71. Globalization

Globalization is a term that is used to describe the changing world order in which various aspects of a nation that include the economic, social, political, cultural and environmental factors are viewed as being part of a global community and not restricted in their scope. Globalization though it has been essentially connoted with economic issues synonymous with multi national companies (MNC) and their policies that directly or indirectly affect populations across the world has also consequently ushered in an era of change with respect to social and cultural matters inducing a competitive spirit in world culture for the better or worse according to the social fabric of various communities and their flexibility and adaptability. Globalization (or globalization), although often described as the cause of much turbulence and change, is in fact the umbrella term for the collective effect, the change itself. Globalization (i.e. the aggregate change we observe in our factories, storefronts, indeed generally across our economies and lifestyles) is caused by four fundamental forms of capital movement throughout the global economy. The four important capital flows are: Human Capital (i.e. Immigration, Migration, Emigration, Deportation, etc.), Financial Capital (i.e. Aid, Equity, Debt, Credit & Lending, etc.), Resource Capital (i.e. Energy, Metals, Minerals, Lumber, etc.), Power Capital (i.e. Security Forces, Alliances, Armed Forces, etc.).

Most of the stresses and complexities confronted in the general macro affairs of countries, communities, and the interactions between them, can be traced to these four flows. Connectivity available via cheaper telecommunications and modes of travel-- made more accessible to more people facilitates these interactions at a rate unprecedented in history. Cultural and political frictions at all levels can thus be explained as arising from the difference in opinion between two or more parties about the origination, treatment, timing, ownership or value of one or more of the capital flows. Globalization is an umbrella term that describes an ongoing process of establishing various personal, cultural, and business relationships with other countries. This process embodies an increasing view of the world as a community. People and companies are interacting with others in different countries more than ever before. This includes personal communication between people that live on the other side of the world from each other. Companies are now striving to open markets in developing countries, instead of only delivering products and services domestically. Technology is beginning to expand across nations.

Information is being shared with a multitude of people throughout the world in a fraction of the time that it would take to contact someone down the hall from your office. There is a growing interdependence of one country on another. The process of globalization appears to be accelerating and growing rapidly. As time continues to pass, it appears that we are moving to a world where the lines that divide one country from another will begin to blur and eventually fade away entirely. There is much academic discussion about whether globalization is a real phenomenon or only an analytical artifact (a myth). Although the term is widespread, many authors argue that the characteristics attributed to globalization have already been seen at other moments in history. Also, many note that such features, including the increase in international trade and the greater role of multinational corporations, are not as d some authors prefer the term internationalization rather than globalization.

In internationalization, the role of the state and the importance of nations are greater, while globalization in its complete form eliminates nation states. So, they argue that the frontiers of countries, in a broad sense, are far from being dissolved, and therefore this globalization process is not happening, and probably will not happen, considering that in world history, internationalization never turned into globalization (the European Union and NAFTA are yet to prove their case). Some maintain that globalization is an imagined geography; that is, a political tool of ruling neo-liberalists, who are attempting to use certain images and discourses of world politics to justify their political agendas. Writers of books such as No Logo claim that by presenting a picture of a globalized world, the Bretton Woods institutions can demand that countries open up their economies to liberalization under Structural Adjustment Programmes that encourage governments to fund privatization programmes, ahead of welfare and public services.