Globalization: Good or Bad?



        Many of us may view globalization as the avability of products from many different nations in food stores and shopping malls. Others might view Globalization as shuttered factories, as work done in the United States moves to other counttries. Globalization is a complex process. It can best be defined as a process by which regional economies, societies and cultures have become integrated through communication, transportation, and trade. There are major players involved in Globalization including the World Trade Organization, United Nations, World Bank and International Monetary Fund. The two main players that i feel are more involved in Globalization are The United Nations (UN) and the World Bank. The UN is a key player in the Globalization process because it analyzes economic issues and provides aid to the poor countries. It also brokers international agreements designed to protect the environment, defend human rights, and preserve cultural traditions. Those activities put the UN squarely in the middle of the Globalization debate. The World Bank was founded as WW2 ended. At first the World Bank was to help Europe recover from the war. Later its focus was to help poor countries develop thier economics. The World Bank also has funded large projects armed at improving the economic structure of poor countries. Examples include Hydroelectric dams and highways. You should care about globalization because it does not only affect one person, it affects everyone. It is also happening all the time. This affects companies, factories and other important parties. People should get more invloved and be more informed.

        The benefits of globalization outweigh the costs. This is clearly shown by the effect of globalization on the Environment. For example, when a country begins to industrialize incomes starts to increase. When incomes starts to increase, people are more interested in raising their living standards than in controlling pollution. As they grow wealthier, however, this attitude begins to change. People become concerned about dirty air and waterways and demand that their governments do something about it. The wealthier that people become, the more resources they seem willing to devote to improving the environment. There is historical evidence suggesting that people will do more to protect their environment as they grow richer. Some economics even describe a clean environment as a luxury good. Globalization may also benefit the environment by fostering international cooperation to solve problems. For example in 1985, british scientists discovered that synthetic chemicals were thinning the ozone layer in Earth's atmosphere. The ozone layer protects the planet from harmful ultraviolet rays given off by the sun. Another example of global cooperation to protect the environment is the Save the Whales campaign. Begun in the 1970's, this campaign brought together the International Whaling Commission, sovereign nation-states, and NGO's in order to protect endangered whale species. Working together, anitwhaling groups persuaded people around the world that protecting whales was important. As a result of hunting ban, the stocks of many whale species are no longer in decline.