How much does globalization reflect the realities of the development of the modern world? In the media, in the sayings of politicians, in popular discussions, this term sounds regularly. To what extent does the frequency of its application reflect real significance in terms of the development of an individual state? How much is Russia involved in global processes, and in what areas is this manifested most?
Globalization Definition
According to a widespread definition, globalization is understood as processes in the framework of which standards common for the whole world or for a relatively large group of states appear - in economics, politics, and social development.
When did this trend begin to appear? There is a version that the first examples of globalization could be found back in the 60-70s of the 20th century. However, the processes in question entered the active phase around the turn of the 80s and 90s. According to some experts, this may be due to the fall of the communist regime: the world has ceased to be divided into two political "camps", and obstacles to intensifying international cooperation in the field of developing common standards in various aspects of development have disappeared.
Signs of globalization
What are the signs of globalization? Experts call the following.
- Firstly, this is a change in the global economic space. There is a trend in which businesses that exist in different countries that differ in culture and mentality differ on the basis of common approaches. The latter are called, according to analysts, to smooth out the potential for contradictions between the cooperating parties.
- Secondly, this is the erasure of borders in many manifestations. This may concern the flow of information, capital, goods, services. There are trends to erase political boundaries as well. Despite the fact that citizens of others often need a visa to visit some states, international contacts, expressed in the exchange of cultural experience, business models, and tools for solving social problems, are welcome in many cases.
- Thirdly, this is the unification of various kinds of social standards, approaches to the development of education, upbringing. Examples of globalization in this area, if we talk about Russia, are the introduction of test systems for student attestation (USE), as is the case in many Western countries. The activities of many trade union and human rights organizations around the world are also carried out on the basis of fairly similar standards.
- Fourth, there is a globalization of everyday life, patterns of everyday behavior. This is manifested in many aspects. The most striking example is, perhaps, "socialization" online. The whole world sits on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and their national counterparts, uses Wikipedia and Google, communicates via Skype. Other examples of globalization in everyday life are similar standards in clothing, food. If we talk about developed countries, very few people walk along the street in traditional costumes, eat national food with a regularity that would be comparable to going to McDonald's.
Reasons for globalization
What is the reason that the integration processes in question began to occur? Why did the world begin to develop in the context of globalization? Experts see several explanations.
Development of communication channels
First of all, it is about the Internet. Having access to the global virtual space, people in one way or another strive to learn the culture of other nations, learn new things in politics, and learn from the experience of other states in various fields. The Internet has become, according to many experts, an environment for the formation of many global standards, has contributed to the development of principles of mutual understanding between nations, the desire to find common ground in relation to the development of the world, politics.
At the same time, according to some analysts, the Internet has become just a tool for globalization. The root cause of the activation of the processes in question, according to experts, lay in other phenomena. Moving on to the following points, we will try to reveal their essence.
Long-Term Leadership of the Western Political System
Citing the above examples of globalization in everyday life - those that are associated with uniform standards in clothing and products, we, trying to specify them, would not have found any other options but to admit that these are all Western models. We dress in jeans invented in the USA. We wear sneakers, which in a modern form were invented, according to one version, by German designers. We eat pizza of Italian origin. A number of experts probably reasonably believe that Western standards in everyday life arose for a reason.
Globalization, according to one of the points of view, is a direct consequence of political processes. After the US-led Western bloc defeated the communist bloc, the West began to "globalize" the planet in order to strengthen its position. Examples of globalization in the economy are ubiquitous. These are the activities of the IMF, and Forex, and the work of international payment systems, world market leaders - VISA and MasterCard. There are, of course, also examples of globalization in politics along the Western lines. These are, first of all, the institutions of presidency and parliamentarism.
Now, few experts dare to unambiguously assess the prospects of a "pro-Western" orientation of the world due to well-known political events. However, the fact that at the moment globalization has a predominantly westernized connotation is disputed by few.
The presence of global problems that need to be addressed together
Another point of view concerning the nature of globalization is based on the fact that the development of modern human civilization requires states and nations to solve a large number of problems on a planetary scale. They are related to ecology, climate, economic challenges. If the world, as the proponents of this point of view believe, will act separately, then very many states will not be able to cope with problems. As a result, a large number of centers of trouble will arise on the planet, both in the environmental aspect, and in the social, political. Much more than now, when the world is observing problem areas more or less together.
There are, of course, examples of globalization that would speak of achieving results in solving world problems. This is, first of all, the dissemination of environmental standards developed in leading laboratories in the world and sent to developing countries. This is the activity of international humanitarian organizations helping the people of the most economically disadvantaged regions of the world. This is the spread of technologies that make it possible to at least partially replenish the shortage of drinking water. This is the supply of regions of the world where people suffer from viral infections, drugs.
Globalization or regionalization?
A number of experts state the thesis that absolute globalization, when uniform standards in society, politics, and business envelop all countries of the world, or at least a greater number of them, is unlikely. It is more appropriate to say, analysts believe, that the current model of relations between states and nations does not gravitate toward acquiring as many signs of globality as possible. It would be more fair to speak of regionalization - that is, the unification of the efforts of states not within the entire planet, but in its individual territories.
This can be both at the political level and in the economy. A “hybrid” scenario is also possible when both are taken into account. There are well-known examples of globalization in the global economy - dollarization, an active foreign borrowing policy, and WTO standards. Not every one of them is compatible with the development of individual countries and even regions, according to analysts. For example, Russia and its closest neighbors (Kazakhstan, Belarus, Armenia) chose to create their own economic space - the Eurasian Union. In the opinion of many experts, in order to possibly protect their national economy from the costs of contact with the above global trends.
Or maybe localization?
Examples of globalization in various fields can, experts say, suggest that some of the standards adopted for a large number of countries are not very compatible with individual states. It would be much more appropriate, as an option, to divide them into those that would reflect the specifics of nations somewhat more locally. There are examples of globalization in Russia, reflecting the fact that, due to imperfection of standards designed for widespread use, it would be better, according to experts, to have local rules.
In the world, airlines belonging to the number of low-cost airlines are widespread. They sell plane tickets very cheaply. For example, if the average standard tariff between London and Berlin is about 200 euros, then the low-cost airline may well offer an option for 40 euros. In Russia in 2000, several such airlines operated simultaneously. However, not one of them was able to gain a foothold in the market. The reasons were called different - the unwillingness to take into account the specifics of the formation of demand for tickets, lack of awareness of the features of infrastructure at airports. One way or another, the low-cost airlines of the first wave could not take into account the local specifics of the Russian market. Of course, now in this segment there are new players who are likely to take into account the mistakes of their predecessors.
Let us now consider examples of globalization in individual areas.
Financial globalization
Let's start with the financial one. Since it is one of the most comprehensive components of globalization. The main flows of capital, as was estimated by a number of economists, are of international origin. Transnational financial associations are being created. The resources of the international investment market largely determine the level and pace of economic development of a large number of states.
According to some experts, business processes in almost any country in the world can be controlled by structures from abroad. Even if we talk about such great economic powers as the USA, Germany, Japan. There is a version that in the early 90s, when the Japanese economy claimed unconditional world leadership, actions were taken at the level of international structures that manage capital, which caused very big problems for the economy of this original country. As a result, this area of Japan is still in recession, according to several analysts.
Cultural globalization
If we consider a phenomenon such as globalization of culture, what kind of examples can be given in the first place? Probably, it will be, first of all, music. The peoples of the world rarely hear national melodies. More and more - motives in the manner of modern pop groups. The situation is similar with films. National cinema of many countries of the world, experts say, is not always able to withstand competition with industry formats that are set on a global level. The culture of pastime is also largely the same. Cinema, fitness centers, football, shopping - all this is popular in every country.
Globalization in society
What are some examples of globalization in the social sphere? Many experts closely link this aspect to how the education system works. That is, a model of the type "school-university-work" works in most countries of the world. Everyone knows the well-known thesis that today's world society is a consumer society. The priorities of citizens belonging to different nations and living in fairly interdependent states become similar - earn more, buy, use. In a word, to consume as often and effectively as possible.
Political globalization
Regarding this aspect, among experts there are a lot of dissimilar points of view. According to one of them, the political sphere is one of the most protected from the impact of global trends. Another suggests that there are very few national political systems, and the principles of the functioning of power around the world are based on uniform standards. But we will consider the most revealing examples of the globalization process.
First of all, this is an attitude towards political freedoms. Multiparty system, pluralism of ideas, freedom of expression of one’s own preferences and views, tolerance towards minorities are considered global standards. In so many countries, all these phenomena are.
Another example is the unification of democratic processes. This is a secret ballot, the principle of representativeness, separation of powers, parliamentarism, election debate. Appointment, resignation, impeachment procedures also constitute global standards.
Technological globalization
Another important and notable aspect of globalization is the technological one. Its practical expression can be observed everywhere. The world uses the same devices on two or three main platforms - iOS, Android, Windows, in the world of components, many corporations rule the ball virtually on a monopoly basis. If in the market of processors for PCs, for example, some time ago there was some kind of competition, now Intel is confidently leading. The same goes for software and online resources. Most people use Windows, Google, Facebook, even if there is an alternative at hand.
Globalization in Russia
What are some examples of globalization in our country? In principle, all those aspects that we noted above - the popularization of online resources, as well as the simplification of life in favor of Western standards, are to a large extent present in Russia. Institutions of power are also built in accordance with global standards: the president and parliament now exist in most countries of the world, as well as the principle of separation of powers.
Many experts believe that examples of globalization in Russia are most indicative of the economic sphere. The argument here is a huge corporate debt, which in the methodology of some economists is identified with state debt (although, strictly speaking, this is not true). The debt of Russian enterprises to international financial institutions is hundreds of billions of dollars. However, some analysts believe that further integration of the Russian economy into global processes may be difficult. Moreover, it’s far not only due to well-known political events.
The model of economic development that Russia now has, experts say, is not fully ripe for the role expected by the international partners of our country in the world. This is mainly due to the echo of socialist times. Take at least labor books - they have already been forgotten about them in most developed countries. Also, in many states there is an hourly wage rather than a salary, as in most Russian enterprises.
But there are, of course, global trends in the Russian economy, and they are not limited to external debts. What are the most illustrative examples of the globalization of economic life in Russia? This is probably an active growth of credit markets - both in the segment of individuals and organizations. And this, experts say, despite the very high, by modern standards of developed countries, bank rates.
Another example is the presence of a large number of multinational corporations in Russia and their significant role in the country's economy. In almost all segments - retail, consulting, banks, catering - everywhere there are global international brands. Even in such strategic sectors of Russia as the oil and gas industries, the role of foreign partners is noticeable. Some experts believe that in the Russian Federation, as in many Western countries, there is a business lobby in government circles. And in a sense, this is also a global trend.
The main problems of globalization
Let's consider the most characteristic problems of globalization. We have worked with examples. Among the most characteristic difficulties reflecting the process in question, experts name the following.
Threat to the sovereignty of some states
There is a thesis that many countries of the world, adopting one or another global model of development in the economy, society or in the political system, fall under the direct influence of international structures. In this connection, it is likely that state sovereignty, independent decision-making by the authorities may suffer.
Inequality in resource allocation
In many cases, states, according to analysts, are unable to agree on equal access in relation to certain preferences.These may be natural resources, territories, investment flows. In this case, acting globally, states in some cases adhere to local interests.
Dissatisfaction with society
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