Three Processes of Globalization Evident - Essay Example

Questions and Answers Article 1. Discuss three processes of globalization evident in this article. Three processes of globalization evident in the article are international trade, investments and information technology. All these factors contribute to corporate capitalism which has led to globalization. Globalization is normally driven by International trade and investments and it is aided by Information technology. All these processes are well outlined in the article. For one, the author has described that protesters were against capitalism since large companies were exploiting customers in third world countries. This brings out the aspect of international trade and investments that have been made by these companies in various parts of the world. This has brought about globalization. The World Economic Forum is mentioned adversely in the article, and this is an indication of globalization in the sense that various companies and world leaders on a global scale have come together so that they are able to chat on the way forward in business operations. This brings out the aspect of foreign trade that has brought about globalization. The author has also outlined about information technology. There has been mention about social media through sites such as Facebook, Twitter and you tube, and mobile telephony and how these have enhanced globalization by connecting people all over the world. 2. What is the anti-globalization movement protesting about? The anti-globalization movement was protesting about the negative effects of corporate capitalism. This movement emerged before the global financial meltdown of 2008 according to Tanjka Kovac, a human rights lawyer. About a year before the September 11 attacks, the World economic forum (WEF) was meeting in New York at the World Trade Center and Crown Casino. Thousands of people appeared in the streets marching in protest of the corporate capitalism. This mass warned that corporate capitalism was going to have ill consequences because it was being applied in excess with no control. They were extremely dissatisfied with the trend the world was taking in terms of being too capitalist, hence, masses stormed to the streets to try and pass the message to the delegates who were in attendance at the summit. For example, they argued that many well performing brands continued to exploit people in third world countries so that they would earn profits. 3. Explain how technology has influenced global social movements using one example. Technology has influenced global social movements because, through technological advancements, people are connected and messages about globalization are easily spread. Through mobile telephony and online means, people are connected all around the year. As a result of this, it is now possible to harness similar voices concerning various global issues. There are people in different countries who share the same voice about emerging matters in globalization. These voices are amplified through online sources or even mobile telephony. This has become the birth of global social movements. For example, in the wake of the financial meltdown of 2008, voices of dissatisfaction echoed similar sentiments through online means and this put undue pressure on economic powers of the world to alter their policies so that this undue inflation would unease. According to the article, the human microphone is the best alternative in passing voices concerning economic dissatisfaction. This is then passed globally to many people in the form of online means, and with time the dangers of corporate capitalism will be passed to people. Therefore, through online means, people are able to voice their economic concerns in unison, and the more these voices increase, the more change will prevail. 4. How can aspects of globalization create inequality between rich and poor? Globalization is of benefit in the sense it has enhanced independence in the world through corporate capitalism. However, as the article indicates, globalization has ensured that companies have continued to enrich themselves using hard labor by people in third world countries. This implies that, while companies in developed countries continue to be rich, people in third world countries have continued to be poor. Furthermore, globalization is achieved through capitalism. Unlike communism, capitalism depends on the business approaches of various individuals and countries and opportunities available to both. Some individuals and companies have set medium or low targets for themselves while others have set high targets for themselves. As a result of this, the former will make considerable steps towards being rich as compared to the latter. This also applies to countries. Globalization has been attained through international trade. 1st world countries have enough resources, manpower and technology to produce goods and services that they continually sell to third world countries. The third world countries are continually being exploited by their counterparts from the west and this continues to increase the economic gap between these two groups. As a result of this, we will continually have poor and rich nations. Communism ensures that the bridge between the rich and the poor is bridged, but this is not the case with capitalism; the rich will continue to fatten while the poor will continue to be emaciated. 5. Describe one benefit and one challenge of globalization. Globalization is of benefit since it has ensured that various nations have earned economic independence. During colonization, countries were denied the right to be economically independent; hence, they relied on their superpowers for development. As a result of this, they lagged behind in terms of development. However, with the birth of globalization, various companies in the world are competing in the market segment, and various countries are doing trade with each other. This has enhanced economic independence because there is exchange of finances and commodities between corporations and countries. This independence has also ensured that countries’ resources are not exploited as it occurred previously with colonial masters. However, one challenge of capitalism is that, as much as it has brought about economic independence, it is very exploitative especially to third world countries. Rich nations have for years relied on the labor and resources from third world countries ion exchange for development projects in these countries. These countries do not have enough capital, manpower and technology to exploit resources in their countries; hence they rely on the input from rich and developed countries. This is a form of exploitation, and instead of assisting third world countries, it is plunging them into debts that take many years to pay. Rich nations are scrambling for resources in third world countries like a piece of cake. This is extremely greedy of them. Furthermore, labor in third world countries is cheap which has prompted large corporations to establish companies in these areas. As they benefit, people who labor for them continue living in abject poverty. What these people earn is not in tandem with these companies’ performance. Therefore, globalization is not assisting third world countries in any way. It is bridging the gap between nations and between the rich and the poor. Article 2 6. Are humans part of nature? Humans are indeed part of nature. Nature is a natural phenomenon that is extremely difficult to explain due to its origins. It encompasses all non man made stuff that are available in the world. This includes all natural phenomena, occurrences and living things. Therefore, human beings are part of these natural phenomena; hence they are also part of nature. 7. How can buying a cheap sofa impact on the environment? Buying a cheap sofa impacts on the environment since materials used to make the sofas (leather) are derived from cattle that are raised in ranches that are established by clearing large forest covers.. Widespread deforestation as witnessed in countries like Brazil impacts negatively on the environment since the forest cover is reducing on the surface of the world. Leather processing industries rely on the forest cover in the Amazon, and this has reduced the forest cover extremely in Brazil. This has been referred as ‘Slaughtering the Amazon’ by environmental groups. Therefore, since sofas are manufactured from leather, mass manufacture of sofas is seen as a way of reducing the forest cover on the surface of the earth. Forests are a source of water catchment areas, and if their cover on the surface of the earth is reducing, this is a worrying trend as it would ensure that the environment is not able to support life. Destruction of forests is a recipe for famine, drought and global warming; hence buying a sofa is like impacting on the environment negatively. 8. Using one of the examples in the article explain how the consumption of goods in one country may affect the environment in another? Sofas from leather are extensively produced in Brazil, for export into many countries of the world. For example leather that is produced extensively in Brazil is exported to Italy, but Brazil suffers a lot because it has cleared large tracts of the Amazon for establishment of cattle ranches. These cattle will be slaughtered for leather production, and this is then imported by other countries. Therefore, as leather products infiltrate the European market, Brazil suffers in that large tracts of its land have been cleared for cattle ranching. This has affected its water catchment areas, which is a negative environment. 9. Explain one environmental and one social consequence of continually upgrading your mobile phone or TV? Indium and gallium, two rare earth minerals are used in the manufacture of flat screen television sets. About 97% of rare earth minerals are from China, hence, continually upgrading television requires that more rare earth minerals will have to be mined. This impacts negatively on the environment as it is exhausting rare earth minerals. Therefore, it is important to buy a flatscreen TV that has longevity so that these rare gems are conserved. A social consequence of continually replacing mobile phones or television sets is that it creates social inequality between the haves and the have-nots 10. Describe two ways environmental issues are linked to issues of social justice? Environmental issues are linked to social justice in many ways. For one, whenever there is undue pressure on the environment, social groups exert undue pressure so that this pressure is eased. For example, various social groups have voiced their concerns towards exploitation of forests in Brazil. Secondly, environmental activities lead to social inequality and exploitation. For example, youths who mine at the Congo Basin are exploited while the returns are realized elsewhere. Reference Fredric Jameson, M. M. (2009). The cultures of globalization. North Carolina: Duke University Press. Read More