Cultural Imperialism in China - Essay Example

Sur Cultural Imperialism in China Introduction Cultural imperialism can be regarded as the cultural aspects of imperialism. According to Clayton, imperialism is the creation and maintenance of unequal relationships between civilizations favouring the more powerful civilization (45). In this regard, it is therefore the promotion and imposition of a culture, usually of politically powerful nation(s) over the less potent societies. In other words, politically and economically powerful nations set and determine the general cultural values and standards for the rest of the nations in the world, hence cultural hegemonism. It is important to note that the notion of “cultural imperialism” has been described variously by different critical theorists. A critical look at international communication literature is full of different concepts terms that refer to cultural imperialism (White 38). These include: Media imperialism, Structural imperialism, Cultural dependency and domination, Cultural synchronization, Electronic imperialism, Communication imperialism, Ideological imperialism and economic imperialism. Cultural imperialism thesis and global cultural developments Cultural imperialism gained prominence in the 1970s with the cultural imperialism theory laying a foundation for new concepts such as New World Information and Communication Order, and the inter-relations between nations in terms of information flow. Organizations such as the United Nations Educational, scientific, and Cultural Organizations (UNESCO) provided such impetus. On different fronts such as anthropology, education, sciences, history, literature and sports, cultural imperialism has different connotations. In context of international communication, cultural imperialism has been attributed to the work of Schiller who opines that “The concept of cultural imperialism today best describes the sum of the processes by which a society is brought into the modern world system and how its dominating stratum is attracted, pressured, forced, and sometimes bribed into shaping social institutions to correspond to, or even promote, the values and structures of the dominating centre of the system” (10) Peter Hesslers’ Country Driving: A Journey Through China from Farm to Factory offers insights into how globalizations has brought about cultural imperialism in China. For instance, in Book II: The Village, Hessler offers snippets of the impact of modernization in China. The rising middle class are exploring the country side, owning a car is a symbol of status in society, and the people have become individualistic in thinking and behavior. This are hallmarks of western culture not known to traditional Chinese culture. The globalization processes has brought to the fore critical issues concerning homogenization and differentiation of cultures on the international arena. Globalization is a transnational phenomenon that evokes different meanings and emotions among scholars. For instance, some scholars have equated it to transnational character and interrelatedness of local economies. On the other hand, for some it is all about technological accommodation of foreign products that eases the provision of goods and services (Boyd-Barrett, 124). According to Tomlinson, globalization is the rapid development of intricate interconnections between societies, cultures, institutions and individuals the world over. As a result, world economies are interlinked, geographical distance compressed, and people’s lives intertwined. According to Tomlinson, “globalization is either just the latest term for, or the latest stage in, a process with a long history, a history more or less co-existence with the history of western imperialism. It is simply the global working through a process of domination in which the west (or America, or transnational capitalism) draws all cultures into its ambit” (76). The reason for this is three fold as Tomlinson argues: i) The ubiquity of western cultural goods Multinational companies have over the years have their footprints in other countries’ local scenes. For instance Coca-Cola, McDonalds, Samsung, Sony etc are common in many countries of the world and they come with a certain image and lifestyle. This has pervaded the cultural experiences of the natives and they seem to have limited control over. By identifying with and consumption of western cultural goods, the natives are increasingly under the “spell” of western ideals that continue to shape their social interactions and constructs. ii) The long history of western imperialism The western domination of other nation states over time has rubbed their cultural influences on the dominated countries. For instance, their democratic ideals, political systems and policies, leadership and governance have invariably been adopted by the colonized nations. Western hegemony has rendered subordinate the cultures of less powerful countries ensuring that any encounter of the two is always on unequal terms. Due to historical domination of western cultures, their value systems have been privileged over other cultures. This has been attributed to the processes of colonialism that enabled Western (in the historical rather than the geographical sense) cultures to impose their values on the conquered people of Asia, Africa, the Americas and many other parts of the world. iii) The centrality of capitalism as a cultural influence The presence of transnational corporations in the world stage has lead to the promotion of capitalist and western values as they engage in business activities. These corporations have inculcated value systems that enhance work ethic, individualism, materialism, conformity, and hierarchical organizational structures that are geared towards accumulation of economic surpluses, and consumerism. Conclusion In contexts argued above, cultural imperialism thesis is based on American cultural exports to nations in the world. For instance, American products such as television programmes, movies, goods and services permeate Chinese homes on daily basis over and above local products and values. As such, Americanization has been viewed as a symbol of western dominance. The transnational media and communication industry has played a central role in the promotion of the ethos and values of corporate capitalism and consumerism. In line with the dominance of the west over other nations, major world institutions such as the Bretton Woods institutions (International Monetary Fund and World Bank), the World Trade Organizations (WTO), and United Nations and its Agencies have continued to propagate cultural imperialism of their major financiers. Part II: The effect of Chinas rapid modernization on Chinese practices, traditions or values. The Creation of a New Social Order and Social Consumption Every culture has its own form of conduct and behaviour that the people conform and adhere to. For instance in the African context, cultural values espouse unity, togetherness, and group mentality. In shifting world dynamics in terms of trade, communication, politics among other things, the communal concept of “am because we are” has virtually lost meaning as people no longer view themselves first as belonging to a group, but as a separate entity. The Chinese culture embraces uniformity and agreement based on homogeneous populations or dominance of particular beliefs (Allal 17). The influence of the American culture has disoriented and dominated many aspects of the traditional order of Chinese culture that embraces collectivism (group orientation). According to Lau, Chinese people have increasingly embraced individualism, consumerism, and materialism (qtd. in Allal 18). Western cultural exports such as movies, TV programmes, and fast foods have increasingly impacted on consumption trends of the world. Through aggressive advertisements, these products have entered other countries through TV screens to a large impressionable audience. As Allal argues, “Nowadays, many regions of the world, including China, are threatened by the American cultural invasion because of their preferential consumption of Western cultures. Because of American modernity, mass communication and some historical advantages, a feeling of inferiority has grown in some societies.” Works Cited Boyd-Barrett, J. Oliver. “Media imperialism: Towards an international framework for an analysis of media systems.” Mass Communication and Society. Eds. J. Curran, M. Gurevitch and J. Woollacott, London: Edward Arnold, 1977. 110-135. Print. Clayton, Dan. The dictionary of human geography. London: Wiley-Blackwell, 2000. Print Schiller, Herbert. Communication and cultural domination. New York: International Arts and Sciences Press. 1976. Print. Tomlinson, John. “Globalization and cultural identity.” International communication and Globalization: An Introduction. Ed. A. Mohammed, London: Sage Publications. 1993. Print. White, Liningstone. Reconsidering cultural imperialism theory, 2000. Web. 5 Nov. 2015. Read More