Globalization is a process of standardization of human experience of everyday life, characterized by the diffusion of ideas and commodities around the globe. The process has been successful through increasingly sophisticated transportation and communication services and technologies, mass migration and movement of people, an economic activity level which has currently outgrown the national markets through commercial groupings and industrial combinations crossing the national frontiers and the international agreements reducing the cost of trading in foreign countries. This paper discusses the positive and negative impacts of globalization and outlines whether globalization is advantageous or disadvantageous.
Globalization has impacted greatly on urbanization. As people move from rural areas to the urban centers to look for employment, the result is higher labour productivity in the service sectors. The distributive implication of changing the growth of urban market labour and composition across countries is very essential in comparing the growth-cum- equity implications of globalization. Urbanization increases the rate of formation of impervious cover, leading to large amounts of storm water runoff, increased flood peaks and increased baneful flows hence, flooding.
The impact of globalization on climatic change is as a result of increased industrialization. Moreover, industrialization speeds up environmental degradation process as it allows harmful wastes such as dangerous gases polluting the air and poisonous liquids which contaminates the water bodies. All these industrial wastes gradually discourage the existence of some natural environmental resources in cases where they are not well confiscated.
Globalization has encouraged public participation in economic and political processes on the issue of warfare through the quick spread of information and information technologies which has transformed almost every aspect of human affairs. Some antithetical norms have currently gained global influence such as identity radicalism, be it nationalist or religious and the general human rights protection.
Generally, having assessed that globalization posses both negative and positive impacts on the globe, most of the negative impact as outlined in this paper can be avoided. Certain instances where the environment is polluted by industrial wastes can be reduced by establishment of recycling systems. Debts and financial constraints in the business sector can also be managed. Globalization as a development process is therefore considered an advantageous process around the globe.
References
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