Effects of Globalisation on Indian Society

Amit Kumar Anandwww.amitkanand.com

August 26, 2016

1 Introduction

• Globalization is an umbrella term thatrefers to increasing global connectivity,integration and interdependence in theeconomic, social, technological, cultural,political, and ecological spheres.

• Globalisation is a process of interactionand integration among the people, com-panies and governments of different na-tions, a process driven by internationaltrade and investment and aided by in-formation technology. This process haseffects on the environment, on culture,on political systems, on economic devel-opment and prosperity, and on humanphysical well being in societies around theworld.

2 Impact on Religion and cul-ture

2.1 Spreading

• Globalisation is aided by informationtechnology. Spread of IT has allowed eas-ier transmission of religious ideas. Thishas allowed people to be affront of multi-ple religions. This has allowed pluralismand greater religious tolerance.

• Religious authorities are making use ofIT (e.g. youtube, websites, blogs etc.) tospread their views and opinions.

• Greater freedom of travel has allowed eas-ier spread of religious ideas.

• Religious leaders are playing active rolein maintaining peace in the world aided

by globalisation

1. Role of Sri Sri Ravishankar ap-preciated by Columbian Parliamentin promoting peace and conferredhighest civilian award of Columbia.

2. Pope played instrumental role inchanging US foreign policy towardsCuba and establishment of normaldiplomatic relation in 2014.

2.2 Intermingling & Mixing culture

• Globalisation has allowed people of differ-ent religion to come together and inter-act. Increased pluralism and tolerance.

• People from different countries and na-tionalities can follow any religion no mat-ter how far are they from the centres ofthose religion. e.g. Indian gurus have fol-lowing all over the world. These follow-ers of different nationalities when interactleads to mixing of culture.

2.3 Religious wars

• Globalisation has allowed easier spread-ing of fanatic ideas.

• Terrorist organisation like ISIS, Al-Qaeda etc. spreading hateful ideas andusing religion to support their ideology.Waging religious wars. Recently Indianreligious leader Zakir Naik is been investi-gated for spreading hateful ideas throughits TV network and speeches.

• Recruiting people for religious war fromall over the world which could not have

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been possible without globalisation. Re-ports of Indian youths joining ISIS havecome in recent times.

• Lone wolf attacks. e.g in Paris, Turkey,Dhaka were inspired from the hatefulideas received over internet. Globalisa-tion has made easier to wage such attacksmuch convenient.

• In recent times ISIS flags have beenwaved during protests in J&K.

3 Impact on Agriculture

3.1 Increased Competition

• When domestic market is also open toforeign country farmers then it increasespressure on domestic farmers. Developednations produce is price wise competi-tive because of better technological in-puts, subsidies and economies of scale.Governments has to take special mech-anisms to protect domestic farmers. e.gban on import, increased duties or Spe-cial Safguard Mechanisms under WTO.

3.2 Spread of technology and in-creased productivity

• Increased competition has forced domes-tic farmers to improve. Also globalisationhas allowed spread of better technology,equipments and best practices. This al-lowed increased productivity.

• GMO crops are been introduced in Indiaby foreign companies. There are appre-hensions against the GMO in the soci-ety. But it was readily adopted by farm-ers in case of Bt Cotton where it showedmarked difference.

3.3 Food Security

• Globalisation has allowed nations to im-port deficient food items from foreign na-tions in times of scarcity hence improvingfood security in short term.

• Globalisation has also led farming of onetype of crop replacing various indigenouscrops which were suitable to the localconditions. This has endangered food se-curity in long term.

3.4 Inflationary pressure

• When international prices are high farm-ers and traders prefer to export their pro-duce. This sometimes creates scarcityin domestic market leading to high infla-tion in crop prices (Also due to less pro-duce). In such times government has totake knee jerk reactions such as banningexports of particular crops.

• Price Monitoring Cell (PMC) has beenformed under Department of ConsumerAffairs to monitor prices of selected es-sential commodities in domestic and for-eign markets and avoid sudden inflationsin their prices and take appropriate mar-ket intervention activities.

3.5 Restrictions on Government

• WTO rules constrain the extent to whichcountries can protect themselves.

• India lost the case in WTO for ban onpoultry from US.

• Banana Wars - European nations lostthe case against group of Latin Americancountries in WTO for favouring import ofBananas from their former colonies.

3.6 Farm Jobs

• Globalisation has created more jobs op-portunities in secondary and tertiary sec-tor. This allowed workers to shift fromlow paying agriculture activities to moreprofitable activities.

• Technology, know-how and competitionbought by globalisation has led to in-creased production and efficiency leadingto more profits and better pay.

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3.7 Venture into Foreign Lands

• Globalisation has allowed Indian corpo-rations to move outside India and pursuefarming activities in foreign countries.

• Indian Companies are investing in Africafor farming activities.

3.8 Improved Infrastructure

• Foreign food & beverages companies op-erating in India require farm products.This has led to standardisation and im-proved quality.

• Companies have invested in farm sectorto improve backward and forward link-ages. e.g. e-Choupal initiative by ITC.

4 Impact on Economy

4.1 Trade

• India’s Trade has increased due to glob-alisation.

4.2 Job Creation

• New jobs created in secondary and ter-tiary sector. Growth of BPO’s in India istremendous due to globalisation.

• More formal jobs. New jobs created inbanking, tourism etc. sectors.

• Better income.

4.3 Interdependence

• Economies of nations today are more in-tertwined and interdependent.

• 2008 Economic crisis in US had reverber-ations all over the globe. India too wentinto recession.

• Economic policies of other countries af-fect India. Speculations of US Fed ratehike rate led to huge outgo of money fromIndian markets leading to weakening ofrupee.

4.4 Laws

• Indian laws needs to be in conformity ofinternational standards to have smoothtrade and commerce. e.g. Indian ex-porters have to conform to CODEX andphyto-sanitary measures.

• WTO rules are to be adhered.

• Trading blocks like TIPP, TPP etc. havestringent labour, environment and intel-lectual proprietary laws. It would forceIndia in future to conform to such stan-dards to remain competitive in globalmarkets.

4.5 Competition

• MNC’s presence has increased this hasled to more competition in the market.More choice to consumer and improvedquality due to competition.

5 Impact on Family & Values

5.1 Forms of Families

• More migration among family membersleading to increase in nuclear families.

• Difficult to adhere to Indian customs andrituals leading to weakening of it.

• Modern technological solutions likeWhatsapp, Skype, mobile phones etc.has allowed family members to stayconnected even if they are geographicallyvery far.

5.2 Foreign Culture

• More westernisation of Indian culture.

• Foreign films. TV shows are now avail-able to Indians. Influencing the value sys-tem of the society.

5.3 Backlash

• Conservative groups against too muchwesternisation of Indian society.

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• This has led to violent protests too. Dis-turbances during certain events which areconsidered against Indian values such ascelebration of Valentine’s day.

• More focus on promoting Indian valuesand systems. Hence, call for boycottingforeign goods and adopting ‘swadeshi’products.

6 Social, Health & Education

6.1 Inequality

• Inequality has increased. Increased di-vide between rich and poor. Accordingto IMF GINI coefficient has rose to 51 by2013 from 45 in 1990.

6.2 Poverty

• Increased no. of jobs with higher payoutshas led to reduction in poverty.

• India halved its incidence of extremepoverty from 49.4% in 1994 to 24.7%in 2011 ahead of the 2015 deadlineset by Millennium Developmental Goals(MDG).

6.3 Health

• Diseases spreading at much faster ratebecoming pandemics. e.g Ebola, MERS-CoV, SARS.

• Better access to health services.

• Improved IMR, MMR, life expectancyand other health indicators.

• Availability of better diagnostic equip-ments has led to menace of sex selectionleading to worsening sex ratio.

• India has emerged as major centre ofMedical tourism.

6.4 Education

• Access to better educational facilities.e.g. pursuing higher studies in foreignnations, MOOCs etc.

• Educational exchange programs.

7 Impact on Old People

• India has the second largest populationof elderly in the world. Due to increasein life expectancy to availability of bettermedical facilities and nutrition.

• Left out to fend themselves due to in-creased nuclearisation of families.

• Worsening of social security cover.

• Outdated skill wise to the new jobs cre-ated in the economy.

• Obsolete in today’s society. In the oldertime when young ones took the profes-sions of their father such as agricultureelders were relevant in society for theirknowledge and wisdom. In today’s mod-ern society this is no longer true. Oncethey retire, elderly people find that theiryoung ones are not seeking their adviceand wisdom.

• Increased economic dependence. Theirskills and wisdom now even less requiredin modern society.

• Psychological problems like feeling ofpowerlessness, feeling of inferiority, de-pression, uselessness, isolation and re-duced competence.

7.0.1 Law & Schemes for Elderly

• National Policy on Older Peo-ple(NPOP), 1999 covers all concernspertaining to the welfare of older personsand recognises a person aged 60 years andabove as senior citizens.

• National Council for Older People(NCOP, 1999) to oversee implementa-tion of NPOP.

• Maintenance & Welfare of Parents& Senior Citizen Act, 2007 (i) en-sures need based maintenance for par-ents and senior citizens and their wel-fare.(ii) Maintenance of parents/senior

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citizens by children/ relatives made oblig-atory and justiciable through tribunals.(iii) Establishment of Old age homes.

• Integrated programme for OlderPersons (IPOP, 1992) for improvingthe quality of life of the senior citizensby providing basic amenities like shelter,food, medical care and entertainment op-portunities and by encouraging produc-tive and active ageing.

• National Programme for the HealthCare of Elderly (NPHCE) to addresshealth related issues of elderly.

• Varishta Pension Bima Yojana

• Atal Pension Yojana

• Tax benefits.

• Facilities in railways and airlines.

8 Impact on Women

8.1 Working Women

• New jobs created. Most jobs in servicesector.

• Feminization of workplace.

• Economic independence.

• Better position in family.

• Promotion of idea of equality. SDG Goalno. 5 Gender Equality; Bejing Declara-tion.

• Women emigrating to work in foreigncountries. e.g Many nurses from Keralaworking in Gulf countries.

• Commoditization of women. Films & Adfilms.

• Many jobs in informal sector. Vulnerableto exploitation. Poor pay. Lack of skills.No job security and social security.

• Sexual harassment at workplace.(Vishakha Guidelines, Sexual Harrss-ment of Women at Workplace (Preven-tion, Prohibition and Redressal) Act2013).

• Number of women working in night shiftshave increased due to increase in callcenters and export oriented companies.Lack of protection and transport facili-ties hence increasing incidence of crimeagainst women in night.

8.2 Urban Women

• More jobs.

• More opportunities for self development.e.g education, health, loan etc.

• Better position in family.

• Increased incidence of crime.

8.3 Rural Women

• Rural women labour became replaceabledue to mechanization of farm activities.

• Economic independence threatened duedecline of low skill, low wage casual jobs.

• Unequal pay.

• Migration to urban areas for informaljobs.

• Lack of job security and social security.

• Condition worsened in family due toworsening of their economic indepen-dence. Less say in financial and familydecisions.

8.4 Adolescent Girl

• Better access to health and education op-portunities due to IT.

• Gender empowerment.

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8.5 Girl Child

• Availability of better diagnostic equip-ments. This has promoted gender selec-tion leading to poor sex ratio. (PCPNDTAct to prevent sex selection).

8.6 Trafficking

• Increased interconnectedness has pro-moted trafficking of women to foreigncountries.

9 Impact on Environment

9.1 Developed Nations

• Factories shifted to other countries (De-veloping and LDCs) because of pricecompetitiveness. Positive impact on car-bon emissions in these countries.

9.2 Developing Nations

• Increased economic activity generallyemploying less efficient methods andtechnology because of major increase ininformal sector leading to negative im-pact on environment.

• Technology transfer from developed na-tions leading to better efficiency and pro-ductivity having positive impact on envi-ronment.

9.3 Global Cooperation

• Global cooperation to meet the commonchallenges and climate change.

• COP-21 Paris, Convention on Biologi-cal Diversity (CBD), Cartegena Proto-col, Nagoya Protocol, Basel Convention,Rotterdam Convention, Stockholm Con-vention, Minimata Convention, MontrealProtocol, Ramsar Convention, REDD+etc.

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