What is globalization?

Globalization is the integration of regional areas driven by free trade.  Trade in this instance is most easily interpreted to mean physical trade of goods and financial instruments, but social and cultural aspects of a region can also be shared and transferred by globalization.  The most important aspect of globalization is the idea of removing barriers which would otherwise inhibit the free flow of ideas and goods. (United Nations, 2002)   

Globalization has far reaching consequences on all countries in the world.  Economically globalization has aided the multinational corporations to find cheaper labor abroad.  For instance, NAFTA made it possible for American companies to move production facilities to Mexico where labor was cheaper.  (PBS, 2011)  It pushes countries like the United States to seek out new ways to expand their economies as blue collar jobs fled the country.  “To an unprecedented degree, the major powers now need one another to grow their economies…” (Gelb, 2011)  This is every more true in the globalized world where all countries become systemically linked in their need for emerging markets where they can find high return investment.  Politically many countries worry that they are losing their ability to control what is going on within their borders. (PBS, 2011)  Do governments or private industry control the fate of a country?  In the time of globalization emerging markets lose all ability to control their political landscape as they must bend to the will of investors.  However, the long term benefits seem to out way loss in political power.

“Globalization … pluralizes the world by recognizing the value of cultural niches and local abilities.” (Curran & Park, 2000)  Globalization brings media and media allows for the sharing of cultural and social ideas that may not exist elsewhere in the world.  However, I find it difficult to say that globalization can be helping preserve social and cultural ways.  With globalization comes the melting together of all cultures as they attempt to keep up in the new global market.  Global culture becomes the culture of all countries as globalization spreads news media. (Curran & Park, 2000)  The identities of once separate societies will almost certainly be lost as the people of the world assimilate to the sharing of ideas brought to bear by globalization.     

Works Cited

Curran, J., & Park, M.-J. (2000). Beyond Globolization. In De-Westernizing Media Studies (pp. 3-18). New York: Routledge.

Gelb, L. H. (2011). GDP Now Matters More Than Force. Foreign Affairs, 35-43.

PBS. (2011, January 6). Commanding Heights : The New Rules of the Game.

United Nations. (2002). ANNUAL REVIEW OF DEVELOPMENTS IN GLOBALIZATION AND REGIONAL INTEGRATION IN THE COUNTRIES OF THE ESCWA REGION . New York.