User:Krissiebaby1987

Globalisation is a term which developed momentum during the 1970's as world relationships increased with the establishment of several organisations, aimed at developing global unity through international trade, the spreading of multiculturalism and the widespread diffusion of technology. Due to the fact that there are many sub-divisions of globalisation, a standard and generally accepted definition has not yet been created as different sectors view globalisation according to their specialty. According to Horst Kohler, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), globalisation is the "process of increasing international divisions of labour and the accompanying integration of national economies through trade in goods and services, cross border cooperate investments and financial flows". However it is also the integration of world culture and society through the "proliferation of communication and information." Increased world relationships, usually controlled by Core Countries, can impact both positively and negatively on developing countries such as the Caribbean where dependant development is practiced.

The process of globalisation can be traced back to the voyages of the Spanish, Dutch and Portugeese during "European maritime and mercantile expansion" in the early 16th century where these explorers traded with overseas nations and developed navigational technologies in an effort to expand trading relationships. Even the Africans and Nordics traded with indigenous North American peoples long before the arrival of the Europeans in the New World, and exercised some degree of cultural influence on the American's way of life, where habits were adopted and languages fused to establish a plane of understanding. The first hints of globalisation for the Caribbean could have begun with colonization where different people of different nationalities and culture were under the same umbrella of society, resulting in increased trade and communications between the Metropolis and the colonies, as well as the start of cultural hegemony which can be considered a negative impact of globalisation.

After World War 2 with the establishment of the UN, world organisations were formed such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) who assumed its role as the "directing and coordinating authority of international health work" where they aim to attain the "highest possible level of health". Due to the fact that Caribbean countries lack the financial resources to develop their health sector, the WHO assists these countries financially as well as offer external assistance by "training the countries' human resources and strengthening other institutions" so that they will possess the scientific and technical knowledge to combat common disease within the region.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) an agency of the U.N. developed as a result of globalisation, also seeks to facilitate the needs of the Caribbean Countries through providing financial assistance to both the public and private sector to develop their economies and achieve a favourable balance of payments. They support the establishment of organisations such as the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and the Caribbean Regional Technical Assistance Centre (CARTAC) where they contribute financially to the provision of technical and tax training as well as financial supervisions and public expenditure management for Caribbean countries in need.

Since the 1970's onwards, the Caribbean has experienced lower levels of mortality rates through better technologies in the health sector made available by world organisations established as a result of globalisation. Adult Literacy has increased by almost 10% in the Caribbean due to the fact that one of the concepts of globalisation is free trade and a reduction on trade tariffs which enables Caribbean communities to access proper reading materials as well as offer citizens a greater opportunity to be educated outside the Caribbean by promoting international student policies and scholarships. Due to the fact that Globalisation constructs free trade zones, Caribbean islands are able to import goods with reduced import restrictions and custom duties as well as allow the influx of multi national firms which would lead to a greater variety of goods and services, stimulating economic growth and devolopment by an increased national income, GDP as well as increased levels of employment.

However despite all its attractive advantages, globalisation can be considered the reason for the existence of "poor countries" such as Africa where the slave trade and the "scramble" for Africa in the 1870's (early signs of globalisation) underdeveloped the once prosperous nation, acording to Walter Rodney. Increased social relationships among "distant localities" and neo-liberal policies result in the exploitation of the resources of the Lesser Economically Devoloped Countries (LEDC) as the developed countries practice a form of neocolonisation where they acquire "inexpensive natural resouces from poorer countries" including oil, which contributes to their dependency on the Metropolitan countries, while not raising their standard of living. The US consumes 80% of the world's resources and obtains 40% from other countries such as Latin American and the Caribbean as well as mediterranean nations.

Globalisation also result in cultural and political imperialism. Through increased interaction among nations, governments are able to exercise vasts amounts of political power through "military might and economic influence". Trade and economic connections with foreigh countries have had an adverse effect on the Caribbean since our relationship with the US has heightened their interest in political affairs, where they have taken up the opportunity to intervene whenever their "humanitarian and political interests were being threatened" as with Cuba 1959 and Grenada 1983. Trade has also led to cultural imports of foreign food, music, language and other aspects of European/American way of life which pressure local culture. Due to the fact that Latin America and the Caribbean account for 10% of international television viewing, this constant input of foreign taste threaten unique Caribbean identity through the adoption of traditions, norms and values of Core Countries leading to deculturalisation and conflict with identity which may cause cultural erasure.

Globalisation has many positive effects stemming from increased trade and technologies to global organisations which assist the Caribbean financially in order to develop their economies. However according to Norman Girman, this leads to financial dependency for "government capital" through a one-way preferential trading relationship with Core Countries. It promotes political and cultural hegemony leading to a loss of identity, customs and unique societal traits. Globalisation stimulates the tourism industry of the Caribbean through increased awarness and international visibility via the mass media, however this results in the exploitation of our natural resources such as the coral reefs and beaches as well as the involvement of foreigners in the industry where they establish hotel and businesses, thus returning capital to countris such as Germany, USA and England. Hence the question is globalisation really beneficial to Caribbean communities or is the concept really just in the interest of developed nations?Krissiebaby1987 23:49, 17 September 2007 (UTC)