Volume 21 No 21 July Aug 2002
Topics In Issues and views
Confusing Stage of Young Love


Globalization
By Saeed Ghani
The demise of the cold war has changed the global scene completely. It
introduced a new system to the world. The key elements of this ongoing system
are privatization, free market economy and information revolution etc. Today, international relations revolve around geo-economics, information revolution and market system.
These are the dominating tools of international politics. Now power is calculated
in these aspects. In short, we can say that information technology and free
market economy are the tools to meet the challenges of globalization.
The actual term “ GLOBALIZATION” was introduced for bridging the gap between rich and poor countries. The idea was “by free trade and trade liberalization, the third world and the first world will be at equilibrium at one time, and there will be economic prosperity, happiness and peace all over the world”. Is not this a dream? Fantasy? Yes indeed. Globalization has become a term much dreaded in those underdeveloped countries of the third world where intra-country disparities are likely to increase as the world gets more integrated economically through reduced barriers to international trade. Interestingly enough, trade liberalization has boomeranged on some segments of those developed societies as well who have been in the vanguard of greater integration through trade. Job loses in developed countries due to competition from lower priced imports fuelled the sentiments against what is currently understood as globalization. People realized that, thus far, free trade and globalization works more in the interests of the rich in business and against the interest of the poor, and the labor whichever part of the world they might be in. [1]
Hence the actual idea of globalization is now a dream as it was suppose to be such a system in which the rich and poor will participate equally with out any discrimination. Although this was a very good idea as it was to open markets in the poor countries too but the fact is very harsh and naked. Globalization has now only a tool for the rich countries to exploit the poor, to broaden the gap between have and have-not. In practicality it is the monopoly of the developed world over the underdeveloped.
The theme of my presentation is “Globalization in the Era Of Modern Echnological Advancement.” Where Does the Third World Stand? Do They Have Any Place to Fit?
This is rather emotional for the countries that are experiencing the burden of globalization. Lets see how it proves to be a blessing for the north and curse for the south:
Every new trend when comes brings along merits and demerit. It is with the process of globalization. At one side it brings information revolution, privatization, free market economy, Internet excess etc. but one should look in the reality that who are the one enjoying most of the fruits? Obviously the west has introduced this term and they did it after getting developed them selves by all means and the hunger and starve of getting more and more power and fame they brought the idea of globalization in which only the developed are enjoying all the benefits among themselves behind the curtain and propagating the concept of bridging the gap between rich and poor. In this way the underdeveloped remain at the same point and the developed ones get tremendous advantage.
Before I go deep in the discussion I would like to give a birds eye view about the tools or what I said the key elements of globalization. These are privatization, information revolution, free market economy.
Globalization
By Saeed Ghani
The demise of the cold war has changed the global scene completely. It
introduced a new system to the world. The key elements of this ongoing system
are privatization, free market economy and information revolution etc. Today, international relations revolve around geo-economics, information revolution and market system.
These are the dominating tools of international politics. Now power is calculated
in these aspects. In short, we can say that information technology and free
market economy are the tools to meet the challenges of globalization.
The actual term “ GLOBALIZATION” was introduced for bridging the gap between rich and poor countries. The idea was “by free trade and trade liberalization, the third world and the first world will be at equilibrium at one time, and there will be economic prosperity, happiness and peace all over the world”. Is not this a dream? Fantasy? Yes indeed. Globalization has become a term much dreaded in those underdeveloped countries of the third world where intra-country disparities are likely to increase as the world gets more integrated economically through reduced barriers to international trade. Interestingly enough, trade liberalization has boomeranged on some segments of those developed societies as well who have been in the vanguard of greater integration through trade. Job loses in developed countries due to competition from lower priced imports fuelled the sentiments against what is currently understood as globalization. People realized that, thus far, free trade and globalization works more in the interests of the rich in business and against the interest of the poor, and the labor whichever part of the world they might be in. [1]
Hence the actual idea of globalization is now a dream as it was suppose to be such a system in which the rich and poor will participate equally with out any discrimination. Although this was a very good idea as it was to open markets in the poor countries too but the fact is very harsh and naked. Globalization has now only a tool for the rich countries to exploit the poor, to broaden the gap between have and have-not. In practicality it is the monopoly of the developed world over the underdeveloped.
The theme of my presentation is “Globalization in the Era Of Modern Echnological Advancement.” Where Does the Third World Stand? Do They Have Any Place to Fit?
This is rather emotional for the countries that are experiencing the burden of globalization. Lets see how it proves to be a blessing for the north and curse for the south:
Every new trend when comes brings along merits and demerit. It is with the process of globalization. At one side it brings information revolution, privatization, free market economy, Internet excess etc. but one should look in the reality that who are the one enjoying most of the fruits? Obviously the west has introduced this term and they did it after getting developed them selves by all means and the hunger and starve of getting more and more power and fame they brought the idea of globalization in which only the developed are enjoying all the benefits among themselves behind the curtain and propagating the concept of bridging the gap between rich and poor. In this way the underdeveloped remain at the same point and the developed ones get tremendous advantage.
Before I go deep in the discussion I would like to give a birds eye view about the tools or what I said the key elements of globalization. These are privatization, information revolution, free market economy.
Privatization: it means personalities have gained more importance in making policies and giving ideas and concepts. Now every thing is privatized. Companies and all. We see MNCs and NGOs working for economic, humanitarian and social cause. Private channels have gained far more importance then the traditional way.
Information technology: this refers to the internet excess, dish, cables, news papers, fax etc. Now no state can live in isolation due to the media advancement with the help of information revolution. This information technology is also essential for market economy. In market economy the back of openness and free flow of information increased inequality. To be both income poor and information poor dramatically reduces possibilities for development, for individuals social groups and nations.
Economy: Restrictions on information distorts markets and lead market failure. Coming back to the core issue, I must support the school of thought that says that globalization is not for the poor. It is for the rich. In fact the free-market economy regime has evolved such a wide-ranging mechanism that can virtually decide who should export. The developed countries, by which by and large have ruled many of the developing countries inherited long history of providing various subsidies, tariff-barriers and other protective measures for their products, -----may they be agrarian or industrial. Such measures not only harmed the world economy, they had a widespread negative impact on domestic markets of many countries during the age of imperialism. [2]
1. Privatization: it means personalities have gained more importance in making policies and giving ideas and concepts. Now every thing is privatized. Companies and all. We see MNCs and NGOs working for economic, humanitarian and social cause. Private channels have gained far more importance then the traditional way.


2.Information technology: this refers to the internet excess, dish, cables, news papers, fax etc. Now no state can live in isolation due to the media advancement with the help of information revolution. This information technology is also essential for market economy. In market economy the back of openness and free flow of information increased inequality. To be both income poor and information poor dramatically reduces possibilities for development, for individuals social groups and nations.


3.Economy: Restrictions on information distorts markets and lead market failure. Coming back to the core issue, I must support the school of thought that says that globalization is not for the poor. It is for the rich. In fact the free-market economy regime has evolved such a wide-ranging mechanism that can virtually decide who should export. The developed countries, by which by and large have ruled many of the developing countries inherited long history of providing various subsidies, tariff-barriers and other protective measures for their products, -----may they be agrarian or industrial. Such measures not only harmed the world economy, they had a widespread negative impact on domestic markets of many countries during the age of imperialism. [2]
This was not favored since centuries ago and now it is being advocated by either the developed world or the WTO itself. For this very reason, the developing countries protested against the emerging disparities between the developing and developed countries and the free trade had to be regulated. For this reason the WTO general council meeting was held in May 2000 but practically we see no progress. Due to the fall out of the Uruguay Round agreements, the developing worlds trading had received a heavy set back. The trade items failed to have any mobility in international market are mainly textile and agricultural sectors.
So this was how the free trade system captured the third world countries and made them aloof. The developed countries in the name of IMF, WORLD BANK and MNCs help the underdeveloped, give them assistance, set their companies and business. They give us loans and take 50% interest over it. They introduce business in the third world countries and the third world think they are getting benefit and the first world is helping them. In fact this is the fantasy that the first world takes us into. We realize the fact that we loose more when the time gets over and we have no other option left other then paying heavy loans and more interests upon them. Why don’t we think upon this rationally? We don’t realize that the market system has made the rich states more interests base; they in the name of humanitarian and social assistance, MNCs grab our resources. They buy our raw material in very cheep prices and sell them to us in finished products in such a heavy price that we cannot even afford. They have advanced technology and a proper structure. Actually they set their business, MNCs in the areas of their interests, from where they think they can benefit more, extract more, and psychologically they feel happy and satisfied by making the weak weaker and get richer from their resources. In a way we become handicap. For instance, they introduced companies like KFC, MC DONNALDS, PIZZA HUT, CALTEX, and SHELL, which are providing job, but for a certain class, and we are getting away from our own companies they are barren now. We hardly go for our traditional foods cause of the impact of western culture and the country has to pay heavy bills and taxes. So the gap between rich and poor is widening. The modern scientific technology not only leaves negative repercussions, but also are positive impacts. Like fax, Internet excess media etc but I would say this is more likely used to propagate the ideas and culture of west. For instance, we hardly see any authentic Muslim news channel on the television. There is BBC London, CNN America etc.
Taking the case of South Asia, Pakistan and India have now acquired nuclear technology. They justify themselves by saying this is important for security perspective. But what about the other important fields which are insecure due to the less concentration of both the ruling establishments. There are of course areas other then military security, which needs more attention and constructive policies. Like:

1. Environmental Security: Concerned with ecological balances as it affects human life.

2.Political Security: Concerned largely political decentralization and a system of governance that ensures maximum participation as a mean of revitalizing the social contract between peoples and states.

3.Economic Security: Concerned primarily with the livelihoods; and at the state and regional level, with issues of trade, production and economic regimes as they are related to people’s life.

4.Human Security: This would include taking responsibility for developing human skills and helping people achieve their full potential. It would also imply freedom from poverty, starvation and access to shelter to education, health facilities etc.

5.Social Security: This extends to safety networks, which exists at all levels of society with emphasis on the one that are extended by the state to marginalized population.

What places will the underdeveloped have in this kind of trade system if their economic systems are not sound? This tends to weaken the third world more as they are restricted to participate in international market according to their own will. Further more, global trade and movement of capital depend largely upon the countries policies and stability of the government.
“The average income in the richest 20 countries is 37 times the average in the poorest 20. So a gap has doubled in the past 40 years and the experience of different parts of the world has been diverse”. So here we see that the growing intensity of the modern technology is increasing the gap between the information rich and the information poor. The rich are already far ahead of the poor on the I.T highway. About every six months, the rich acquire a new improvement in information technology while we are still slow.
Conclusion:
The momentum that advanced technology has gained in the era of globalization is running very fast. This is not an achievement of a few years; it took centuries for being in such a position. Through the process of evolution science got this advancement and prestige. There was a time of Stone Age, every one moved according to that time but slowly and gradually science got advanced and is reaching the peak of modernization. Now we call it is I.T age that’s really a great achievement for science itself. No state can live in isolation in this era of globalization and modern technology. Either we want or not, we have to participate in this race. It is the necessity of today’s world. The powerful are creating their hegemony and monopoly. They are dominating the weaker states. The above discussion is enough to conclude where do the underdeveloped countries stand in the era of modern technology and globalization. So it is very right to say that: “globalization is a blessing for the information and income rich and a curse for the information and economic poor.

 

Topics In Issues and views
Confusing Stage of Young Love
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