CGS 1022G Introduction To Globalization

Roots of colonialism can be traced back in the history, as this approach of lesser civilization was introduced for the advantage of the western societies. In colonialism, instead of exercising the control on economy, the actual aim of the rulers is to influence the local people and also their culture by imposing the structure of civilization on them. With the time approach related to colonialism was changed such as imperialism, imperialism of free trade, new form of imperialism and how it has known as the globalization. Cultural globalization deals with the transmission of ideas, meanings, and values across the globe. In other words, cultures are moving beyond the borders and boundaries. Dominant powers across the globe use the tool of cultural globalization in terms of controlling the economy, education, eating habits up to some extent. However, it must be noted that colonialism is not pre-dominant in nay part of world but still control exercised by the dominant countries across the globe can be seen through the concept of cultural globalization (Javed, 2014).

This paper discuss the statement “Postcolonial critics argue that contemporary globalization is merely the latest stage in a long history of oppression and exploitation by Western nations, and that the idea of “global citizenship” is just another way for the West to impose its values on the rest of the world”. The main aim of this paper is to evaluate the historical concept of colonialism and globalization, and also the similarity in the ideologies of both the approaches. Additionally, by using the different examples of nations and multinational organizations, this assignment tries to find the economic and social influences between the colonialism and globalization in the behaviour of suppressor and oppressor. In other words, this paper mainly researched the term neo-colonialism and also some recent examples related to expansion and discrimination in different countries.

Globalization is defined as form of colonialism, which mainly prevents the development related to third world countries. Both the terms also share some historical phenomena and share few similarities. During the period of 17^th century, basic framework of colonialism was prevented by powerful countries of West, and this framework also includes the concept of free trade. In this oppressed countries were pressurized to consume the goods that were made or brought by the colonialists, and because of this all these countries lose their own productivity. This result in high profits for the colonialists and also the misuse of their societies, but at similar time it exploits the people of oppressed countries (Arnett, 2002).

This term globalization is originated in the year 1960 and became famous during the period of 1990s. However, ideology of this approach is much older, relied in the era of 19^th century. It spread because of the enhancing facilities of the communication, technology, and transportation. Individuals and countries respond completely differently in terms of globalization, as it had the stronger impacts on the richer countries in comparison of the poor ones because of the shortage of advanced technology and goods to trade. Globalization is the concept, which results in the homogenization, because in this individuals increasingly eat the comparable foods, wear similar type of clothing, and listens similar music. However, this concept is also criticized for reflecting the negative sides of colonialism, as there are individuals and groups, which give their reaction on the forces, which are, still unchecked by the globalization with those movements that increase the local or national issues.

Canada is defined as one of the most united global countries across the globe with the highly advanced system of communication across the globe, and this country serves well in the era of globalization. This concept of globalization always contended with other historical forces such as nationalism. Because of this, history witnessed both the periods such as era of more integration across the globe and era in which trend was reversed. In present world, globalization is criticized for restricting the development of local people in poor countries. This topic mainly deals with the neo-mercantilist strategy, which mainly related to the global political economy. This can be understood with the help of example:  Monsanto can be considered as good example in terms of explaining how the globalization restricts the productivity of local farmers by genetically modifying the seeds. Another example in this context is the Walmart (an unethical business organization) which violates the human rights during the process of their manufacturing.

Colonialism mainly refers to the past approach in which people from one territory master the people from another territory in terms of expanding their areas and power. In this process, social structures, government and economy of the conquered territory is changed by the colonists. Because of this an unsatisfactory association is created between the homeland and colonists. This sovereignty is usually defined as an extension of the political influence and it also exercise control over the colonies which are mainly located in the region of Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Middle East. The similar approach is also reflects in the globalization, it reflects the imperialism in its final stage.

Cultural colonialism is the burden of culture which is imposed by western countries. Colonialism is the term which was invented in the 20^th century in terms of designate the doctrine related to three different terms such as colonial rule, colonization, and overseas expansion. All three processes are also reflect in the structure of globalization also. Colonization are reappeared in this modern era and this is accompanied with the European saturation in the Americas, and this is followed in Algeria, Southern Africa, Australia, and Palestine. Overseas expansion mainly aims at building of empire and this process is recent. It must be noted that, may or may not include the large scale colonization in the form of settlement of populations. Those who settle the colonies generally behave as the holders of the colonial power. Buildings of empire was actually establishing the binding connections of dependence on the foreign lands towards the homeland. It actually developed in conjunction with the rise of market economies in the Western Europe (L’Huillier, 2011).

Colonial rule is the specific form rule which is imposed by governments of powerful countries on overseas territories by the colonial power, generally by force. In the end, nominees of the colonial power exercise the authority. Colonialism generally relied on the possibility of taking advantage of different powers lied in Europe, Japan, United States, and some other countries. It mainly involves the violent overthrow and many times displacement of the native peoples from their homeland. The most severe forms of exploitation includes the slavery system and exploitation of labour, and similar things are happening in the globalization as there is exploitation of resources and locals of poor countries. However, there are some features which distinguish the colonialism from the globalization such as colonialism includes the direct rule by the colonial power, but globalization reflects the indirect rule of western big corporations on the under-developed and developing countries. Globalization exercise the control over the nominal independent societies and countries, but both reflects the trait of autonomy leadership (Azarya, 2004).

Generally there are number of advantages of globalization, but there are negative results of this approach also such as taxes are reduced by the countries in terms of facilitating the MNCs to do business in their area. Reduction related to tax revenues also includes the reduction of welfare and public services. Further, there are number of countries which failed to take the cost related to environment into the consideration. Global warming is other issue which rise because of the globalization and in this context countries even side-line the important agreements such as Kyoto Protocol. Globalization further results in high wage inequalities, and this happen because of the increasing gap between the skilled and unskilled workers. Therefore, it can be said that globalization is the strategy of western government in terms of increasing their trade, connectivity, targeting more market segments. All these things gives more benefits to the western countries in comparison of other countries. Negative impacts of globalization does not directly impact the western countries and this is the reason these countries failed to consider the dark sides of globalization  (Humphries  & Grice, 1995; Kelsey, 2015).

As stated in the definitions, it can be said that both globalization and colonialism shared the similar ideologies such as how rich and powerful countries are expanding their power and exploit the other countries in terms of getting the major benefits. It is clear that globalizations can be considered as structured form of the colonialism. For the mercantilists, international economy is the area of conflict which mainly involves the opposite national interests, instead of the area of cooperation and mutual gain. Economic competition arise between the states are defined as the zero sum game, in which gain of one state is defined as loss of another state. Additionally, states are suspicious about the other’s states relative economic gain as the material wealth accumulated and this is used for enhancing the power of military and politics in terms of defending the other states. Therefore, even if we oversee the large amount of advantages over the negative aspects of globalization, then also negative sides of this approach reflects the traits of colonialism which we observed during the period of 16^th-19^th century (Milanovic, 2003).

There are number of countries such as Great Britain which try to give wealth to their populations, and free trade is one of the tool which is used by them to reach this goal. Colonialists tries to globalize the world by using the unipolar way, which means, they are trying to take all the advantages of globalization by exploiting and suppressing their colonies with their military and political power. Presently, similar things can be seen in the African and Asian countries. These countries are mainly governed by the dictatorship and also by the western multinationals in indirect manner, as these organizations are exploiting the resources and cheap labour of the poor countries in terms of gaining the wealth for themselves in the form of low production costs.

In reality, globalization is the rule of the global western corporations, which means, that decisions related to different lives are made in the corporate boardrooms (USA, Japan, Europe) and not at the national or local community levels. It exposes the myth that globalization is the free flow of ideology and technology, but in actual this approach changes the psychology of people and make them the slaves of western civilization.

After considering the above facts, it can be said that role of colonialism in the globalization is arguable, and it can be considered as the first stage of the globalization. In other words, legacies of colonization play important role in the approach of globalization (Ehrenhalt, 1999). The world of colonised was connected to the capitalist west and this done without the will of local people, and this approach of colonialism lays down the foundations for globalization. It is clear from above arguments and facts that both globalization and colonialism shared the similar ideology, and globalization is the latest form of colonialism.

Colonialism is the process which initiated with the discovery of new world, and in the lesser advanced civilization of weak countries are conquered for the benefit of the western and powerful countries. In colonialism, countries focus on controlling the economies of other countries directly but this control is exercised in indirect manner in the globalization. Coming centuries across the globe witness the changing form of colonialism and this changed form is now known as globalization. Therefore, it can be said that idea of globalization is similar to the colonialism, and it is tainted through the legacies of colonialism (Hodos, 2010).

After considering the above facts, it can be said that argument made by ppostcolonial critics argue in terms of globalization is right. Generally there are number of advantages of globalization, but there are negative results of this approach also such as taxes are reduced by the countries in terms of facilitating the MNCs to do business in their area. Reduction related to tax revenues also includes the reduction of welfare and public services.

In reality, globalization is the rule of the global western corporations, which means, that decisions related to different lives are made in the corporate boardrooms (USA, Japan, Europe) and not at the national or local community levels. It exposes the myth that globalization is the free flow of ideology and technology, but in actual this approach changes the psychology of people and make them the slaves of western civilization. After considering the above facts, it can be said that role of colonialism in the globalization is arguable, and it can be considered as the first stage of the globalization. In other words, legacies of colonization play important role in the approach of globalization. The world of colonised was connected to the capitalist west and this done without the will of local people, and this approach of colonialism lays down the foundations for globalization. It is clear from above arguments and facts that both globalization and colonialism shared the similar ideology, and globalization is the latest form of colonialism.

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