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Basic
Course 3: The Causes of Globalisation
Complex
phenomena can only be explained multicausally. There is no controversy about
this in the globalisation debate, however all else remains disputed. Depending
on the understanding taken as the basis for globalisation, other causes and
forces are projected into the field of vision. The diagram names frequently
given causes, without claiming to be complete.
Technological
innovations, particularly in the field of information and communication, have
played and still do play a central role without doubt. The Internet
represents a symbol for globalisation in many respects. The globalisation of the
financial markets, the lightening-quick transfer of unimaginable sums of money
around the globe would be impossible without this technology, just as the
organisation of transnational production would be and much more.
The enormous increase in trade as a further central element of commercial
globalisation results not least from the fact that transport costs have
sunk rapidly, and goods can be transported more quickly. The applies to the
service sector in particular. Products such as software or databases can be sent
from one corner of the world to the other over data lines in seconds.
The end of the Cold War is also frequently named as a cause. Whereas the
world was divided up into two camps during the East-West conflict, this
separating influence crumbled in the years following 1989/90 following the fall
of the Iron Curtain. The former “Eastern Bloc countries” have opened their
borders to the world market. An ever-increasing numbers of states are placing
their trust in democracy and the market economy as fundamental principles of
organisation.
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Global
problems have
played a very central role, above all at a conscious level. The presence of 'one
world store's’ in the highly developed industrial nations are not the only
evidence of this. Globalisation problems require an internationalisation of
politics, and promote international consciousness. Organisations like Greenpeace
or Amnesty International,
who have dedicated themselves to global topics such as the environment or human
rights, are global players in this field. The beginnings of a global society can
be seen quite clearly.
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Globalisation
critics in particular, such as the ATTAC
network, continually point out that we are not dealing with an inevitable
process, but that globalisation, in essence, is more the result of
deregulation policies under the leadership of the USA since the Second World
War (see
section on "ATTAC" on separate page ).
Without
the liberalisation of world trade within the framework of GATT or the
WTO, these developments would, in fact, have been unthinkable.
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You can
find Interesting information on this subject on the web-sites from the
Bretton Woods organisations:
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[You will find
further links in our Link List
on globalisation]
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[Author: Ragnar Müller]
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