The sole purpose of Globalization is to turn over the world in a significant manner. The people of the world have never seen the shifting of population from one country to another country on such a large scale as in the recent times. The process of recent economic globalization is one more important aspect of globalization under which the idea of free trade is taking shape all over the world. The concept of Globalization is clearly working against the desires of advocators of socialism and protectionism. David Ricardo recommended some benefits of globalization by quoting the example of Portugal and England as “England may be so circumstanced, that to produce the cloth may require the labor of 100 men for one year; and if she attempted to make the wine, it might require the labor of 120 men for the same time. England would therefore find it her interest to import wine and to purchase it by the exportation of cloth”.
He further quoted, “To produce the wine in Portugal, might require only the labor of 80 men for one year, and to produce the cloth in the same country, might require the labor of 90 men for the same time. It would therefore be advantageous for her to export wine in exchange for cloth. This exchange might even take place, notwithstanding that the commodity imported by Portugal could be produced there with less labor than in England. Though she could make the cloth with the labor of 90 men, she would import it from a country where it required the labor of 100 men to produce it, because it would be advantageous to her rather to employ her capital in the production of wine, for which she would obtain more cloth from England, than she could produce by diverting a portion of her capital from the cultivation of vines to the manufacture of cloth” (Ricardo, 1817).
The Globalization surely assists in the similar manner as David Ricardo said, but he has not mentioned some disadvantages related to enigmatic trend of globalization. The fundamental argument against the benefits of globalization is the statements made by the proponents of free trade which are completely impractical.
Yet there are some drawbacks in the supportive assumptions of the free market supporters. Free trade supporters assume that people will expend all the money to buy goods; while there may be cases when consumers instead of shopping irrationally, may choose to save money and that will cause reduction of demand. Also, it is not very probable that every time, full use of the productive capability of the factors of production will be achieved; that countries always have or are headed rapidly towards a balance of trade; and that markets adapt quickly and are therefore perfectly flexible (Went, 2002).
Globalization is not only important in from economic point of view. Globalization puts certain effects on culture also. Globalization assists in promoting cross cultural relations at fast pace and it also helps in promoting news levels of awareness and ideologies. Globalization causes transformation of culture and cultural diffusion. People in diverse countries of the world can satisfy their desire to consume and relish exotic services and products in addition to thought of lifestyles. Globalization functions as a media for spreading new practices and technologies all over the world. All this leads to a Global culture that announces whole the globe as a single village, an exclusive place of dwelling for ethnicity and human beings of different races.
In this way, Globalization helps in decreasing the problems related to racial discrimination. But there are some ill effects of cultural Globalization. There is need of adopting a single language as a means of conversation in the era of globalization and due to this trend many countries of world have suffered the reduction and loss of relevance of their native languages and that has also become a cause of loss of important ideas. In this way, Globalization can also cause cultural disharmony among the different nations.
One can not deny the fact that Globalization has helped in improving the world to a great extent but its negative effects can also not be ignored. Globalization has increased the gap of socio-economic disparities among nations and societies. The trend of Globalization has also proved to be beneficial for the poor people who have shifted to other countries to earn their living. The process of migration has benefited the nations those have slow birth rate. Migration has assisted many European countries in maintaining their work force. The harmful effects of migration are brain drain problem and movements of protectionists. Migration generates bad feelings for migrants in the minds of people where they have migrated. The recent problem of Violence in Australia against Indian and Asian migrants is best example for this. The native people feel that they are not deserving and skilled like migrants and they would have acquired better opportunities in absence of migrants. This feeling leads to their protest against Globalization.
One more important concern regarding globalization is incapability of local administration to offer suitable security for the normal citizens against some serious industrial accidents. The case of Bhopal Gas Tragedy in India is best example for this. The process of development of infrastructure in the shape of canals, mines, dams and industries for the purpose of globalization has become the reason of loss of abode of millions of Indians. The industrial growth as a result of Globalization has lead to pollution, soil erosion, and increased rate of fishing in oceans, spread of insidious species. All this has further lead to loss of wild animals and jungles. In this way, Most of the environmentalists oppose the idea of Globalization. The issue of global warming also tends to infuriate people against globalization.
A suitable analysis of process of globalization along with its results can help one in realizing that despite of negative effects; globalization is a main force of development of human beings.
SudhaAmit Saraswat
