Perspectives on Globalisation (Week 8)

Question 1

What are the 7 Perspectives on Globalisation?

Answer 1

1. Marxist view
2. Wallerstein’s World Systems Theory
3. Feminist view
4. Post modernist view
5. Hyper-Globalist view
6. Global sceptic view
7. Transformationalist view

Question 2

Perspective 1

Traditional Marxist Approach

Answer 2

• Marx - the capitalist system in Britain was already operating globally.
• Marx’s writings from mid 19th century contain ideas about globalisation
• Marx predicted capitalism would continue to become a global system and it would develop beyond national boundaries.
• He predicted - growing division between bourgeoise and proletariat
• Capitalism expands beyond national borders
• Cheap labour
• New markets
• Raw materials
• Workers around the world are exploited for profit

Question 3

Perspective 2

Wallerstein’s World Systems theory

Answer 3

• globalisation is a long-term historical process that has led to development of a global capitalist economic system
• The world is one global capitalist system
• Countries are connected through unequal economic relationships
• does not benefit all countries equally
• global systems and networks are politically and economically interdependent
• The world system is dynamic (countries/regions move around within it)

Question 4

Perspective 2: Wallerstein’s World systems theory

What are the 3 Types of regions?

Answer 4

1. Core regions - most developed countries, strong governments, highly developed industrial base, control global trade and finance e.g. US, Western Europe, Japan
2. Periphery regions - underdeveloped countries, unequal relationship with core regions, weak governments, source raw materials, sources of labour e.g. Bangladesh, Africa, South Asia
3. Semi-Periphery regions - countries aspiring to core membership or former core members whose economy has declined or stalled, exploit the periphery, still exploited themselves e.g. China, Brazil, India

Question 5

Perspective 3

Feminist view

Answer 5

• Focuses on challenges women and other groups face due to globalisation
• Focus on Intersectionality
• believe women everywhere face systematic disadvantage
• globalisation increases gender inequality
• exploits women’s labour
• reinforces patriarchal systems

Question 6

Perspective 3: Feminism

Examples of Womens employment & Global Inequality

Rana Plaza - Bangladesh

Answer 6

• Women often employed in garment factories where work is low paid, poor working conditions.
• In 2013, Rana Plaza in Dakar, Bangladesh collapsed. more than 1,000 workers died.
• Employment of women seen as a step forward in patriarchal societies where opportunites for women have been non-existent.

Question 7

Perspective 3: Feminism

Hochschild - Global Care Chains

Answer 7

Global Care chains: exchange of services around the world.
* Families in developed countries pay others to care for their children.
* demand for domestic workers filled by migrant women from less economically developed countries.
* women often send their earnings to their family in their home country.
* This money is called - Remittances

Question 8

Perspective 4

Postmodernist view

Answer 8

• Globalisation seen as a development associated with postmodernism
• expansion of internet and social media.
• meta-narratives no longer apply
• Globalisation itself is a meta-narrative
• globalisation is not a single process but many changes
• Leads to hyridity and diversity rather than homogenisation.
• There is no single global story
• Globalisation is fragmented and uneven
• People actively choose identities

Question 9

Perspective 5

Hyper-Globalist view (Optimistic)

Answer 9

• globalisation is a positive process
• economic growth
• increasing prosperity and democracy
• Removal of free trade + capitalism in LEDCs will help them move out of poverity > economic growth
• Globalisation restricts power of nation states
• Globalisation helps capitalism expand > spreads opportunity and wealth
• Leads to freer movement of goods and enterprises = more jobs > wealth going to poorest countries

Question 10

Perspective 5: Hyper-Globalist view

What are “Structural Adjustment programmes” (SAPs)

Neo-Liberalism

Answer 10

• neo-liberal policies that developing nations can be made to accept as a condition of receiving financial/other support (AID)
• involve: Privitisation, reduced government spending, deregulation
• run by TNCs e.g. The World Bank
• TNCs bring jobs to LEDCs and encourage people to live a western life
• Hyper-globalists see a homogenous global lifestyle as a good thing
• Critics - Marxists + feminists argue SAPs increase poverty, cut public services, harm women the most

Question 11

Perspective 6

The Global Sceptic view

Answer 11

• globalisation benefits richer countries more
• helps richer countries maintain their dominant position
• Reject neo-liberal ideas - see it as a form of cultural imperialism - poorer nations at risk of losing distinctive cultures
• Globalisation is exaggerated
• Increases inequality
• See globalisation as serving western interests

Question 12

Perspecitive 7

Transformationalism

Answer 12

• globalisation is very complex
• It includes contradictory trends
• Globalisation can be controlled and so can be steered in positive directions
• Focus on positive aspects of traditional and modern combining to make new cultural forms
• It reshapes societies in different ways
• Nation states still matter but their role is changing
• balanced, middle-ground view

Question 13

Perspective 1

Marxism & Inequality

Answer 13

Marxists argue that:
* Rich countries gain most from globalisation
* Poor countries are kept dependent
* first created by colonialism
* now maintained through neo-colonialism and global capitalism

Question 14

Perspective 3 - feminists

What work is women over-represented?

Feminisation of labour

Answer 14

• Garment factories
• Domestic work
• Informal labour
• low paid
• Unsafe
• Insecure