Is the world witnessing counter globalisation?
Globalization is the process which has been continuing from centuries. The level of interconnection we see today, initialized by numerous webs of trade routes centuries ago. Numerous voyagers risked their lives to find the routes to far distant lands. Human first ventured on foot and horseback which confined them to lands only , later with large boats and ships human started their adventure on seas also, there allowing them to go much farther. To tackle dearth of resources for feeding industrial revolution Government backed, pushed and incentivised adventurers to be sent on a journey in search of more resources.This led to imperialism, colonization and an era of more connected lives of peoples all over the globe. Held together by the string of economy, also had obvious spillover effects on society, cultures, ethnicity, behaviors etc. Over the years this string have become stronger. It has efficiently been holding the globe together until only recently when some challenges posed by globalization have started to take prominence and taking the center stage in policy formulation discussion.
In this write-up we would discuss how globalization have impact on our lives; which in real essence, we all know has impacted us in both positive and negative ways. Given the demand of the topic we will try to restrain ourselves to negative impacts of globalization. Knowing some negative impacts will help us in understanding what is the phenomenon of counter globalization and How the calls for counter globalization has been a dominant factors in development of some of the major contemporary issues. And in the last part will answer the question “Is this world witnessing counter globalization?” and how can this challenge be eschewed.
Impact of globalization on our lives
Globalization and connectivity have a catch 22 relation . One cannot imagine technology advancements in telecom and transport if there was no globalization in its core and similarly in the absence of such efficient networking , achievements and scale of globalization would have been dwarf. To quote an example, how a technology has to be fetched from all over the globe before it could be put to it first usage,we will talk about an iPhone (not about that if you don’t have an iPhone, you don’t have an iPhone jibe but just an example I could remember here ). The components of an iPhone are manufactured in more than a dozen countries before finally assembled and shipped to your nearby store. eMarket Amazon operating in about 17 countries and featuring products from even more than these 17. So might be possible the boot you wear on a rainy day might once begun its journey from somewhere in Germany. That is how established the symbiotic relationship between connectivity and globalization. Now on imagining the impact of this connectivity in our life we can easily realize that a disconnect from the outside world even for mere short moment is as scarce as hen’s teeth.
What are the apprehensions regarding globalization
Though it is as clear as in open daylight that globalization has made us more connected and allowed us to churn money out because of achieving economies of scale, it has also thrown some of the most threatening challenges .
Economically, as the economies are now more intermingled, the effect of recession is now felt much faster than ever before. Demand drops now takes lesser time in crossing boundaries and hitting jobs all over the world. Most of the global trade is shared by a handful of countries . This makes difficult for small countries to raise voice even in the decisions which directly impacts them for example recent climate protection calls by small island countries went unheeded by major economies .
Socially , globalization has lead to inequality.Half of the world’s net wealth belongs to the top 1%, top 10% of adults hold 85%, while the bottom 90% hold the remaining 15% of the world’s total wealth, Rich people getting richer gaming the rules and manipulating in their favors. Other social challenges comes from the rampant increase in migration. Sometimes it can be in search of better opportunities while other times it can be due to displacement caused by natural disaster or some security threats being posed by their homeland.
Security over the time has taken the biggest toll due to globalization. Rising threat of Terrorism , Unprecedented race for arms and in recent scenarios rising cyber attacks all can be attributed to globalized world. Global rise of extremist ideology is cause of concern and better connectivity if not dampening has only added fuel to this problem.
Behavioral changes are very much the driving engine of globalization . To generate the constant demand is the thumb rule of globalized economy. This has hypnotized the people and made them addicted to endless consumerism. Vehicle more than one’s need has become a symbol of social prestige. Eventually this has led to a phenomenon where instead to demand driving the production of a good , now demand is created after the good is introduced. Marketing is used to make people realise that this product is what they have always been needed all this while and now when we have come up with this product ,It is your duty to buy it before your neighbour does.
Environmentally this consumerization has been destructive . To make way for newer products older products are swept from the shelves at a faster rates now. More frequent contact with newer stuff lewdus to by more and more. Old thing getting obsolete at a faster pace then ever before. Where do they all go after being discarded? Piles of these getting accumulated in environment leaking poison to the surroundings.
Are we witnessing the signs of counter globalization ?
Presently the world economy is gasping for demand. Signs of Global recession worsened by current tariff wars have instigated fear amongst people. In such a milieu we examine some current events which shows gives us an idea of the current of counter globalization.
Xenophobia- A feeling of dislike of or prejudice against people from other countries. It is not new to us but this time what’s new is how the countries which until now were proud of receiving migrants are also turning the faces away from them. Recently a ferry from Libya , full with migrants leaving Libya strangled near the coast of Italy for 19 days straight. They were denied permission to touch the coast by Italian government. This is not an isolated incidence . European countries which are considered torchbearers of human rights themselves choosing anti- migration right wing governments to the power. Mexicans are being restricted by wall building at the US-Mexico border (though little progress is seen here ) .
Asphyxiating international organisations -World Trade organisation (WTO) ,Once envisaged to coordinate world trade in support of developing and underdeveloped countries, Today practically renders toothless . Witnessing tariff war just like blindfolded umpire. In a similar scenario WTO dispute appellate tribunal is facing biggest crisis in years . US which was considered progenitor of globalization is blocking the reappointment of the members of appellate tribunal.On 1 October 2018, number of members went down to three. The Dispute Settlement Understanding (“DSU”) requires three members to serve on a case, selected by rotation. Means now DSU remained just a NO-BODY.
Increased cross border terrorism — More the terrorist infiltrating to other countries more steps being taken to seal the boundaries and as the governments does that terrorist re-route and this cat mouse race turns to a vicious cycle of strengthening border securities and jugad to penetrate them. This problem becomes more wreaking when, This practice of cross border terrorism becomes a state policy. This is easily be seen in case of India Pakistan relationships . Failure to reach a consensus to define terrorism has been a failure of consensus building systems . Christ church blasts in new Zealand and Easter blasts in Sri lanka like incidences would keep increasing if there is no wholesome global action with strict planning. But defining terrorism still remains first step to be taken .
Environment and climate change management though have seen some success but its just not enough to save the world from further temperature rise of 10 degrees Celsius in next decade according to reports by international panel for climate change. And with countries like United States , from where the major funding occurred have now pulled back their arms from contributing to climate change mitigation actions. Amazon burning for the longest period now but there is little conscious efforts by global community when our own lungs are ablaze.
Hence, these were only a few of those hundreds of day to day signs of counter globalization which we are facing today. Globalization have been in the core of the success of human development .When still millions in sub Saharan countries lives in poverty a globalized effort is only ray of hope for them . Decisions take on emotional grounds would burn the whole progress achieved till now. Globalization like anything also comes with challenge but only way out for that would be better institutions and not counter globalization.Human cooperation is the answer to any coming situation. Human tendency to come together at the time of Corona crisis have proved to be effective again. Human cooperation will save us from such crises in future too,if comes timely. With the hopes high I put an end to this article.
