Globalization: Retreat or Merge

Introduction

Is globalization in retreat? The question seems to highlight the existence of a competition to which globalization is expressing no more interest in and as such “retreating”, however, with the presumption that Nationalism is the rival in the conquest, retreating would not be the best option but rather merging. Not only for the extensive benefits gained from collaboration among different countries, but for the simple fact has that interdependence bred creativity and development. Sabanadze (2010) affirms existence of a link between globalization and nationalism emphasizing that this link depends on which side of the controversial argument one stands. While one approach highlights nations and nationalism as a phase in the development of human kind which is about to disappear due to its obsolete nature and leave space for the development of new structures more suitable for the increasing global interconnectedness, the other approach highlights Nationalism as the most potent and enduring political force that is not only far from disappearing but also quickly gaining strength in response to the increasing political, social and cultural challenges of globalization (Sathyamurthy, 1998). These arguments have led to the rise of debates and arguments regarding globalization and its impact. In addition to dissecting globalization and its link to nationalism, this essay will further highlight some of the popular counter –globalization politics and arguments.

Nationalism

Nationalism refers to an ideology and movement relevant in political, social, and economic fields and is characterized by the promotion of a particular nations interests (Kohn, 2019). According to Amadeo (2019), nationalism is a concept that was created and is subscribed to by countries that believe their nation is superior to all others. The ideology stem from shared ethnicity social indulgence and is normally built around shared languages, cultures, religion or a set of social values (Sranders, 2018). In the postmodern world, however, superiority can be measured based on political, technological, and economical supremacy. Postelnicescu (2016) argued that countries that do not wish to share their resources and superior product resort to nationalism over globalization. Sranders (2018) further highlights that Nationalism promotes the growth and development of nation at the expense of other nations and as such at the core it is contrary to the beliefs and endeavours and requirements of globalization.

Is Globalization in retreat?

While globalization can be described in a wide range of ways based on the context or the discipline with which one looks at it, the baseline informs the interconnection of individuals for a mutually beneficial interaction or collaboration. According to Bird and Kopp (2019), globalization refers to the growing interdependence of the world’s cultures, economies and populations that is brought about as a result of cross border trade in products, services, technology, as well as information. Characterised by flow of business and people, it traces its roots back to the Jeffersonians Era in the early 19th century through the development of foreign policy to facilitate the economic relationship between England and the USA (Tucker and Hendrickson, 2010; Mead, 2013). The treaty opened way for international collaboration and interconnection which has greatly impacted the development of different national economies and led to cross border revolutions all across the globe.

Despite this however, Sabanadze (2010) points out that globalization and nationalism are fundamentally opposed to one another and therefore are destined for a relationship of resistance and competition. This leads to the question; whether or not globalization is retreating. While this might be true while considering the approach highlighting Nationalism as a potent force that is only gaining strength, the actual view is that globalization is in fact thriving under the framework of nationalism and as such the link between nationalism and globalization is rather symbiotic than parasitic. Abdulsatter (2013) clarifies that according to this approach nationalism is expected to not only persist but also increase and intensify in response to and in opposition to the forces of globalization. As such, the revival of the local nationalistic philosophy as well as the emphasis of local identities and cultures is directly bound up by globalization influences and enable a rather cautious absorption of international product that only acts to moderate the philosophy of globalization and further ensure is successful implementation.

In the first approach that sees nations and nationalisms as failed element in History and a passed out phase, it looks into the development of global ties that lead to the ruling and development of all the nations around the continent as one. It premises on the fact that different nations are inherently and deeply interconnected and interdependent such that the political boundary that defines the bounds of nations and ruler ship will soon fade away. Based on this increased and crucial interdependence, Sabanadze (2010) points put that nationalism is expected to lose out and eventually leave the centre stage to other supranational alternatives as required by the logic of globalization. However, the apparent continued increase in the force and strength of different countries and governments especially ones that are economically and politically stable and rich like China, Russia and USA as well as their insistence of maintaining autonomy and nationalistic values , the process of globalization is significantly limited. This limitation is what is mostly seen as a globalization retreat.

In comparison to the actual occurrence however the contradictory nature of nationalism and globalization philosophy appears to only be theoretical, According to The Economist (2019) nationalism can in fact be harnessed for the good of globalization through the development of an effective framework for even global development. Colantone and Stanig (2017) further point out that nationalizing and globalizing forces fan be fostered to be complimentary rather than contradictory as the philosophies suggest. Through the acceptance, embrace and even promotion of globalization to benefit nationalist objectives of their different nations, Nationalist leaders can enable a mutual and beneficial co-existence of two perfectly compatible tendencies in nationalism and globalization and therefore herald the next phase of global growth and development. This could even be more effective in the solution of globalization challenges that taking up on them independently as nationalists.

The rise of popular nationalisms and other counter-globalisation politics.

The current world is very different from ages ago and the most important things currently were not even remotely considered as crucial in the past. As such, the impact of globalization by other nations is considered beyond control and thus needs to be limited. With the continued technological advancements, and easier communication capabilities, the world is becoming de-territorialized (Robertson, 2017), this threatens the sovereignty and even the need for continued existence of nationalism. Abdulsatter (2013) points out that while others argue that nationalism is benefiting from globalization and in fact becoming more important than ever a counter argument highlights that the role of nationalism in the contemporary world is becoming less important due to globalization.

Globalization is the anti-thesis of nationalism as it suggests that there are no boundaries, rather just one globe and as such all, the operations should be globalized, from leadership, administration, as well as economic and social endeavours (Godfrey, 2008). As a result nationalist argue that globalization diminishes nationalism as the world continues to grow closer and further apart at the same time, shrinking in terms of communication and accessibility of different geographical locations yet expand in the number of opportunities and indulgences one can be involved with all across the globe. This is increasingly leading to the irrelevance of national boundaries and diminishing the ideology of nationalism. This means nationalism has lost the power to keep the people of one nation together.

Globalization has led to the fading of nationalism given that in the current generation and era, everything is happening at a fast pace and highly integrated to the point that it is impossible to identify and distinguish people and their nationality. Coats (2017) points out that due to globalization there is no longer clear national borders or strong traditional and national sense among the people of one nation. This limits togetherness and the unity that nations require to develop and move together as a nation.

Bloom (2014) points out the emergence of movements championing national identity and power citing a wide range of globalization effects to nationalism as a result break away regions, independence referendums and campaigns for stronger national sovereignty have led to the development globalization politics. One of the arguments on counter globalization highlighted by Achilles, Kunakhovich and Shea (2018) advances that rather than a virtual positive improvement across the globe, globalization is a concept that has led to the exploitation of ‘weaker’ countries politically, socially or economically leading to disproportionate gains by other nations and refusal to share. As such, globalization is a propagator of national inequality. Often the argument is based on the preservation of indigenous culture including the fear and frustrations associated with internationalism (Bloom, 2014).

Nevertheless, another group of nationalists highlight terrorism as a key outcome of globalization and thus the latest politics against it. Due to the worldwide integration brought about as a result of globalization, individuals are able to move to different countries in pursuit of different purposes such as studying, business and visiting friends and relatives. However, according to Edusson (2019) not all these individuals have the best interest, rather a deep-sited hate for the country and in a scheme to destroy it, a phenomenon referred to as Terrorism. Terrorism is because of global interaction between different countries, which has over the years led to the development of injustice, and violence thereby brewing hate among people of different nationalisms. While terrorist come into different countries as immigrants some with education or visiting permits of even worker visas, they end up recruiting local people and using them to advance their agenda thereby emphasizing the question of patriotism and adding on to the counter arguments of globalization.

Colantone and Stanig (2017) further premises their counter globalization political argument advancing its impact on local job security and equal chances at different locals getting jobs from international organizations. They argue that while globalization leads to the development of multinational corporations which overall may have a positive impact in the economy and development of a country, these companies sometimes do not hire local human resource citing limited skill sets. In addition, these companies not only to handle the jobs developed by the companies but also spread to secure employment on local jobs thereby limiting the local population’s ability to secure their jobs then import individuals. Globalization as such eventually threatens job security of individuals in different countries. Duara (2018) illustrates that before globalization, individuals got well-paying jobs from different organizations as well as the government. However due to globalization a wide range of people all across the world with varied levels of qualifications are looking for jobs from whichever geographical location making job security a virtual idea to many individuals.

In current globalised world, being proud of your heritage, culture, and nationality has already become a problem in many respects (Godfrey, 2008). Globalization increases awareness of social heterogeneity because democracy allows people to participate and freedom of speech is guaranteed, so groups whose identity is based on race, ethnicity, religion, language have become increasingly vocal and have used the global media to make their discontent known as such. Nationalists who are also keen on cultural preservation and conservation have also developed a counter globalization political argument highlighting the abandonment and contamination of cultural practices. According to Byram (2017) every community, society, or nation has its own cultures, values, and beliefs. These cultures are acceptable within these societies and nations because they mould human behaviour as well as prescribe against what is right or wrong. However through globalization there has been a wide spread mix of cultural practices. This leads to the reconsideration of authentic cultural rules that define and enhance the growth of individuals of a particular nation in morally upright standards.

The mixing of these cultures has further led to the development of cultural double standards, which leave individuals without direction or purpose in life. Different cultural practices have been regarded as primitive provoking hate crimes and civil war all across different parts of the globe. Edusson (2019) point out that, developing nations adopt different westernised cultures and abandon their own, making it difficult for the administration and leadership of a country due to the adoption of different cultures and therefore rules. Adoption of this culture that is quite strange and distant from their nature leads to development of such policy where people conduct themselves regardless of actual laws. As a result, there is an increased crime as acts such as rape, divorce, and domestic violence get on the rise. Eventually individual nationalities suffer setbacks in development while others benefit and profit from globalization.

Other arguments, which can be considered feeble and shallow include the increased lifestyle diseases as a result of globalization. According to Bayram (2017) globalization has led to high demands and supply of food substances all across the globe including processed foods and has also encouraged the use of chemicals and manufactured fertilizers in the planting and production of food substances. Some production processes have even introduced the use of chemicals in minimizing the duration of growth of plants so as to capitalize in the increase of profits. Livestock including cows and goats are fed on chemically enhanced or manufactured feeds in order to increase their milk production and increase their weight over short time periods to facilitate profit making (Edusson, 2019). All these due to globalization has led to the increased ingestion of chemicals among different people which subsequently impact the increase in chronic diseases which has increased mortality rates as well as minimized the average lifespan of individuals. Given that the nationalists lack the means or capabilities to limit these developments brought about by Globalization a counter globalization campaign has been developed to fight them.

Conclusion

Globalization has indeed led to a wide range of developments across the world leading to increased development and economical status of different nations, which subsequently enhance the standards of living of individuals within these countries. However, despite leading to the solution of a wide range of social, economic and political problems, globalization has also greatly impacted the society, economy and politics of different nations in rather negative ways prompting the rising of different counter globalization arguments especially among nationalists. Pointing out the unequal distribution of wealth and development, increase in chronic diseases, limitation of nationalism due to the contamination of beliefs and cultural practices as well as leading to local unemployment and job insecurity especially among developing countries, nationalists have opposed the concept of globalization highlighting its controversy with nationalism and emphasizing the lack of compatibility. This however has been countered by a wide range of scholars who highlight that in fact globalization and nationalism are mutually beneficial concepts that are highly interrelated and as such can be integrated to enable continued and increased development of different nations all across the globe.

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