- The Five Claims of Globalism
Steger identified five claims of market globalism. Firstly, he asserts that globalization means opening up markets and creating linkages between them (Steger 97). This implies easing of regulations that hinder entry of global players into local markets and ensuring that consumers access goods easily irrespective of their physical location on the globe. Another claim is that globalization is universal and mutually beneficial (Steger 103). This means that every human being stands to benefit from liberalization of markets through better living standards, better quality goods, enhancement of individual liberties and technological advancement.
In addition, globalism claims that globalization cannot be avoided nor can it be reversed (Steger 99). Essentially, technology will continue to transform the world and the impacts will be permanent. As Kofi Annan once said, “It has been said that arguing against globalization is like arguing against the laws of gravity” (United Nations). This assertion from a former Secretary General of the United Nations is significant because he had the global platform to observe the process of globalization.
Another important claim is that no human being controls globalization (Steger 101). Market forces and technology drive change and human activities can only accelerate or retard globalization temporarily. John Naisbitt, a renowned American writer and orator, while referring to globalization, said that “No one is in charge, and no one can anticipate what the sum of all the individual initiatives will be before the result manifest. A global economy can only be the result of ‘spontaneous order’” (Dutta 300).
The final claim of globalism is that globalization will be a catalyst for entrenchment of democracy in the world (Steger 110). It is assumed that the opening up of markets and the interaction of global citizens will result in the opening up of democratic space as nations fear exclusion. Sharan Burrow, the General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation, asserts that, “Globalization could be the answer to many of the world's seemingly intractable problems. But this requires strong democratic foundations based on a political will to ensure equity and justice” (Mumford 236).
- New emerging global balance and the Role of US
A new emerging global balance affects the actions of the US as the only remaining super power. The US has a vast advantage over other nations because of its unparalleled influence in military, economic and political spheres. The ability to maintain global peace and trade amidst threats of terrorism and adversarial tendencies by nations such as Russia and China is a formidable challenge that the US must overcome. The actions the US takes globally should therefore be geared towards entrenching democracy and human rights and protecting the vulnerable from oppression. In my opinion, the US has been a role model as a superpower although it can still do more. For example, there is need to resolve the impasse over military involvement in Syria and save vulnerable civilians from more suffering and death.
- Importance of Considering Global Processes.
Works Cited
Dutta, Bholanath. International Business Management (Text and Cases). New Delhi: Excel
Books, 2010. Print.
Mumford, John. Broke: What Every American Business Must Do to Restore Our Financial
Stability and Restore our Future. Hoboken, NJ. John Wiley & Sons Inc., 2010. Print.
Steger, B. Manfred. Globalization: A Very Short Introduction. 3rd ed. New York: OUP, 2013.
Print.
United Nations. “Secretary-General Kofi Annan's Opening Address to the Fifty-Third Annual
DPI/NGO Conference’. United Nations. n.d. Web.
<http://www.un.org/dpi/ngosection/annualconfs/53/sg-address.html>
