Globalisation

Globalisation, that is the reshaping of local conditions by powerful global forces on an ever-intensifying scale, is not a new phenomenon and is not realistically something that can be completely stopped. Therefore to debate the strengths and weaknesses of globalisation as a whole has only one real purpose, to identify the factors of globalisation that are seen as disadvantageous, in such a way that they can be improved. However in taking this view we have to accept that everyone's perspective is different and the way people react to globalisation depends heavily upon the impact that it has on them. Globalisation tends to benefit the rich and the developed countries at the cost of the developing countries and the poor. It must also be taken into consideration that the rule makers of the world, those with the most power over globalisation policy and the setting of world prices, tend to be the wealthy and the leaders of developed countries such as the United States of America. Despite this globalisation is seen as a contested concept Ð'- neither a bad thing, nor a good, with most factors such as culture, the economy, the environment and human rights exhibiting both positive and negative impacts of globalisation.

There is great debate over whether globalisation has homogenised culture, some argue that globalisation is causing an Americanisation of the world where all other cultures are lost. The alternative argument maintains that globalisation provides the people of the world to learn more about each other, and with knowledge comes understanding and acceptance. Through the increased travel and communications now available, people can experience other cultures, which can help them see the similarities already present in human culture and to no longer see people of other cultures as the Ð''exotic other'. Globalisation can be seen as a spreading of multiculturalism with better individual access to cultural diversity, for example through the export of Hollywood and Bollywood movies. However, it is argued that this imported culture can easily come to supplement the local culture, causing a reduction in diversity, assimilation or even homogenisation. A less extreme view of globalisation accepts that in today's multicultural world the spread of globalisation will undoubtedly bring changes to the countries it reaches, but this does not necessarily mean the abolition of traditional values and culture.

Globalisation has had a great affect through the economic movement and the specialisation of goods and services of different countries. Economists argue that different countries are endowed with different resources such as cheap labour or oil supplies. By each country undertaking the tasks that they could do at the lower cost economists believe that the material standard of living could be raised for all countries involved. This has lead to the diversion of jobs away from countries such as Australia and America, where labour costs are high, to countries like china and India where labour is relatively cheap. For example call centres from all over the world are being relocated in Delhi, where highly motivated university graduates are willing to work for a lower wage than their unqualified equivalents in America. This is highly advantageous for the American corporations who can increase their profits but again the question must be asked: are the rich of the world getting richer at the expense of the poor? Is globalisation really helping undeveloped nations catch up or is it a continuation of the colonial agenda with ongoing patterns of political and economic domination. These Indians who are better skilled are earning less than Americans, however they are earning more than the average Indian wage. Whether this is an exploitation of the Indian people because they are earning less based on their race or a fair adjustment to the local economy is highly debatable. This racism could also be seen to extend to the job itself with Indian call-centre workers being taught to view the American or Australian customer as a Ð''God' who they must make every effort to serve. In serving the American they must also lose their identity and culture, with their cultural indoctrination leading to a loss of their accents, name and even anti-American thoughts. Another negative aspect of this shift in jobs to India is the loss to American and Australian people who worked in call centres. The economic theory of trade claims that without trade barriers each country would not lose jobs but that the jobs required would change to suit the country's specialities. This long-term view may be accurate but it has to be considered that in the short term major structural unemployment will occur and others may not replace the loss of jobs. Bourgois' ethnography In Search of Respect shows features of this structural unemployment where whole groups of people are uprooted from their occupational niches and are left without a legal way to make a living.

The environment has both been exploited and protected by the implementation of globalisation. Globalisation has had the benefit of trade, political and economic ties between countries creating alliances. This can help the environment through international policies, which the governments of countries agree. However this does not necessarily mean that all countries will sign environmental agreements, some valuing their economic growth more than the potential effect it will have