Globalization and International Relations - Essay Example

? Globalization and International Relations (College) Globalization and International Relations Introduction Globalization refers to the process through which national economies and cultures are integrated into an international economy so as to enhance international trade, direct foreign investment, migration, and technology sharing. The concept of globalization greatly contributes to effective and rapid circulation of ideas, languages, and cultural ideologies. With intent to enhance foreign investment and cross-border trade for international business expansion, nations have recently liberalized cross border trade regulations. The emergence of globalization can be directly attributed to the World War I & II and their serious aftereffects which raised serious ethical issues across the globe. As a result of globalization, nations could improve their political as well technological relations globally. This paper will analyze globalization and its impacts on international relations. Globalization and International Relations The concept of global economy came into existence with the emergence of globalization. This process notably assisted different segments of the international market. Globalization has significantly contributed to the creation of a global market and a global system of production. Capital marketers also enjoy the benefits of globalization as it has contributed to the integration of financial systems. This concept aided financial organizations like International Monetary Fund to disseminate “a particular view of the state’s role within the international economy” (Robinson, 2006). In addition, globalization enhanced the development of telecommunications media which in turn fastened the spread of global mass culture. And the key production factors such as capital and labor became globally mobile. Globalization eliminated international trade barriers and thus promoted international relations once this concept weakened the ability of nations to control transnational operations and economic activities. Companies transplanted their production facilities to other countries where costs are comparatively lower. Before the emergence of globalization, developing and underdeveloped countries had little access to developed markets and improved technology. However, since globalization, the global economic environment has undergone tremendous changes. According to Devetak and Hughes (2008, p. 34), globalization connects nations through a global network, and it assists a nation to get access to foreign markets and customers. Since the nations got ranges of benefits from globalization, governments adopted a liberal approach towards international trade. As Slaughter & Swagel (1997) point out, the removal of trade barriers promote import and export activities by which a government acquires foreign investments (IMF). In order to take advantages of liberal international trade laws, a number of corporate global giants spread their business across the globe; this practice greatly promoted international relations. For instance, Starbucks Coffee Company transplanted its business operation from the United States to China. The improving unemployment rates in third world countries can also be clearly referred to the fruitful effect of the globalization. The global interconnectedness helped these nations to attract more and more investors to complete their capital accumulation process successfully. In addition, multinational companies started their production activities in developing and underdeveloped countries and this practice created ranges of employment opportunities in those countries. Globalization has also intensified the immigration processes. Even though the ultimate cause of immigration is not globalization, this concept has considerably increased the number of immigrants (‘Migration and globalization’). Before the 21st century, traveling from one’s home country to a foreign destination was expensive and time consuming. In addition, inter-communication between countries was also expensive. However, globalization and thereby rapid technological advancement assisted immigrants to maintain effective ties with their home countries. Immigration assisted the countries to resolve ranges of employment issues like ‘nurse shortages’. Thus the increased level of immigration process became a stimulant in promoting international relations. The productive elements of globalization contributed to the development of a new technological era that restructured the living standards and business concepts of the modern world. The increased application of technology in productive activities also augmented the volume of production. It was necessary to employ more and more workers in order to efficiently operate machineries and other technical systems. This situation also created wide ranges of job opportunities for skilled individuals. Similarly, even technologically underdeveloped nations got access to improved technologies as a result of globalization and this situation in turn improved international cooperation. The explosive growth of information technology (IT) is one of the major outcomes of globalization and industrial revolution. The IT sector has played a crucial role along with globalization in promoting international relations. For instance, the introduction of internet and related facilities has restructured the world and the way people communicate. Conclusion To sum up, globalization has greatly added value to international relations as this concept facilitates international trade transactions. Increase in export and import trade encourages nations to function cooperatively. The globalization also amplified immigration by which nations could resolve their staffing shortage issues. Moreover, developments in IT sector have greatly restructured the ways nations communicate today. References Devetak, R & Hughes, C. W. (2008). The globalization of political violence: Globalization’s shadow. Abingdon: Routledge. Migration and Globalization. Globalization 10: The Levin Institute. The State University of New York. Retrieved from http://www.globalization101.org/uploads/File/Migration/migration2010.pdf Robinson, M. (2006). How Globalization is Transforming International Relations. Associated content.com. Retrieved from http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/38878/how_globalization_is_transforming_international_pg3.html?cat=3 Slaughter, M. J & Swagel, P. (Sep 1997). Does Globalization Lower Wages and Export Jobs? International Monetary Fund. Retrieved from http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/issues11/ Read More