Daily Times

Globalization, as we know it, is the measure of interconnectedness between people around the globe
through their social, political, economic, and strategic endeavors. The common misconception about the
globalization is that it is a phenomenon which emerged in the aftermath of Cold War with the demise of
Soviet regime, but the reality advocates differently. Rooted in the Industrial Revolution of European
Society and evolved through aegis of time, the globalization has become a defining phenomenon of our
modern era. It has evolved in 4 distinct stages:

1. Globalization 1.0 (1800 – 1914)
2. Globalization 2.0 (1945 – 1991)
3. Globalization 3.0 (1991 – 2007)
4. Globalization 4.0 (2007 – till date)

The contemporary globalization (4.0) or the Chinese globalization has converted the world into a global
village with its effects impacting every sphere of life. Like almost every other political phenomenon,
globalization has both its pros and cons. From opening of new global labor markets and efficient supply
chain mechanism to the universalization of human rights through international institutions, and from
dissemination of democracy throughout the globe to the 5th industrial revolution, globalization has been
a blessing in disguise for human society. However, the downside of these benefits is far more
overreaching and terrifying – the horrors of globalization.

Economic Horrors:
Globalization is often equated with the liberalization of international economy and the lassies faire
market model (Adam Smith: Wealth of Nations), but these policies have rendered horrors on human
society as discussed below.

Us vs Them: The Failure of Globalization
Through the evolution of international economy, the capitalist global North has been on the receiving
side of its exuberant benefits while those in the global south are at the front row to face its horrors. This
has created a wide division between the two poles and has resulted in “Us vs Them” phenomenon
where the top 20% of the world occupy 80% of the resources. The capitalist north is known for the
advancement of its civilization, industrial excellence, and championing human rights by fostering better
standard of living for its citizen, but it depicts sorry picture in the Global south which is known for the
rampant poverty, corruption, and hunger strikes with population burgeoning. Thus the unequal
distribution of benefits of globalization has created this situation in the world and its now has become
“the west vs the rest”.

Super exploitation of labor: Economic Imperialism
The globalization of world economy has resulted in the global labor market overseas and continuous
movement of labor across the borders. This has somewhat beneficial for the developing and
underdeveloped world, as more jobs have been created here, but this has been at the price of human
security and super exploitation of labors. The case study of Bangladesh provides an excellent example
of such exploitation (Book: Capitalism a ghost story by Arundati Roy). With extremely low wages
compared to the western counterparts and no medical or health assurances, these labor markets has
become a swamp for human excellence loss and ,in the long run, lost to the national exchequer.

Exhaustion of Natural Resources: Centre-Periphery Relations
The success of European colonization was deeply integrated with the imperialism which they carried out
by maintaining center-periphery relations. Similarly, the globalization of world economy has reproduced
these relations again where the Capitalist core (the first world countries) are exploiting the natural
resources of the periphery countries (the third world). This has resulted in extreme wealth gap between
two poles where the core countries enjoy cheap raw material from periphery and in return they sell
expensive finalized goods back to the third world. This creates both economic and power imbalance
between these countries and globalization has become a primary driver of such imbalance.

Political Horrors:
Much like the economic downside, the political horrors of globalization have also for reaching impacts in
the world without borders. Few of them are discussed below briefly.

Undermined National Sovereignty: The Brexit Saga
Even-though the major chunk of globalization horrors is viewed in terms of its economic misfortunes but
it has a political sway too. In the modern world history, the Brexit glorifies a single tangible breakout
from the complex tapestry of globalization. The divorce of Britain from its ideological and historical soulmate, the European Union, has mainly been due to its overarching influence on Britain domestic policy
and the complex interdependence which resulted in the form of lost sense of national sovereignty. This
resulted in the rise of far-right nationalism and is expected to produce a ripple effect and political
disintegration in the European politics. Thus, the political horrors of globalization have culminated
themselves in the form of a national panic and survival hysteria with more nations moving towards
harsh boarders and liberal world order policies are in turmoil.

Rise of Far-right nationalism and populism:
From hijacking government institutions in the United States by Trumpocracy to the rise of Hindutva and
communal violence in India by the ruling RSS led BJP government, the far-right groups have been on the
rise continuously as an antidote for globalization. The foreign and domestic policies of President Donald
J. Trump represent a stark difference from its counterparts in almost a century; as no other President
had promulgated the doctrine of “make America great again” so ferociously and at the expense of
strategic ties. The rise of white nationalism or white supremacy correlated with the increased reported
cases of violence against the colored people is a vivid vindication of the underlying motives of the USA.
Similarly, the RSS led BJP government is busy in butchering minorities specially Muslims for their
ideological interests and theological believes of “Akhand Bharat”. All these reactions have been
undertaken as an antidote to the increasing foreign and domestic complex interdependence on others
due to rampant globalization.

Communal violence and the practicality of Clash of Civilization thesis:
In his famous “Clash of Civilizations” thesis, the author Samuel P. Huntington has repeatedly proposed
the reason of next clash between the civilization that would be mainly due to theological preferences
and deep rooted religious believes among top eight civilizations of world. Whether it is “Burqa ban” in
France, or Christchurch mosque shooting in Newzeland, or it has to do with the dismantling mosques in
India, the violence against other religions specially Muslims have been on a constant rise due to
increased infusion of their community in the domestic and international life of the country. Such groups
of people have two choices before them: 1. either commit to modernity 2. Crawl back to religious
beliefs. But as Huntington said: the religious believes are written in stones, people turn to violence and
play in the hand of people who undermine national solidarity and pluralistic culture. Thus the growing
interdependence is in-turn creating growing violence and the globalization has been on the receiving
end of this clash of civilization model.

Social Horrors:
Cultural exploitation by MNCs and Practice of Dualism:
In the 1960s, there were only 4,000 Multi-national Corporations but by the end of 2019 this number has
jumped to 90,000. This burgeoning of MNCs across the globe has accompanied by mainly Western
principles which they try to introduce in other regions. In such a process, the native take it as a foreign
intrusion which try to not only alter their centuries old heritage and beliefs but promulgate such
measures which are not in accordance with their socio-cultural norms. There exists a sharp difference
among people which runs deep along rural-urban dividend or dualism as we know it. Therefore, their
exists an outright outrage among natives against the intruders and this only render misery to the social
fabric of country and the promised benefits of such globalization have been converted to bane.

Social media is promulgating psychological patterns of violence and abuse:
The most prominent outcome of 21st century IT revolution is the globalization of social media websites
which not only has changed our social sphere of interaction but our domestic sphere too. But this
revolution has been accompanied with drawbacks that exhibit themselves in the form of cyber bullying,
body shaming, harassment, trolling and many associated types of psychological violence. Bad child
behavior and socialization thwart are changing childhood learning experience and in-turn widening the
intra-generational gap. The breach of privacy has left many people stranded and compelled to play into
the hands of these draconian sites. Thus, these platforms have become bigger than any single
government and any judicial system to hold them responsible. This has left people in awe and many are
raising their legitimate concerns to control the outgrowth of such a globalization.

Strategic Horrors:
New tactical weapons and 5th generation warfare: an offshoot of globalization
From the war of line and columns and trench warfare to sitting in front of a screen and monitor an
automated drone, the technological revolution brought by globalization has revolutionized the face of
warfare in the contemporary era. With the invention of new tactical weapons, smart weapons,
biological weapons, and small scale nuclear designators, the world peace is in constant flux and nations
are striving to build their military capabilities at the expense of masses misery. The 5th generational
warfare, a combination of both symmetric and asymmetric warfare, has changed the warfronts from
direct and outright war to tacit and domestic spheres of a nation. This has been one of the major
setbacks of globalization, not being able to put a cap on the ever-increasing thirst for weapons arsenal.
Environmental Horrors:

Climate vs globalization and the future of the mother earth:
In her book “Capitalism v the climate” Naomi Klein argues at length the harm globalization led capitalism
has brought to the mother earth. “Our economic system and our planetary system are now at war”, she
says. The liberal world order which gave strong foothold to institutional capitalism is the main reason
behind the wanton destruction of our only planet. From strategic and political benefits in fossil fuels
industry to mammoth outgrowth of plastic products, the earth is burning up due to rampant release of
GHGs(Green House Gases) in the atmosphere. Thus, whether its forest fires in Australia or burning of
Amazon forest in Africa, climate change is reshaping almost every sphere of human life. The real
problem lies in not the damage globalization is causing but the denial of the threat of climate change by
leaders like Trump has altered the transition to green energy. Thus, mankind is left to face the adverse
circumstances of climate change while the capitalism is still flourishing under the umbrella of
globalization.

Way forward towards more inclusive globalization:
Despite all the drawbacks and horrors, the globalization has produced gigantic benefits and it has
become so entrenched in our lives that it is almost impossible to reverse the process. Thus the future
measures argue for the more inclusive globalization which ensures a win-win stance for everyone.
Following are few prescribed measures towards making globalization harmonious and beneficial for all:
 Consensus oriented policies to ensure equitable distribution of economic benefits for all the
nations
 Ensuring state’s primary role in decision making process by promoting sanctuary of political
sovereignty
 Stringent laws to ensure the safety of social websites
 Fostering world peace by directing all efforts to meet the Global Zero
 Adopting mitigation and adaptation techniques to counter the adverse effects of climate change
 A national policy to ensure Semitism and mutual respect for all religions