"Guns, Germs, and Steel" is a 1997 book by Jared Diamond, professor of geography and physiology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). The Basic outline of the book is: In our earliest societies, humans lived as hunter-gatherers. The first step towards civilization is the move from hunter-gatherer to agriculture, with the domestication and farming of wild crops and animals. Agricultural production leads to food surpluses, which supports sedentary societies, specialization of craft, rapid population growth, and specialization of labor. Large societies tend to develop ruling classes and supporting bureaucracies, which may lead in turn to the organization of nation states and empires.
He also says that globalization took advantage mostly of the influence of geography on societies and cultures.
Globalization is an economic tidal wave that is sweeping over the world.
Here are a few disadvantages of globalization:
1- The general complaint about globalization is that it has made the rich richer while making the non-rich poorer.
2- Multinational corporations which were previously restricted to commercial activities are increasingly influencing political decisions.
3- Some experts think that globalization is also leading to the incursion of communicable diseases. Deadly diseases like HIV/AIDS are being spread by travelers to the remotest corners of the globe.
And some advantages to it:
1- Now there is a worldwide market for companies and consumers to access products from different countries.
2- There is cultural intermingling. Each country is learning more about other cultures.
3- Since we share financial interests, corporations and governments are trying to sort out ecological problems for each other.
4- Socially we have become more open and tolerant towards each other, and people who live in the other part of the world are not considered aliens.
Anti-globalists also claim that globalization is not working for the majority of the world. During the most recent period of rapid growth in global trade and investment, 1960 to 1998, inequality worsened both internationally and within countries. The UN Development Program reports that the richest 20 percent of the world's population consume 86 percent of the world's resources, while the poorest 80 percent consume just 14 percent.
I personally Have contradicting views on Globalization. I think its a good thing that the world is coming together in terms of transportation, technology, agriculture and communication...etc, But globalization came at a price. Countless ancient languages and cultures were eliminated as a result of globalization. so in a way globalization is a double edged sword.
Q1: Can you think of a way in which globalization has helped/hurt you or your hometown?
Q2: How does globalization help the rich? and hurt the poor?
Answer for the Q1. It is ironic that I am learning English, but global language, which is definately English, has simply hurt Koreans. :) All Koreans are crazy to learn English! It doesn't mean that I hate English, rather, it does mean that learning Korean is also important for Koreans.
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