Globalization- Creating Freedom and Exhausting Democracy
Daniel J. Stone
Ohio Dominican University
Keywords: culture exchange, opportunities for minorities, less restrictive exchange of information, loss of identity, drain and exhaust of resources, epidemics and terrorism.
Globalization is good for mankind. This is due to globalization equating to the endless exchange of ideas. Popular culture has proven to be the best vehicle of idea exchange with such events as the Moscow Music Peace Festival which took place around the fall of the Berlin Wall. This was a two-day event that took place at the Lenin Olympic Stadium and had the goal to raise awareness about drug and alcohol abuse. Not only were there about 20 music groups from the West who participated in this event, there were also doctors from the West who provided treatment to those who were suffering from substance abuse (Lawrence 2002).
The rights of minorities have increased due to globalization. For example, in the 1990s, there was resistance to educating females from the very conservative country, The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Not only are females from the Kingdom being educated, they are also allowed to travel abroad with a male chaperone and study with the intention of completing a degree at an institute of higher education (Schryer, 2012).
Information due to globalization has provided knowledge to those within and outside a nation. Inventions such as the Internet and cellular phones put the power of sending and receiving information in the hands of the citizens which was previously controlled by governments. The “Arab Spring” of 2011 had thousands of people of various Middle Eastern nations use social media such at Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube to organize, communicate, and create awareness of issues that were found to be unfair due to their government’s attempts of repression (Howard, 2011).
On the other hand, globalization is not good for mankind. By being economically open, one looses their identities such as the currencies of the members of the European Union (EU). For example, prior to becoming a member of the EU, Germany had to dissolve its currency, the Deutschemark, and accept the Euro Dollar. The Deutschemark was a symbol of a unified Germany when both East and West Germany were joined in 1990. Now the Euro Dollar identifies Germany with fellow EU member, Greece. With the Greek economy on the verge of bankruptcy, Germany and the other members of the EU are being brought down as well. This is because of Greece’s extensive welfare state which is more embedded into the citizens of the average Greek’s ordinary life more than the members of the EU realized before accepting Greece as a member. As a result, the value of the Euro Dollar has been weakened with the Greeks looking to the Germans for a bailout (Inman, 2012).
In terms of globalization from more developed countries to lesser developing countries, more and more countries who are novices to democracy drain and exhaust the resources of those countries that are more established. In the late 1990s, The Bill Clinton led US economy had a balanced budget. After the events of 9/11, the US found itself in the business of “Nation Building” in places such as Iraq and Afghanistan. While this is a noble and noteworthy cause, foreign aid that is misspent equates corruption. The US has found itself obligated to $320 million a month. Currently, the US deficit is over $15 Trillion (Debusmann, 2011).
In conclusion, the positive aspects of globalization are that global citizens are experiencing higher levels of per capita income due to having their borders opened because of intensified commercial and trade exchanges. Nations such as Japan and the US who at one time were enemies now participate in the exchange of ideas. The rights of minorities have increased which have allowed all people the basic right of education coupled by easily giving and taking information. On the other hand, one could argue that the US wants democracy in the Middle East more than the actual recipients of American aid. This notion coupled by the fact that casualties of civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan overseas have created sympathizers who are driven by ideological passions are tempted to follow terrorist methods to see their ideology come to fruition (Street and Street, 2010).
In reflecting on the reading of the question, the good outweighs the bad in terms of globalization. The never-ending exchange of ideas is by far the biggest contributor of this claim. Being a native from the Upstate of South Carolina, the cultural enrichment that I gained from four years in the US Navy in Japan and California alone was the catalyst that shaped my views and was the cornerstone that has allowed me to become a Center Director at a branch of a company that is growing by leaps and bounds during a recession. Since my Navy enlistment, I have been in an intercultural relationship and marriage since 1998 which led to life in Asia for three years. I can honestly say that my life became better because of my relationship to my wife. I see things from a different perspective, think about things more deeply and appreciate a global point of view (Stone, 2011).
To substantiate my perspective with facts and research, the auto giant, Toyota has a number of manufacturing plants that are in parts of the US not known for automotive innovation. The Japanese managers of Toyota chose these places for auto production so that their idea of operating known as Kaizen (a Japanese work meaning continuous improvement one small step at a time) would be a good fit on the other side of the world in such places like Kentucky, Tennessee, and Texas. With many American manufacturing companies electing to have their products made in China and India, Toyota has elected to fill the void by providing employment opportunities for Americans while remaining true to their core Japanese values. For example, every leader and team member at every level is taught the Japanese philosophy of Plan, Do, Check, and Adjust for process improvement. (Franz and Liker, 2011).
References
Debusmann, B. (2011). U.S. nation-building in the wrong place? Retrieved from Reuters:
Franz, J. and Liker, J. (2011). The Toyota Way to Continuous Improvement: Linking Strategy
and Operational Excellence to Achieve Superior Performance.
Howard, P. (2011). The Arab Spring’s Cascading Effects. Retrieved from Miller-McCune
Inman, P. (2012). Germany has run out of patience. Retrieved from The Guardian.
Lawrence, D. (2002) Bon Jovi: Past, Present & Future. Retreived from New Music Countdown:
from The New American: (http://thenewamerican.com/usnews/constitution/3527-the-cost-of-educating-the-children-of-illegal-aliens-exorbitant).
Schryer, S. (2012). Family and Community Dynamics- Education. Retrieved from Saudi
Street, M and Street, V. (2010). Taking Sides: Clashing Views in Management, Third Edition.
Stone, D. (2011). Meet the Staff. Retrieved from ELS Language Centers and Locations:
