Globalization and social problems

First of all, globalization can be defined as the world and its citizens coming together and being linked although not physically or geographically being together.

I feel that the today’s globalization doesn’t differ much from that of ancient times. From then till now, people venture out for commerce, control and curiosity.

For much of the ancient and medieval world, the greatest centre of power and culture was China. In their sphere were other centres Japan, Vietnam, Mongolia and Tibet. They were constantly in interaction with each other, trading, fighting and exchanging ideas.

Today, the concept of globalization hasn’t changed much. USA are the global superpower. Other countries such as China, India and Russia are its rivals in terms of economic, cultural and political might. The intensity of their rivalry is illustrated by the fact that all the above-mentioned nations have nuclear arms capabilities. This rivalry also causes much insecurity and fragility for each country.

The starkest difference between ancient and modern globalization is probably communication and the speed of information and goods exchange. In the past, for example, the Silk Road was relied heavily upon by ancient Chinese to exchange cultural and technological ideas with the rest of central Asia and even parts of Africa. However, in the modern world, all these exchanges can be done at the click of a mouse or dialling of a telephone.

I feel that globalisation has created many problems as well as benefits. The USA is the epitome in the illustration of the many facets / paradoxes of globalization. The US are the world’s greatest superpower, but it is also a country where poverty is widespread on a scale that is unmatched by any industrial society.

Globalization encourages a high level of competition. Opportunities for prosperity and progress await all. But this has also encouraged greed. The wealthiest become the strongest, while the extremely poor are the weakest. The wealthy take advantage of the poor by exploiting cheap labour, for example. Pick up a Nike product and chances are that it is made in a third-world country where labour is cheap and abundant. The thirst for unilateral power also rears its ugly head: The US invaded Afghanistan and Iraq purportedly to fight terrorism and dictatorship, but critics note the countries’ assets of vast oil fields and accuse the US of plotting to control the world’s oil market.

This monopoly of the world that the US possesses has led to disdain and resentment from the marginalised, which leads to the formation of terrorist cells. With globalization, terrorism has become more widespread.

With globalization, companies operate businesses in many countries, people lose sense of their original roots and identities when they go overseas to work or live for extended periods of time.

With the age of the aeroplane, the classic symbol of a shrinking world, it also means viruses are carried from country to country much easier than before. For example the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome was carried from Hong Kong to Singapore and created a huge pandemic. Most recently, Chikugunya, a mosquito-borne disease was brought into Singapore by Indian carriers.