A lot of attention is paid today to the process of globalization, but the general public often lacks understanding of this concept and its influence on the world. In general, globalization is expected to modernize communities and provide them with international recognition. Globalization is often characterized by the usage of improved technology, increased movement of people and money, diffusion of knowledge, and development of non-governmental and multinational organizations (Collins, 2015). Thus, it is critical to know when dealing with interaction and integration, among various countries, both the positive and negative effects globalization may have on their economy, politics, and culture.
Positive Effects
Globalization begins in developed countries and tries to expand out to further destinations, giving these countries the opportunity to interact and improve economic conditions, as well as increase the population’s standard of living. In this way, it provides more scope for others to benefit from having more opportunities. Developing countries also gain the chance to move forward and enjoy economic success and an enhanced quality of life. Competition between, and within, countries is critical for business. Globalization strengthens this, ensuring reasonable prices and lower rates for the production of goods (Hite & Seitz, 2016).
It can also be seen as a tool to assist those in need. There are many people all over the world who are in a vulnerable economic position, lacking access to clean water, decent healthcare services, and without protection of their human rights. Due to the increased use of media, and interactions, under globalization, these issues gain greater attention from governments, non-governmental organizations, and the general public (Steger, 2013).
As a result, people become more aware of things happening in the world and cooperate in order to assist these populations and make their lives better. Globalization brings different nations closer to one another. It allows them to share their cultures and traditions through music, art, movies, etc. In this way, human beings become more open to one another; they seem to be ready to accept changes, and consider opposite points of view. It is also beneficial that countries have an opportunity to use innovative technologies developed by one another so that they do not need to face the strain of their creation over and over. Many nations deal with the same crucial issues, and find difficulty in trying to overcome them. Globalization enables them to cooperate and achieve common goals faster.
Negative Effects
One of the most critical negative effects of globalization deals with the gap between social layers (“Globalization,” 2015). Receiving an opportunity to extend their businesses and cooperate with foreign partners, people with high incomes obtain an opportunity to increase it even more. Unfortunately, such improvement is not observed among the low-income population, as they tend to become poorer (Goodman, 2016). Globalization promotes outsourcing and encourages people to go to foreign countries.
Thus, some countries may lack jobs or resources. In addition to that, a close interaction between different nations makes people forget some of their traditions and values, which can have a detrimental effect on maintaining cultural heritage. Finally, some natural products may be dangerous to non-native ecosystems, which could affect the safety of both people and the environment (Ritzer, 2011).
Conclusion
As has been shown, globalization can have various effects on countries, people, and their environment. It is not possible to determine whether the pros or cons dominate in this framework. While the tendency to engage in the process can be observed worldwide, regardless of all precautions, each country should consider the risks of taking part in globalization individually. However, it is without doubt that globalization ultimately encourages countries to be more willing to cooperate with each other and, thus, helps in realizing both personal and mutual goals in a much quicker and more efficient way.
References
Collins, M. (2015). The pros and cons of globalization. Web.
Globalization: An overview of globalization and its positive and negative aspects. (2015). Web.
Goodman, P. (2016). The pros and cons of globalization. Web.
Hite, K., & Seitz, J. (2016). Global issues: An introduction. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell.
Ritzer, G. (2011). Globalization: The essentials. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell.
Steger, M. (2013). Globalization: A very short introduction. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.