Criticisms of globalization
Criticism of globalization is skepticism of the claimed benefits of the globalization of capitalism. Many of these views are held by the anti-globalization movement however other groups also are critical of the policies of globalization. Claus Leggewie has divided the critics into six groups: leftists, radical leftists, the academic left, reformers from the business world, critics with a religious base and right-winged opponents.[1]
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[edit] Economic effects
[edit] Poverty
Although there has been a big decrease in the percentage of people in developing countries living below $1 per day in East Asia, some regions – notably sub-saharan Africa – has only seen a slight decrease in poverty rates.[2] Kofi Annan responded to this criticism: "But let me hasten to add that, at present, only a relatively small number of countries are enjoying these gains. Many millions of people are excluded, left behind in squalor not because they have been exposed to too much globalization but because they have had too little or none at all."[3]
[edit] Income disparity
Increases in income disparity has occurred over the last 20 years.[4] In the USA the income of the top 50% has risen to a much greater extent than the income of the bottom 50% of American citizens which has risen only slightly over the last forty years.[5]
[edit] Environmental effects
[edit] Water
Globalization has not brought about beneficial effects for the world's poorest countries. In these countries availability of clean water has decreased between 1990 and 2000 in both urban and rural setting.[6]
[edit] Infectious diseases
Infectious diseases such as SARS and Ebola have traveled throughout the world due to increased world trade and tourism.[7]
[edit] Invasive organisms
The spread of invasive organisms has been accelerated by globalization.[7]
[edit] Social effects
[edit] Loss of languages
Languages are going extinct at a rapid rate and this is predicted to continue and attributed to globalization.[8]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ "Strength in Numbers for Globalization's Critics". http://yaleglobal.yale.edu/content/strength-numbers-globalizations-critics.
- ^ "iresearch.worldbank.org". http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/jsp/index.jsp.
- ^ SECRETARY-GENERAL, IN HAVANA ON EVE OF FIRST ‘GROUP OF 77’ SUMMIT MEETING, EVOKES PROMISES AND PITFALLS OF GLOBALIZATION, UN press release 12 April 2000
- ^ Joyce, Mary (1999). "The Inequality Paradox: Growth of Income Disparity - Review | Monthly Labor Review | Find Articles at BNET". Monthly Labor Review. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1153/is_4_122/ai_55010251.
- ^ "File:United States Income Distribution 1967-2003.svg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:United_States_Income_Distribution_1967-2003.svg.
- ^ "Safe Drinking Water". WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme, 2001.. http://www.unicef.org/specialsession/about/sgreport-pdf/03_SafeDrinkingWater_D7341Insert_English.pdf.
- ^ a b Nikiforuk, Andrew (2007). Pandemonium: how globalization and trade are putting the world at risk. Brisbane]: University of Queensland Press. ISBN 0-7022-3618-7. http://books.google.ca/books?id=5yv9lWaJOfsC&dq=pandemonium&cad=0.
- ^ Cronin, Michael (2003). Translation and globalization. New York: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-27065-0. http://books.google.ca/books?id=90f40mo7U8MC&pg=PA141&dq=Extinction+of+Languages+globalizing.
