Contemporary Globalization Essay

Are you a forerunner of the so called Contemporary Globalization or in your view point do you adhere to Global Diversity? This short paper is to review globalization developments and their impacts or consequences whether is it a threat to human dignity in terms of providing a safer work place and leisure to man and will it promotes democracy and justice for all (Johnston, Mont 2000)? Globalization began in the 70’s and reaches all the corners of the world through the creation of IMF, the World Bank and, WTO. Globalization was also brought about by the advance communication technology and collapse of communism (Johnston, Mont 2000). According to the Canadian Union Council (CUC), â€Å"globalization does not account of the right of conscience, and democracy is only hearsay. Trade fundamentalist works with corporate lawyers to develop trade rules which expressly exclude consideration of the environment and human rights in favor of return on investments, consideration on the rights of others are only taken into consideration only in extraordinary circumstances†. For this reason, the Council created seven principles of the UUs covenants to counter act or to balance the wave of globalization which is detrimental to the Unitarian way of thinking in which it firmly believes that uniqueness of every person must be reverently acknowledge preserving his culture. It is in diversity that a genuine human society is born. Globalization spread the culture of homogenous market and consumerism; it limits human choices because human values are dictated by market values. Manfred Steger further stated globalism in his book A New Market Ideology as â€Å"globalony†. Consequences or impacts of Globalization: Neoliberals or the globalist supported their claims on the following ideology: Globalization is market integration, inevitable and irreversible, none is in-charge and it would benefit everyone, and will further spread democracy. These are strategies in order to promote private interests of dominant few to be supported by the general public. These claims were carefully examined by Steger as he insisted that we need to critically understand what are globalism, ideology, and globalization which are a process of globalism. He also pointed out that it is not only enough to examine its economic outcome but its ideas and values (Walker 2003). It is a hard truth to accept that the human will are dictated by market trends which mean that human values are being replaced by market value or the limiting of our choices which is contrary to the free act of man. Corporations have extended on a global scale, 51 among top companies are run by the wealthiest 100 multinationals (Carmichael 2002). Steger asserted that it is undemocratic because the influence of the supranational bodies will decrease the ability of national governments to regulate multinational corporations. Wiwa in his audience with law students declare that â€Å"The governance are no longer for the benefit of the citizens, as it should be, but for corporate profit. Decisions reflect only what corporations want (Carmichael 2002)†. Anything that gets in their way must be removed at all costs, no wonder there could be a time that man will be replaced by robots. For man to survive, diversity is needed but regimes like the WTO has modeled globalization which resulted into a homogenous culture of consumerism. It sees that diversity is an impediment to the free trade. One example is the over-produced food that flooded the developing countries; it forces small farmers to abandon their farms to work for Nike and other corporations. Mexican farmer’s earnings have declined by 40%. Poverty radically increases while the stocks of multinationals increases. Ken Wiwa a physician and an author of the book â€Å"Dance the guns to Silenceâ€Å"was hanged in November 1995 for his crusade against globalization and today it is his brother Owen who continues by addressing a political science class at the University of Toronto about the consequence of globalization saying â€Å"You have that paradox whereby an increase in transnational corporations in the south will increase the poverty and conflict and wars in that country and Ten years from now you may be working in these corporations and governments so it is up to you to make an influence â€Å"(Carmichael 2002). Shell Corporation and the Ogoni people faced the dilemma between the clearing of its oil spills and the MOSOP Movement of the Ogoni People for Survival in the 1990s. Oil extraction in their country is to the detriment of its inhabitants. Sickness related to air and water pollution like asthma and other diseases outnumbered the hospital built in 1993. Though the company has left the premises they have not really removed their pipelines nor cleaned up and paid compensation to their workers. The company remained quiet and the military was no longer engaged but arrest started Wiwa stated (Carmichael 2002). Based on the above consequences, Steger’s touches the tenets of his argument that it is the human will and choices that must create market models and not the goods or the reverse wherein market limits suppressed human choices. His argument was based on the historical facts that man lords over the earth and that no society have emerged without knowing how to take care of its own. Society degrades or falls when only a privileged few are protected, when dominance is instilled prejudices and other sisters of greed appears. The value of human work diminishes and man begins to serve only his appetite and whims. Indeed, we must account for the gifts we received such as the talents endowed to us. There is a need of strengthening our world communities to use collective power to develop alternatives to Globalization and Corporate Rule. We must examine and challenge ourselves what is behind each ideology and must patronize products and services that are truly for the benefit of mankind. We must put our best efforts that wealth is distributed equitably and for the common good. We must learn to scrutinize the use of worldly goods and sharpen our values to preserve the world and the future of the next generation. References Mel Johnston, Alastair Mont, Philip Symons Calgary, Alberta 2000, the CUC Policy on Globalization, [Electronic Version]. Retrieved 01 February 2008 from, http://www. cuc. ca/social_responsibility/globalization. htm Teresa Walker 2003, Globalism: The New Market Ideology by Manfred Steger, [Electronic Version]. Retrieved 01 February 2008 from, http://www. logosjournal. com/walker. htm Stefanie Carmichael (2002). Owens Wiwa tackles consequences of globalization [Electronic Version]. The Manitoban. Retrieved 02, February 2008 from, http://www. themanitoban. com/2001-2002/0403/news_8. shtml