What is Globalization?

Question: What is the truest definition of Globalization?

Answer: Princess Diana's death

Question: How come?

Answer: An English princess with an Egyptian boyfriend crashes in a French tunnel, driving a German car with a Dutch engine, driven by a Belgian who was drunk on Scottish whiskey, followed closely by Italian Paparazzi, on

Japanese motorcycles. Treated by an American doctor, using Brazilian medicines! And this is sent to you by a Canadian, using Bill Gates' technology and you are probably reading this on one of the IBM clones that use

Taiwanese-made chips, and Korean-made monitors, assembled by Bangladeshi workers in a Singapore plant, transported by lorries driven by Indians, hijacked by Indonesians, unloaded by Sicilian longshoremen, trucked by

Mexican illegal aliens, and finally sold to you.

That, my friend, is Globalization! Globalization – the growing integration of economies and societies around the world – has been one of the most hotly-debated topics in international economics over the past few years.

Rapid growth and poverty reduction in China, India, and other countries that were poor 20 years ago, has been a positive aspect of globalization.

But globalization has also generated significant international opposition over concerns that it has increased inequality and environmental degradation.

Globalization: Global Village or Global Pillage?

a) Globalization ensures that developing countries that are ruled by authoritarian figures cannot completely control the information that flow into the country. Therefore globalization can encourage open political debate and spread democracy. Do you feel this is a positive or negative side to Globalization?

b) Globalization has led to the spread of medical technology. The inability of Africa to fight the spread of AIDS (which cannot be cured) as well as other disease that can be cured due to a lack of medical facilities and money has made international news the past decades. With millions of people in Africa dieing from these diseases is Globalization the answer? Would you support the outsourcing of jobs from Canada to Africa knowing that medical technology would follow with Globalization?

c) Supporters of Globalization have stated that Globalization encourages world peace as it exposes countries to foreign cultures. Do you feel this exposure to culture is positive for the world? d) Critics have argued that overall Globalization is positive for the world’s economy. If businesses are successful then they will employ people and invest money into the world economy. Overall do you feel Globalization hurts or hinders the economy of the world? What about the economy of Canada? Consider NAFTA when discussing the Canadian economy. e) What affect does Globalization have on Canadian society overall? Are the benefits to the economy more important then the effect on society? f) Globalization leads to the spread of English language and American culture. Is this positive for the world? How does this counter the idea of exposing the world to foreign cultures? g) The World Bank and the World Trade Organization have come to the fore front of world power since World War II. These organizations now have the power that for years was left up to elected governments. The WTO and The World Bank make decisions that affect the lives of millions of people. In the world of globalization is it ok to leave these important decisions to business men, bankers, investors who are not accountable to an elected population?

Please select 4 topics and respond to each with a 1/2 page response.