POLITICAL GLOBALIZATION: CHARACTERISTICS AND CONSEQUENCES - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

Political globalization is one of the facets that the globalization phenomenon has offered in recent years. The transfer of powers from national governments to supranational organizations, attempts to create international justice and the increase in migration are some of the characteristics of this phenomenon.

Despite the fact that globalization has an eminently economic nature, it cannot be forgotten that politics is behind many decisions. The liberalization of the market or the elimination of tariffs are determined from the spheres of political power, although with great influence from large companies.

The consequences of this process are being very different. Faced with the alleged blurring of borders to put an end to nationalisms, numerous movements are emerging that precisely seek to return to more national structures.

There is no doubt that political globalization has both advantages and disadvantages. Being a phenomenon that is still developing, it is difficult to predict that it will weigh more at the end of the road.

characteristics

Decentralization of power

The first characteristic of political globalization is the creation of supranational organizations that assume part of the power that, traditionally, have been exercised by national governments. This amounts to a loss of sovereignty on the part of the States.

Greater international cooperation

This facet of globalization attempts to increase international cooperation to address issues that a single country would find difficult to resolve.

A great example is the fight against global warming; Any action to develop policies to stop it requires the participation of as many countries as possible.

Likewise, this cooperation translates into agreements to alleviate hunger in parts of the planet or to try to stop armed conflicts.

Search for universal justice

In recent years, several international tribunals have been created to try especially serious crimes, such as genocides or the actions of certain dictators.

Among these judicial instances are the Criminal Court of The Hague or the one dedicated to the war crimes of the former Yugoslavia.

The fundamental element for this system to work is that the States recognize their authority, and some of them (especially the great powers) are not willing to lose sovereignty.

Avoid conflicts

The organizations that emerged from this globalizing facet have tried to avoid war conflicts throughout the world. From the European Union to various UN agencies have this mission, although its success has been quite limited to date.

Free trade

Although this characteristic enters fully into the economic field, it was governments that began to implement it worldwide. In this way, trade agreements between various countries have been constant in recent times.

The fundamental point is to eliminate any tariff barriers (import and export taxes) so that trade can flow freely.

Consequences

The advance of political globalization has had consequences that are still developing, so it is difficult to point them out one hundred percent. In any case, you can point out some that are quite important.

Increase in ultranationalist groups

Despite the fact that, supposedly, globalization should mean the disappearance of borders, in many parts of the planet the consequence is being just the opposite.

On the one hand, various sectors of the population seem to consider that the new centers of power, which are supranational, are far removed from the real problems of society.

The loss of sovereignty of national governments and dissatisfaction with some of the effects of economic globalization are causing the emergence of strong ultranationalist movements.

These groups, which have even reached power in certain European countries, advocate a return to strong states, recovering powers ceded to international organizations. Likewise, they defend a return to the traditions of each country.

Migration

Emigration from less developed countries has grown a lot in recent years. Some authors blame this on the failure of globalization, which, in theory, should favor economic growth in these countries.

Leaving aside the economic plane, some defenders of globalization pointed out that it was going to bring democracy to certain areas of the planet, pacifying and stabilizing them.

The reality is that this has not happened and that, even, some of those attempts have ended up being counterproductive.

Loss of power of democratically elected bodies

As previously mentioned, national governments have transferred part of their powers to international organizations; but the power of multinationals or pressure groups has also grown, which today have great decision-making capacity.

Better formed and more cosmopolitan citizenship

Among the positive aspects it is worth noting that access to education has grown worldwide. Today, literacy levels have increased like never before in history.

New technologies have also had a lot to do with making information available to everyone. The Internet has meant that knowledge is also globalized.

Finally, despite the ultranationalist growth, there is a majority of the population (at least in the West) with a more cosmopolitan conception of the world.

Expansion of human rights

Political globalization has achieved that human rights have reached a large part of the planet. Tolerance for different sexual, political or social options has been imposed in a good part of societies.

Advantage

- One of the main advantages of political globalization is that it has promoted a change in legislation, both national and international, to encourage aspects such as cooperation, the fight against climate change and trade.

- The great technological development has caused that human relations have been strengthened. Access to information is greater than ever.

- This constant exchange of experiences and ways of life has increased tolerance. Moral values ​​have been globalized, leaving behind some prejudices; in this way, ethics has become universal

Disadvantages

- A more or less visible confrontation is taking place between the conception of politics as something belonging to the States and those demanded by supranational organizations. This causes tensions that affect the population, which does not feel represented by those distant organs.

- Part of the population also fear that their national identity and culture will be erased. This is not only happening in developing countries, but in some areas of Europe where there is a renaissance of nationalist options.

- The most pessimistic authors warn of the risk that political globalization, together with economic globalization, causes the appearance of neo-colonialism or neo-imperialism. Instead of dominating by arms, there would be cultural or economic control by the great powers.

References

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