Essay
Evaluate the extent to which globalisation has successfully tackled contemporary global issues
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- PEARSON (PEARSON)
Essay of 3 pages for the course Globalisation and contemporary issues at PEARSON (A* 30 mark essay)
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Evaluate the extent to which globalisation has successfully tackled contemporary global issues (30marks)
Globalisation is the process by which the world becomes more interconnected and interdependent
economically, politically, technologically and culturally. It has created a world in which nation-states
cannot isolate themselves from what is happening elsewhere in the world. This can tackle some of
the global issues such as human rights, the environment, conflict and poverty, but also damage and
infringe on these problems. Evidence suggests that globalisation has benefited these global issues
more than harmed.
Globalisation can have both positive and negative impacts regarding poverty, reports in the 1980’s
highlighted the economic and social divisions between the developed world (North) and the
developing world (South). Supporters of globalisation argue that free-trade has massively decreased
poverty and gross world production has greatly increased, evidence shows trade has risen from
US$41,016 trillion in 2000 to US$77,868 trillion in 2014. The number of people worldwide living on
less than US$1.35 a day has decreased to 702 million from 1.9 billion in the last 35 years as people
across the world have access to higher paid jobs, cheaper food and better medical equipment.
Globalisation helps tackle issues such as poverty by building a world where countries help each
other. Each country relies on one another for labour, food, technological advancements etc. This
means it’s within each countries best interest to help another, thus promoting a culture of foreign
aid to those countries that need it the most. For example, following the 2011 Tohoku earthquake
and tsunami, 163 countries and regions offered assistance to Japan to help avoid mass poverty
within the country. A likely reason why countries were so generous is because of the important role
Japan plays in manufacturing technological goods for the rest of the world. Globalisation made it
benefit everyone to help others; one of the core successes of globalisation.
However, despite globalisation creating a market that promotes trade across the world, with trade
comes exploitation. The richer northern hemisphere use their influence to demand cheaper rates in
trades which leads to the developing world falling even further behind. In turn, the economic divide
increases, making the rich, richer and the poor, poorer. You can see this happen all throughout
history where nations such as the US exploit areas like the Caribbean for their natural resources, like
tobacco. Economic globalisation can also create a ‘race to the bottom’, as governments reduce costs
by limiting workers rights in an attempt to make their produce cheaper. For example, the structural
failings of the Rana Plaza clothes factory killing 1,129 employees, this is an infringement on basic
human rights.
Despite some of the lack of care for poorer countries from developing states and richer businesses,
globalisation has heavily increased the quality of life for many and lifted millions of citizens out of
extreme poverty helping tackle one of the contemporary issues.
International law has advanced human rights as there is a respect for the rule of law, which provides
the basis for liberal democracy within a nation-state. The UDHR does not represent international law
as states are not bound to obey it but it possesses great moral persuasive power and provides a
guideline on the standard of human rights expected. The principles include; “freedom from
discrimination’, ‘the right to life’ and “the right to a fair trial’. Another key act in attempt to better
global human rights is the ECHR consisting of policies such as “freedom from torture” and ‘’freedom
from slavery.” We see the impact of the ECHR regarding Fabian Gjini, who was arrested on suspicion
of using a fake bank note in Serbia, but was later found not guilty. His cell mates tortured him by
making him stand in cold water all night, leaving him with sores and open wounds, drugging, and
raping him alongside many other forms of physical abuse. When taken to court, the European Court
of Human Rights found that the Serbian prison authorities had failed to detect or prevent the
violence against Fabian, therefore he was offered £25,000 in compensation. Globalisation has
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