Globalization and Security - Assignment Example

Terrorism became a threat to global security rather than national security due to the progress of globalization Globalization has been discussed far and wide to have both positive and negative impact on the global society. Globalization is having a number of effects—economic, political, cultural, religious, social, demographic, environmental, and military—with various risks and benefits. Understanding these aspects of globalization is important because the interaction among them can be benign or destructive, and it can trigger new security problems. While globalization can lessen tensions, it can also increase them. Supporters claim that globalization will eventually force all governments to pursue peaceful, democratic, rules-based, and market-oriented policies, resulting in a richer, healthier, safer, more educated, and more stable world population. Critics believe, by contrast, that globalization feeds corporate profits at the expense of workers, undermines democracy, accelerates environmental destruction, lowers health and labor standards, imposes cultural homogeneity, feeds crime, and escalates armed conflict (Frost, 2000). This paper analyses how globalization has turned out to be a treat to global security in the form of terrorism. Globalization refers to the worldwide phenomenon of technological, economic, political and cultural exchanges, brought about by modern communication, transportation and legal infrastructure. In other words it describes the way in which human beings are becoming more intertwined with each other around the world economically, politically, and culturally. This accelerating pace of political, technological, social and economic change in today’s world, conventionally ascribed to the phenomenon of globalization is essentially changing the character of threats to national and international security. The challenges of the 21st century will require the global community to see, think, and act globally. This transformation is being propelled by globalization: a potent, but a not well understood process of worldwide change. Over the last few decades the international community has taken initiatives to oppose the alleged proliferation of transnational organized crime, political terrorism and money laundering. This phenomenon is more significant, especially since the September 11th terrorist attacks. The fast changing global system is rapidly eroding the old boundaries between foreign and domestic affairs, and those between economics and national security. In fact, globalization has benefited in ways to ease the global communication and transportation, but at the same time the very same innovations have negative consequences around the world as it has facilitated the growth in transnational crime and weapons proliferation. In the democratic countries, globalization is nurturing stability and prosperity. However, most countries with weak governments are struggling to keep pace in the global marketplace. The increasing gap between them and the rest of the world is resulting in internal confusion and regional instability. The resulting economic and social disparities have exacerbated ethnic tensions and dissatisfaction among the communities, and they have helped to spawn terrorism and armed conflicts that are placing new demands on international and regional institutions. For example, the Asian financial crisis intensified ethnic tensions and instability in Indonesia that ultimately led to the need for a United Nations (UN) peacekeeping operation in East Timor. Uneven distribution of wealth and depletion of natural resources magnify the cruelty and increase the scope of armed conflicts around the globe while the somewhat “looser” nature of the globalizing post-bipolar world increases the risks arising from the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction or epidemics of infectious diseases. Violent conflict and economic hardship boost largely uncontrolled migration threatening social and political stability both in advanced and developing countries (GCSP, N.D.). The developed and developing countries need to take benefit from the opportunities that globalization has brought about and at the same time minimize its dangers. In order to address this challenge it is essential to have a better understanding of globalization and its effects. It also requires new, more integrated policy approaches and mechanisms for decision making that will promote sound policies. Security, economic, science and technology, and law enforcement policies that are essential to coping with the challenges of the global era are still developed largely in isolation from one another. These policy streams are generally integrated only at the highest levels and only when necessitated by a crisis (Flanagan, 2000). Globalization is creating a new circumstance for the formal and informal exercise of national power. Regional and international institutions, local governments, and non-state actors, particularly large transnational corporations and some nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), are making use of some of the instruments of globalization and diminishing the nation-state’s monopoly on power. Some power is shifting to the international arena (for example, both the spread of and fight against organized crime and terrorism). Terrorism is connected to the principles of globalization and the principles of anti-globalization. Some of its most powerful weapons are the internet and the mobile phone, and, at least before September 11, electronic fund transfers. The terrorist network around the world uses the technological tools of globalization, and they ignore the normal definitions of the nation-state. Several studies have been conducted but researchers from different parts of the world about the link between terrorism and globalization. Globalization has intensified global security threats. But the economic and other non-security aspects of globalization also create significant threats to the internal security and stability of many rigidly controlled or weak states. The collapse of internal control can also have damaging consequences for regional security, as rebel armies, drug traffickers, or rebellious religious groups pursue their agendas with little respect for national borders. On the other hand the countries which are unable or unwilling to share in the benefits of globalization will face deepening economic stagnation, political instability, and cultural alienation. These conditions will create fertile ground for political, ethnic, ideological, and religious extremism. These problems can be overcome only by combined efforts of both developed and developing countries of the world. The developed democracies would be well served by improving the level and coordination of assistance to help these countries improve governance and battle organized crime, corruption, warlordism, and piracy. By pursuing innovative changes in the policies such as strengthening the law, dismantling unnecessary regulatory restrictions, removing corruption, promoting education, guaranteeing the peaceful transfer of power, emphasizing the adaptive elements of the prevailing political culture, and, where feasible, deepening trade and investment relationships with neighbouring countries, governments of developing countries can help smooth their adaptation to globalization. These steps are far more important than geography and natural resources. Resource poor countries need to be supported in a friendly manner by the neighbouring countries. Successful adaptation depends on the strength, flexibility, responsiveness, and openness of institutions; the cultures in which those institutions are embedded; and the ability of individual leaders to shape those institutions and cultures for the new era. Globalization holds great promise. It is broadly consistent with U.S. national security and foreign policy interests, as well as the long-term needs of most of the world’s people. Sooner or later, globalization promotes ingenuousness, encourages political and economic reforms, strengthens the demand for the betterment of policies, fosters integration, and reduces the likelihood of conflict and resort to military force. From a security perspective, in areas of the world where poverty is widespread and institutions are weak, economic globalization is outstripping the development of public and private means to help ordinary people cope with its effects. Globalization can also result in sharpening class differences, feed rampant corruption, fortify dictators, and arm criminal elements and terrorists. Shocks associated with rapid globalization, especially short-term financial flows, can shake up the body politic, throw more people into poverty, foment riots, and force a retreat from market-oriented reforms, whipping up anti-Americanism in the process. This uncertainty about globalization’s impact warrants the maintenance of robust and flexible U.S. military capabilities for peacetime engagement, conflict management, and combat operations in diverse areas of the unstable “southern arc” noted earlier (Flanagan, 2000). Nations has seen both the positive and negatives sides of globalization. It is important that the global community take the benefits from this and fight against the threats of terrorism. The progress of the global community is only thought the adaptation of new technologies that globalization has brought about. These technologies are also essential for the progression of humanity and eradicating poverty from the world. Even before the advent of globalization threats of terrorism was present, however the spread of globalization facilitated the spread of terrorism at a global level. This has happened in the light of the technological innovations that globalization has brought about. It is important that in order to fully appreciate the benefits of globalization, it is very essential that the global community as a whole fight against these negative aspects and make the world a better place to live in. References Flanagan, S.J. (2000). Meeting the Challenges of the Global Century. In The Global Century- Globalization and National Security. ed. Richard L. Kugler and Ellen L. Frost, p. 7-32. Frost, E.L. (2000). Globalization and National Security: A Strategic Agenda. In The Global Century- Globalization and National Security. ed. Richard L. Kugler and Ellen L. Frost, p. 35-74. GCSP, (N.D.). Globalization and Security: “Old” and “New” Threats. [online]. Available from: [Accessed 24 March 2006] Read More