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 dont we
think upon this rationally? We dont 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 peoples 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 thats 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 todays 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.
|