1. Globalization
What is It?
March 20th, 2003

2. Aspects of Globalization
multifaceted
economic integration
cultural integration
political integration
each of these strands are interconnected

3. Aspects of Globalization
economic integration
increased trade flows
increased capital mobility
increased integration of production processes
creation of economic regions
EU, NAFTA

4. Aspects of Globalization
cultural integration
greater cross-national transmission of cultures
cultural homogenization
cultural hybridization

5. Aspects of Globalization
political integration
creation of new political arrangements between independent countries
e.g. European Union

6. Causes of Globalization
globalization not automatic
advanced technology (esp. ICTs) have enabled globalization – have not caused globalization
globalization also the result of political choices to pursue greater integration
these choices are not neutral
create winners and losers (both among and within countries)

7. Causes of Globalization
causes are multi-faceted and self-reinforcing
cultural integration generates demands for economic integration
economic integration requires cultural integration (to develop markets)
cultural and economic integration may generate demands for political integration

8. Impact of Globalization
borders become more porous
increasing cross-border flows of people, capital, culture, ideas and problems
interdependence broadens and deepens
“Globalization...means an ever larger and more demanding international agenda, more engagement by countries in each other’s affairs over matters farther and farther behind each other’s borders, and, even among friends, more collisions of interest.” Jessica Matthews, Estranged Partners

9. Impact of Globalization
may weaken domestic policy latitude of governments
direct constraints of international agreements
e.g. tariffs, subsidies, national treatment, investor protection
indirect constraints resulting from economic integration
e.g. competition for capital/high-skilled labour and the “race to the bottom”

10. Impact of Globalization
power flows up, down and out from the nation-state
up to supra-national institutions
e.g. NAFTA, EU, WTO, IMF
down to sub-national governments
national levels of government more restricted by globalization than sub-national levels
out
multinational corporations
international non-governmental organizations (NGOs)

11. Democratic Implications of Globalization – Factual Questions
to what degree is policy latitude of government limited
e.g. cross-national policy harmonization
to what degree are constraints the result of external factors (e.g. supranational institutions & agreements, capital mobility)?
argument that governments are not as constrained as often appears
democratic governments often use the argument of powerlessness
willingly accept constraints and do not challenge them but use them to justify inaction
Linda McQuaig, The Cult of Impotence.
Linda Weiss, The Myth of the Powerless State.
if there is policy harmonization, to what degree is it the result of demands of voting public?
e.g. result of cultural interpenetration

12. Democratic Implications of Globalization – Philosophical Questions
philosophical counter-arguments
if democratically-elected governments agree to accept these limits, are they counter-democratic?
is it a concern if policy simply reflects public preferences?
depend on the model of democracy one is using!!!

13. Democratic Implications of Globalization
liberal democrats
may accept the constraints on governments posed by globalization if these constraints are seen to increase the freedom of individuals
majoritarian democrats
if globalization decreases the room for mass participation, it is negative
concerned with limits on governmental power to pursue general welfare
concerned about the democratic deficit caused by supra-national agreements and institutions

14. Democratic Implications of Globalization
elite democrats
globalization is positive to the degree that it is judged to contribute to the general welfare
e.g. better standard of living, higher economic performance, etc.
globalization is negative to the degree that it constrains the government’s pursuit of the general welfare
requires weighing both factors

15. Main Points!
globalization is not automatic – it is a political project
globalization is not neutral – it generates winners and losers
within countries and between countries
relationship with democracy is complex
some models see globalization as undermining democracy
however, not all models of democracy see globalization necessarily as counter-democratic