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GLOBALIZATION or ISOLATIONISM

Page history last edited by Evelyn Targonski 14 years, 3 months ago

 

Globalization                                                                                     isoLATIONism

 

 

   Globalization and Isolationism are two ideals used in economies nation and worldwide. According to the Yara International ASA, Globalization is the increasing integration of economies and societies around the world, transcending the boundaries of the nation state, particularly through international trade and the flow of capital, ideas and people, the transfer of culture and technology, and the development of transnational regulations(Yara Glossary, 2007), while according to Merriam-Webster dictionary Isolationism is a policy of national isolation by abstention from alliances and other international political and economic relations (Isolationism, 2009). These two economic standards are considered to be complete opposites and are practiced widespread all throughout nations on every corner of the world. Each ideal has many pros and cons that affect the countries that practice them. Although globalization has been known to diversify economies, it has the problem of outsourcing foreign workers which may take away native workers jobs causing a decline in the employment rate and may ultimately support illegal immigration. Globalization also promotes differentiation, contestation, and institutionalization. Isolationism also has many benefits to society. Isolationism in the United States dates back to the colonial days, and its viewpoint has been held by many founding fathers such as George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. Both Globalization and Isolationism have played key roles in affecting society over many years and still continue to play a role in economic stand points of countries all over the world.    

     An early form of globalization is found in early history in ages such as the Hellenistic Age. During that time, trade was widespread and because of that, the first idea of a globalized culture surfaced. The Age of Discovery played a big part in globalization also. Once again, the massive trade developments during this time changed globalization and gave it a new meaning and connected the Eastern and Western hemispheres.   

 

         As time progressed, globalization and trade strengthened and was a way of life. Now Europeans could enjoy luxuries that were not made or grown in their homeland. People could enjoy goods that were made on the other side of the planet.  

         Wars were breaking points in globalization’s steady rise. Citizens had to face shortages in certain items that were imported from countries they were at war with. After the war, life returned to normal.  

World War II was the last major war meaning it was the last break in globalization. Since then,  

globalization still exists because of politicians wanting to promote interdependence and increase prosperity to lower the chances of future wars. Part of that process includes developing organizations that would aide the spread of globalization (Wikipedia, 2009).   

 

     With this spread of globalization came various effects on the world. Cultures and ideas have been changed globally. These changes have either had a beneficial effect or had a negative effect.  

 

 It is feared that globalization will decrease the status of women as a result of the integration of world culture into a nation. However, many women's rights activists predict that globalization will increase gender equality.

 

     Many people are opposed to globalization because it could cause environmental problems. The importing of goods uses more fuel than if the products were produced in the same country (Globalization: Threat to the Environment, 2003).    

     One of the biggest issues surrounding globalization is the outsourcing of labor to foreign countries. Foreign trade and the outsourcing of jobs reduce the number of jobs in a country, as many nations are using cheaper foreign labor. This causes layoffs, pay cuts, and a higher employment rate, and as a result the economy weakens and could go into a recession or even a depression. 

     Globalization may be reducing the cultural diversity of the world. As commercial products become more widespread, the lines around cultures become blurred, especially as American culture extends to the corners of the world. A global monoculture is fast becoming apparent: smoggy cities, traffic, and crime, complete with images of American commercial product slogans plastered on practically every billboard. Coca-Cola can be found on every continent, excluding Antarctica. It is a staple of the economy in many countries. Even in the far corners of Africa, a large part of the economy centers around Coca-Cola. 

     Languages and dialects are losing speakers daily, and many of the world's almost 7,000 languages are disappearing fast as more and more people begin using more widespread languages.   

            Most Americans are in favor of globalization. They see globalization as the world becoming more connected and intertwined, and therefore a better place to live. However, a percentage of Americans see the process of becoming intertwined with other countries as a weakness, and therefore they do not support it.  

            Globalization will also make the spread of diseases more common. As products are shipped worldwide, germs and disease in packages and on equipment will spread to their destination. If proper care is not taken, a worldwide pandemic could break out. Terrorists could possibly use this to their advantage in biological warfare in the near future.  

    American culture in particular is becoming worldwide. It's getting harder and harder to find a city that doesn't feature at least some aspect of an Americanized lifestyle. Walk down a street inTokyo and you'll see advertisements for Nike and Adidas. A taxi ride through Rio de Janeiro will pass at least one McDonald's. English is becoming one of the world's most prominent languages. 

     American culture, too, is taking a hit. As illegal immigrants from Mexico pour over the border, Spanish is becoming a major language. Cities like Miami are becoming chiefly Latino. 

     However, one can also argue that globalization promotes cultural diversity. Diversity itself is valued worldwide, and a spread of ideas incites resistance. Local traditions can take new ideas, reshape them, and use them to develop and enrich their lives in a way suitable for their own culture. Though the culture may not remain the same, it retains its traditions and values. This is what many isolated countries don't realize, and as a result they reject new ideas (Lechner, 2001-02).    

 

            One of the most historically profound incidents of isolationism is the doctrine that was implemented on December 2, 1823 by President James Monroe, the Monroe Doctrine.  President Monroe addressed Congress on this day about the United States’ policy on developing the rest of the Americas and the European countries involvement in Western Hemisphere affairs.  This policy became known as the Monroe Doctrine that was little considered by European countries

, but was a doctrine that affected U.S. foreign policy largely for years.  Monroe, along with his Secretary of State John Quincy Adams, created a doctrine that was isolationistic in its basic form.  The doctrine consisted of three major concepts:  European countries should not interfere with the affairs of the Americas and vice versa, no colonization, and non-interference policies.  One of the reasons the Monroe doctrine was created was to symbolize an official break and distinction between the New World and Europe. 

 

 

 The doctrine stated that the European world could not expand or interfere with the newly independent Latin American countries and possible U.S. territories.  The reason for this from the United States’ perspective came partially from wanting/needing to expand trade to Southern American countries and to keep foreign hands out of the riches of the Americas.  In particular, Spain and France where two countries that the United States worried about coming back and trying to re-colonize Latin American countries that had just gotten independence from European rules.  Russia’s expansions also worried the U.S. because of their very close proximity to the Americas.  The British also tried to join in on this policy to limit the power of their neighboring rivals.  John Quincy Adams however shot down the idea immediately stating that cooperation with Great Britain could limit the United States growth and also because of the tension between the two countries from the Revolutionary War

.  Therefore the United States stated their doctrine alone as a unilateral statement that was to be honored by other countries.

 

  

 

 Monroe outlined two separate spheres of influence: the Americas and Europe. The independent lands of the Western Hemisphere would be solely the United States' domain and at the same time the U.S. would not interfere with European affairs, war, and expansion.  This included the then current struggle of the Greeks to separate themselves from the Ottoman Empire and also to not interfere with the European colonies currently in America.  The isolationistic concept of the Monroe Doctrine stayed as the United States’ major policy until after World War II when the U.S. became more involved in global affairs and has been ever since.  The doctrine combined with Manifest Destiny allowed the U.S. to expand during the mid 1800s.  Also in the late 1800s, the economic and military standings of the United States allowed the Monroe Doctrine to be implemented even further to isolate the U.S. even further from the Old World.  Nowadays though the United States is the center for globalization in the world and has created trade bonds and diplomatic agreements with so many nations that the modern world has truly become globalized.  (Monroe Doctrine, n.d.)

 

  

 

"The American continents are henceforth not to be considered as subjects for future colonization by any European powers." – President James Monroe

  

 

          One of the largest reasons why isolationism is not liked by people is because it restricts a country’s economic and cultural growth.  With a lack of exporting and importing that is limited by socialism, the economy of a country is hard pressed to advance itself without any external trade.  Also culturally a nation without influences from other surrounding nations will not advance culturally as fast as one who is globalized.   Another reason why isolationism is not preferably smiled on today is that it puts countries in unfavorable situations such as WWII.  Back then when the U.S. was still following the Monroe Doctrine, they did not take action during WWII in an effort to try and separate the Eastern Hemisphere from the Western one.  This, however, did not prove to be advantageous for they were brought into the war very abrupt and harshly with the bombing of Pearl Harbor

.  The largest pro for isolationism, separation from the conflicts of other countries, did not succeed for the United States.  Isolationism failed its purpose of separation in WWII and fails it today because in a modern world in which any person can get from one spot on the planet to another in 24-hours the idea of separation is dim-witted and unrealistic.

 

 

          A large pro for isolationism however is the lack of reliance on the economy and political state of other countries affecting your countries prosperity and economic status.  This isolation from world affairs can be very good in a global time of economic turmoil because while the rest of the world may be falling apart, the country that implements isolationism may not.  This separation can also be good in times when there are wars and political unease amongst other countries.  These events do not affect a country that implements isolationism in nearly as large a scale as one who does not.  One country that has advantaged from an isolationistic policy is China.  Modern day China is originated from one of the oldest civilizations in mankind and has kept its power and solitude by isolating themselves.  Though ancient China had always had an isolationistic view and their very geographical location made interactions with the rest of the world very difficult, the major step for isolationism in ancient China occurred during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) under the rule of Emperor Wu.  Wu decided that after the Yuan dynasty’s decision to open up China to the rest of the world, he would quickly shut off that connection.  Wu ended most diplomatic and trade relations and built up the Great Wall of China

to create an even higher level of separation for China from the rest of the world.  During the Ming Dynasty, China conquered parts of Turkestan, Korea, Mongolia, Vietnam and Myanmar.  This act of isolation also preserved China in a cocoon of solitude and peace from the rest of the world that sustained itself for many years.  Today the emerging China butterfly is showing up to be one of the largest powers in the world and much of that is due to their previous policy of isolationism.  (A Brief History of China, n.d.)

 

 

     Globalization and Isolationism each hold many different characteristics within their overall concepts and practices. Although each are very different, both have greatly affected many aspects of society such as trade, employment rate, and diversification within the economy. Each concept hold many pros and cons including the reliance on self- employment and a self driven ecomony or one driven and affected by another nation and their economy. It difficult  and almost impossible to decide which ideal offers the most benefits because both Globalization and Isolationism offer their own pros to economies and help nations in their own individual ways. No matter which side is preferred, it is clear that both practices have effected history worldwide and still continue to play a part in society today.

 

 

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References

A Brief History of China. (n.d.). Retrieved December 11, 2009 from Beijing China World: http://www.kinabaloo.com/​h1.html.

 

Definitions and Characteristics of Globalization? (2006). Retrieved October 09, 2009 from geographyalltheway: http://www.geographyalltheway.com/ib_geography/ib_globalization/ definitions_globalization.htm.

 

Globalization. (2009). Retrieved November 19, 2009 from Wikipedia, Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/​globalization.

        

Globalization: Threat to the Environment. (2003).Retrieved from http://www.freeessays.cc/db/26/hal10.shtml.

 

Isolationism. (2009). In Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. Retrieved December 11, 2009, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/isolationism

 

"Isolationism (Issue)." Gale Encyclopedia of U.S. Economic History. The Gale Group Inc. 1999. Retrieved November 20, 2009 from http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3406400468.html.

       

Lechner, F. (2000-2001). The Globalization website.. Retrieved from http://www.sociology.emory.edu/globalization/issues.html. 

 

Monroe Doctrine, 1823. (n.d.). Retrieved November 21, 2009 from U.S. Department of State: http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/time/jd/16321.htm.

 

Yara Glossary. (2007). Retrieved October 09, 2009 from Yara International ASA, Corporate Citizenship Review 2007: http://citizenship.yara.com/en/resources/glossary/ index.html.

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