PeopleProfit over People, 1998. , 1998. p.19). The participants in neo-liberalism are p.19). The participants in neo-liberalism are mostly large corporations.mostly large corporations.
The aims of the neo-liberal doctrine is to remove The aims of the neo-liberal doctrine is to remove obstacles to its own development: state obstacles to its own development: state intervention, protectionism, workers rights, public intervention, protectionism, workers rights, public services, regulation, trade unions etc.services, regulation, trade unions etc.
(Florian Grandena, PhD dissertation, 2005)(Florian Grandena, PhD dissertation, 2005)
Arguments / counter Arguments / counter argumentsarguments
The technological compression of The technological compression of time and spacetime and space
Not everybody experiences it.Not everybody experiences it.
‘‘Globalization is not a new Globalization is not a new phenomenon… [but] it takes a number phenomenon… [but] it takes a number of forms in the contemporary world of forms in the contemporary world which mark it off, quantitatively and which mark it off, quantitatively and qualitatively, from its antecedents’.qualitatively, from its antecedents’.
However, some theorists have argued However, some theorists have argued that these forms were already present that these forms were already present in the late 19th century.in the late 19th century.
The spread of human rights, The spread of human rights, democracy and intercultural democracy and intercultural understanding.understanding.
Not all countries have equal access Not all countries have equal access to human rights and democratic to human rights and democratic political systems.political systems.
The imposition of Americanized The imposition of Americanized cultureculture
Local cultures do adapt themselves Local cultures do adapt themselves and can transform ‘hegemonic and can transform ‘hegemonic cultural forms for their own cultural forms for their own purposes’.purposes’.
Electronic imperialismElectronic imperialism
Not all countries have the same Not all countries have the same access to new media /technologies.access to new media /technologies.
China's Internet filtering regime is the China's Internet filtering regime is the most sophisticated effort of its kind in the most sophisticated effort of its kind in the world. Compared to similar efforts in other world. Compared to similar efforts in other states, China's filtering regime is states, China's filtering regime is pervasive, sophisticated, and effective. It pervasive, sophisticated, and effective. It comprises multiple levels of legal comprises multiple levels of legal regulation and technical control. It regulation and technical control. It involves numerous state agencies and involves numerous state agencies and thousands of public and private personnel. thousands of public and private personnel. It censors content transmitted through It censors content transmitted through multiple methods, including Web pages, multiple methods, including Web pages, Web logs, on-line discussion forums, Web logs, on-line discussion forums, university bulletin board systems, and e-university bulletin board systems, and e-mail messages. mail messages.
Our testing found efforts to prevent access to Our testing found efforts to prevent access to a wide range of sensitive materials, from a wide range of sensitive materials, from pornography to religious material to political pornography to religious material to political dissent. Chinese citizens seeking access to dissent. Chinese citizens seeking access to Web sites containing content related to Web sites containing content related to Taiwanese and Tibetan independence, Falun Taiwanese and Tibetan independence, Falun Gong, the Dalai Lama, the Tiananmen Square Gong, the Dalai Lama, the Tiananmen Square incident, opposition political parties, or a incident, opposition political parties, or a variety of anti-Communist movements will variety of anti-Communist movements will frequently find themselves blocked. While it is frequently find themselves blocked. While it is difficult to describe this widespread filtering difficult to describe this widespread filtering with precision, our research documents a with precision, our research documents a system that imposes strong controls on its system that imposes strong controls on its citizens' ability to view Internet content. citizens' ability to view Internet content.
China makes a systematic, China makes a systematic, comprehensive, and frequently successful comprehensive, and frequently successful effort to limit the ability of its citizens to effort to limit the ability of its citizens to access and to post on-line content the access and to post on-line content the state considers sensitive. At the level of state considers sensitive. At the level of legal regulation, China has a complex, legal regulation, China has a complex, overlapping system of laws, regulations, overlapping system of laws, regulations, and informal methods that attempts to and informal methods that attempts to prevent the creation and distribution of prevent the creation and distribution of banned material. At the technological banned material. At the technological level, the state employs a sophisticated level, the state employs a sophisticated infrastructure that filters content at infrastructure that filters content at multiple levels and that tolerates multiple levels and that tolerates overblocking as the price of preventing overblocking as the price of preventing access to prohibited sites.access to prohibited sites.
Importantly, China's filtering efforts lack Importantly, China's filtering efforts lack transparency: the state does not generally transparency: the state does not generally admit to censoring Internet content, and admit to censoring Internet content, and concomitantly there is no list of banned sites concomitantly there is no list of banned sites and no ability for citizens to request and no ability for citizens to request reconsideration of blocking, as some other reconsideration of blocking, as some other states that filter provide. The topics defined states that filter provide. The topics defined as sensitive, or prohibited, by China's legal as sensitive, or prohibited, by China's legal code are broad and non-specific, and code are broad and non-specific, and enforcement of laws such as the ban on enforcement of laws such as the ban on spreading state secrets discourages citizens spreading state secrets discourages citizens from testing the boundaries of these areas. from testing the boundaries of these areas. China's legal and technological systems China's legal and technological systems combine to form a broad, potent, and combine to form a broad, potent, and effective means of controlling the information effective means of controlling the information that Chinese users can see and share on the that Chinese users can see and share on the Internet. Internet.
http://www.opennetinitiative.net/studies/china/#toc5http://www.opennetinitiative.net/studies/china/#toc5
Disparities with regard to the ownership Disparities with regard to the ownership and production of and access to and production of and access to information.information.
‘‘The concentration of ownership of global The concentration of ownership of global media production and transmission in the media production and transmission in the hands of a small number of (mostly hands of a small number of (mostly American) corporations’American) corporations’
‘‘These cultural, social and political These cultural, social and political forms of contemporary life are not forms of contemporary life are not new; rather they have been new; rather they have been intensified and quickened’ by what intensified and quickened’ by what Armand Mattelart calls ‘the Armand Mattelart calls ‘the originating aspect of globalization, originating aspect of globalization, which involves the use of which involves the use of communication technology to bring communication technology to bring about the integration of world about the integration of world financial markets’ (12).financial markets’ (12).
For Mattelart, globalization is not For Mattelart, globalization is not ideologically new or socially ideologically new or socially progressive.progressive.
He acknoledges the existence of a He acknoledges the existence of a global activity made up ofglobal activity made up of
- Complex technological Complex technological communication networks;communication networks;
- Imbrication of financial markets and Imbrication of financial markets and flows;flows;
- Unification of the economic field (12).Unification of the economic field (12).
According to Mattelart, ‘in the According to Mattelart, ‘in the contemporary world, social, cultural contemporary world, social, cultural and political issues, including the and political issues, including the sovereignty of states, are predicated sovereignty of states, are predicated – if not entirely dependent – upon [a] – if not entirely dependent – upon [a] new phenomenon of capital flows, new phenomenon of capital flows, and the technology which makes it and the technology which makes it possible’ (p.13). possible’ (p.13).
Western culture, information Western culture, information technologies and specific institutions technologies and specific institutions related to global governance mean related to global governance mean that we are involved in virtual that we are involved in virtual networks of interaction / power.networks of interaction / power.
This does not mean that the state no This does not mean that the state no longer has any power or that we are longer has any power or that we are losing or even have lost our losing or even have lost our collective / individual identity.collective / individual identity.
Globalization is often referred to as Globalization is often referred to as ‘neocolonialism’ or ‘neoimperialism’.‘neocolonialism’ or ‘neoimperialism’.
Globalization ‘should be understood as Globalization ‘should be understood as a kind of grid of power, one which a kind of grid of power, one which incorporates globalists and sceptics, incorporates globalists and sceptics, liberals and Marxists, libertarians and liberals and Marxists, libertarians and fundamentalists, First and Third World fundamentalists, First and Third World nations and their economies, and so nations and their economies, and so on, all within a dynamic and often on, all within a dynamic and often agonistic relationship’ (p.19-20). agonistic relationship’ (p.19-20).
‘‘Globalization [can] be understood as a set Globalization [can] be understood as a set of technologies, institutions and networks of technologies, institutions and networks operating within, and at the same time operating within, and at the same time transforming, contemporary social, transforming, contemporary social, cultural, political and economic sphere of cultural, political and economic sphere of activity… it is the evaluation and activity… it is the evaluation and interpretation – the naming – of those interpretation – the naming – of those technologies, institutions and networks as technologies, institutions and networks as socially, culturally, economically and socially, culturally, economically and historically identifiable phenomena that in historically identifiable phenomena that in a sense bring globalization into being, or a sense bring globalization into being, or make it real to most people’ (p.21).make it real to most people’ (p.21).
