What exactly is Globalisation?
To Globalize means to make global or worldwide in scope or application. Globalisation is about more connections between nations, countries, corporations and individuals all over the world! It can also refer to the increased independence in economical, social, technological, cultural, environmental and political spheres.
and What exactly is Politics?
Politics is the process by which groups make decisions. This term is generally applied to governments and in its most basic form, it consists of "social relations involving authority or power".
but How does Globalisation affect Politics?
Due to the different spheres mentioned above, state sovereignty is or can be compromised. Through the globalisation of technology, information and ideas, finance, ecology and diseases, national boundaries (for example, geographical boundaries) are destroyed and become meaningless.
and What is State Sovereignty?
State Sovereignty means that the state holds the supreme authority over the state, the state is politically independent and can make its own decisions without interference from other countries.
For example:
Via Technology:
The individual has become empowered by inventions, advancements and developments in technology. This has resulted in increased and improved ways of communication in the world. Developments such as the Internet and telecommunications has 'broken' national boundaries and has rendered the boundaries meaningless. It can be said that the state has lost its sovereignty. Why is this so? The Internet (or rather technology) allows the freedom of information and the people 'connected' to the Internet have the freedom to decide whether or not they want to receive or give information. The state does not have the power to control and restrict what information its people receive unless they block access to websites or do not let people connect to the Internet. But in this Information Age, more and more people are informed and 'wired', the state has less and less control over its people. And as its people gather more information, there would be an 'influx' of ideas and values that may threaten its 'national identity'. This can even be seen in Singapore. Do you remember, just a few years back, Singapore was facing the issue of whether Singaporeans were 'stayers' or 'quitters'? This is due to the fact that information can be so readily got from the Internet or the media. As more people learn about how much 'better' life can be in other countries, they would want to go there or even live there so that they can also enjoy the 'benefits' or just to live a better life! Ergo, it can be seen that the state cannot control what its people think and cannot 'provide direction for its people'. Thus, Singapore had lost some of its state sovereignty.
Via Finance:
As globalisation results in the integration of world markets, what happens in one country affects the other. The state has no control over its economy and thus state sovereignty is compromised. One example is the Wall Street Crash which affected the stock markets over the world. Another example is the Great Depression which resulted in widespread unemployment and thousands of dollars lost due to the loss in business.
Via Ecology:
The state has no control over the pollutants it or another country produces and emits into the atmosphere. The state also has no control over natural disasters. Ergo, state sovereignty is compromised. This can be seen in the haze Singapore has experienced over the years due to forest fires in Indonesia and Malaysia. Singapore cannot control the haze from crossing its boundaries! Another example is the 2004 Indonesian Tsunami which struck Aceh. Similarly, Indonesia had no control over the sea surrounding its island!
Via Diseases:
Diseases like SARS, AIDS and bird flu cannot be controlled by the state. The world cannot control the flight pattern of the birds for example, nor can they control the viruses that cause these diseases. As such, the state has lost much of its ability to control movements across its borders. The people within these borders are no longer protected and national boundaries have lost much of its meaning.
Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political
http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/globalize
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Globalization
-mused by Chuang Ying Xuan, Political Expert
Labels: Globalisation and Politics
