Global stratification is the unequal distribution of resources amongst the nations whereas stratification within the United States refers to the unequal distribution of resources within individuals living in the United States. The global stratification within the local culture as well as the global stratification in the United States has resulted in gaps between nations/individuals and within nations/individuals (Dela, 2010), different worlds: environment and development beyond the 21st century.
General Motors is a multinational corporation whose contribution to world economy is remarkable. It has led to increased economic growth in the general economy sector (Rawis, 2000). It has led to increased standards of living in a number of developed countries as well as increased average workers wage. However, as much as there is increased richness brought by the General Motors across the global, it has brought a lot of economic discrepancies since it has promoted and widened the gap between the rich and the poor (Sen, 2001).. It has raised wage levels to a sector of the populace and nations leaving other nations to wail in relative poverty. In deed those living in peripheral nations have been left in absolute poverty as some of them can no longer afford food or basic items due to increased standards of living (Oommen, 2007). To some extent it has led to social prejudice and discrimination since with increased and widened gap between the rich and the poor nations most of these nations have resolved to do business with those of equal-status. Indeed, increased standards of living has led to lowered infant and mortality rates in some of the nations, but the peripheral nations have remained hardest hit with high infant mortality rates and low life expectancy (Krugman, 2005) Dutch tulips and the emerging markets” foreign affairs.
Hence, as noted by Sen (2001), in the abook Poverty and famines: an essay on entitlements and deprivations, the global stratification by General Motors in United State has resulted in loss of jobs for the Americans when the company shifted its factory to Mexico. Usually multinational companies like general motors’ may opt to move their industrial processes from one state or nation to another in quest for a place where they can obtain the greatest production with the possible minimal cost. Thus emerging economies companies are challenged with this competition since they create their own industrial zones. General Motors therefore sees opportunities only for the existing structure though at a lower cost. However, these kinds of opportunities do not come with good fortune for the Americans or locals since they lead to closure of factories that create jobs for the middle class within the established and developed nations. However, for the peripheral and semi peripheral nations, this is an opportunity as it leads to capital shift to their nations and populace (Huntington, 2006), the clash of civilizations and the remaking of world order.
References
Fukuyama, F. (2009). “The end of history”, the national interest. New York: Routledge.
Huntington, S. P. (2006). The clash of civilizations and the remaking of world order. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
Krugman, P. (2005). “Dutch tulips and the emerging markets” foreign affairs. California: Sage Publications.
Oommen, M. A. (2007) “Climate change and the quest for sustainable development”, Mainstream Annual.
Rawis, J. (2000). A theory of justice. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Sen, A. (2001). Poverty and famines: an essay on entitlements and deprivations. Oxford: Clarendon Press
