In the article "How to judge globalism," the author defends globalism and calls for its reform. The author vaguely mentions the main issues that the globalism have including the unfair market trade, the increasing gap between poor and rich countries and individuals and the unequal distribution of goods. The author does not mention the disappearance of cultural identity of many countries and the imposition of democracy on countries that are not prepared for this type of government. Even though the globalization is an inevitable phenomenon, the fact is that the world is divided between three major players (European Union, America and Asian-Pacific region) who dictate the rules of the globalization.
I would agree to some extent to the author with the definition of globalization as "a historical process that has offered the abundance of opportunities and rewords in the past and continues to do so" (Sen, A6). Even though it is undisputable that the opportunities in globalization exist, the rules on which the globalization functions are set by the leading countries. The companies that originate from the wealthiest countries are the ones that set up their branches in every remote corner of the world. Whether you are in a city mall in some small town in the USA, in Vienna or Australia, you can notice the same brands everywhere. However, the smaller companies that do not have the money to relocate their manufacturing in a China, Thailand or Bangladesh are forced to shut down. This type of monopoly leads to a larger polarization of power that is, in the era of globalization, seen not only trough political power but through economical power and influence. A lot of money is accumulated in the hands of a few, and this imposes the other counties to act according the imposed rules. For an example, if we take Greece as the cradle of democracy and literature of the Western civilization and a place that is on the map of every tourist, we can see the tool that some of the factors that represent globalization. For the last decade or more, Greece has been on a constant threat of bankruptcy. The state of possible bankruptcy pushes her more and more into debt. Now, Greece is in hands of the World Bank and the MMF. The case is similar with Spain and Portugal. Even though these countries are in the European Union, their economical power is weakened in contrast to Germany. Germany is the one that dictates the rules of the market in Europe, and this also reflects to other countries.
In addition to this, the existence of national states due to globalization has become fictive. The author states that the globalization is not the prolonged arm of the Western civilization, but the fact that the leading countries that have the dominant companies in the world are from Europe, China, Japan, and the USA remains. Is there a famous company from the African continent or some unknown country in Asia (Kurdistan or Tajikistan for example)? No. The economical wealth relies on the political power and the leading regions keep rest of the world in constant fear. They are now fighting over their influence in the regions; such is the case with Ukraine and the Middle East. One group is sending arms for the ones that will bring them economical influence, and the other supports the group that advocates their interests.
If we reflect on globalization in this way, it may be noticed that it has brought nothing but unemployment, worry and war for the underdeveloped countries and wealth and prosperity for the Western countries. The globalization and free market is a good idea, but the human hunger for power and wealth cannot permit the equal distribution of goods everywhere in the world. There will always be a gap between rich and poor.
References
Sen, Amartya. "How to judge globalism". The American Prospect; Winter 2002 Print.
