Introduction
Literally, globalization is an ongoing process that has the capability of transforming a regional or local phenomenon into an absolute global one and in the process of doing so helps in unifying the people of our world so that they can prosper and function together. Although the process of globalization combines a number of political, social, cultural, technological, and mainly economic forces, it is often referred to as economic globalization since it integrates the various national economies of the world into a unified international entity by spreading technologies, migration, foreign investments, trade, and capital flows.
Over time, globalization has changed our world permanently and day by day its pace is quickening, making its substantial effects on business organizations a continuous one. Since the Second World War, due to the process of contemporary globalization, world leaders, mainly the western nations have tried to break down borders that hamper international trade. This ultimately encouraged and increased interdependence and prosperity among the various nations so that any chance of future wars can be eliminated. However, it appears today that these forces along with other significant economic powers are setting forward to establish hegemony through globalization. Thus, different aspects of globalization are needed to be evaluated in order to analyze this hegemony of significant economic powers.
Discussion
The process of globalization essentially causes market integration and also causes expansion in the world market universalizing both economic freedom and capitalism. Even before the First World War foreign investments and trade were moderately globalized. (Steger 2002) Also after the First World War, due to the presence of lesser political obstacles to the labor markets and international migration, the presence of globalization was far reached. During the First Era of Globalisation, most of the economically irrational European nations, like Britain, completely disturbed the world economy by their continental conquests and imperialism resulting in an extremely costly war that continued for 4 years. (Steger 2003) Many of the characteristics of globalization that make up our present era, like flourishing trade and rising superpower, are very similar to the form of globalization that was there in the early 20th century. (Stiglitz 2002)To a certain extent, the process of globalization has created an atmosphere of hegemony where a single great power rules over our new international economic system and also serves as our sole security provider. Thus, undeniably the earlier eras of globalization have a number of similarities and parallel with our current era of the contemporary globalization process and it is evident that globalization is effecting good influence in creating hegemony.
It can well be stated that the process of westernization appears to be an inevitable force and there is no means of stopping it. Many analysts view today’s global economy as the completion of the dream of developing a “Global Village.” The evidence of the influence of this “Global Village” is seen almost all over the world (Mander 1996). For instance, travelers will generally see multi-lane highways and concrete cities everywhere. In these cities, there would be fast-food restaurants and people walking with their cellular phones. Even in the farthest and most remote areas of the world, most people are familiar with concepts like Barbie and Baywatch (Stiglitz 2006). The world thus appears to be becoming increasingly more united. However, the more united it becomes, the more Westernized the world itself seems to be. This creates a world through globalization that is deeply influenced by the western hegemonic approach.
There appears to be a concept growing in the Eastern societies that the West is far superior and third world countries have for many generations, since the Second World War, been attempting to modernize, in the model of the West, in order to catch up with the West (Cantor, 2001). Becoming influenced by the West also seems to provide these countries with a view that they would certainly be accepted by the United States, the strongest country in the world and the most dominant hegemonic force. This ensures them a harmonious position in the world. The more these nations are closer to the United States, the more they are likely to be accepted into the global framework (O’Riordan 2001). The westernization of these third-world countries, therefore, seems to assume that the diversity of various cultures alongside differing values and beliefs created chaos, and by discarding these differences, they will no longer exist, and everybody will be able to get along.
However, this assumption has created a horrible consequence. Villages, rural communities, and their age-old traditions and customs all around the globe are being discarded and removed in large-scale destruction of tradition (Kiely and Marfleet 2005). The globalizing market, therefore, forces the destruction and removal of tradition and history, removing cultures that have been present for thousands of years (Bhagwati 2004). Regardless of this fact, the spread of consumer monoculture, and with it the approach of a hegemonic force through globalization, appears to be never-ending.
But the fact remains and it is important to remember that in many other areas of the world, schooling was used as the main reason why western cultures should come in and revise the values of the eastern and third world regions (Smith 2007).
This concept proved to be very effective in destroying much cultural tradition and self-esteem by providing the culture with new needs and values it needed to meet. This, for the most part, has undermined most traditional cultures. In present-day society, the destruction of traditional cultures in order to initiate them into the global monoculture is more subtle than it was in the past. Most corporate and government leaders do not intend to destruct traditional cultures; for the most part, they are often unaware that they are doing so (James 2006).
This lack of realization seems to be nurtured by the cult of specialization which is ever-present in western society. This allows for the tendency to destroy the cultural diversity of the world in an effort to spread and expand the concept of a hegemonic force through westernization.
Regardless of whether or not the concepts and approach of the development toward westernization are, in fact, more subtle than in previous generations, the effects of the destruction of cultural diversity are still more devastating. The computer and technology revolution of the past twenty years has given executives even more reason to disrupt and destroy cultural diversity, attempting to, without, in fact, considering how these revisions affect each society (Waters 2004). Thus, technology today threatens to undermine cultural diversity even more, as the hope for westernization continues to grow and create a hegemonic force through globalization.
The process of contemporary globalization has exerted this hegemonic control for establishing our modern globalized economy. This contemporary globalization process has a reach beyond that of the territorial boundaries of our countries and it now comprises ideological, technological, and various market forces. Globalization implies a hegemonic status, which flows from an unprecedented power impacting the ideological connotation and operative logic of the rest of the world. (Stiglitz 2006)The process of globalization implies a stretching of economic, political, and social activities such that the activities, decisions, and events taking place in a hegemonic nation affect the rest of the world. Today, contemporary globalization flourishes due to reliable, fast, and inexpensive transportation, technological and communication advances.
Today, these economic and hegemonic powers are in a position of complete economic and military dominance while the other nations of the world are struggling to overcome the recession they are faced with. Hegemony has been anchored in these economical superpowers under the United States of America which is the largest economy in our world today and will keep on growing due to its unparalleled military supremacy and control over the international information technology industry. (Mander 1996)
Conclusion
Given the influence of the major economic powers on globalization and its hegemonic form over other nations, we may be faced with a danger where other independent voices are not given any attention making globalization a mere genteelism for the anxieties, aspirations, and perceptions of only one country. As said earlier, the hegemony present in the structure of the economic powers is mainly based on their financial and military forces and we know that economic power gains effect from the increased rate of globalization. Thus, it can be stated that there is a development towards economy-oriented hegemony with the advance of globalization. As a result, it is evident that globalization has a tendency to move towards a hegemonic power system and it is most relevant in the modern era.
References
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