In recent years, globalization has been under fire. On the surface, globalization may appear to be a good thing, as it allows the entire world the opportunity to trade their products and resources with each other. Critics claim, however, that there are several negative aspects of globalization:
Sweatshops
The claim is that globalization allows a resource-poor country to trade with the international market. Often, large corporations see an opportunity to take advantage of the “export poverty” of the nation. In many of these nations, lower wage rates are often exploited by large corporations.
This often results in the use of sweatshops in these countries by manufacturers such as Nike. In such cases, loose laws on child labor, forced labor, the right to organize and bargain collectively, as well as the right to decent working conditions do not prove as a protection to the workers.
Brain Drain
Opportunities in developed nations attracts the skilled away from the poorer countries, resulting in brain drains from those countries, thus further propagating the lack of potential these poorer countries may have for improving their future economy. This brain drain causes India to lose about $10 billion a year in lost skilled labor. Africa loses over $4.1 billion in the same amount of time for the same reason. Far better would it be if residents in these nations could try to learn forex trading.
Food Security
With our cuisine become more global, this has resulted in a rise of global food prices. From 1950 to 1984, known as the Green Revolution, grain production increased by over 250%. Since then, the world population has grown by 4 billion, since the Green Revolution resulted in less famine and malnutrition. While that fact is a very positive thing, it is becoming harder to maintain food production to care for this amount of people. Food reserves are at a 50-year low, while at the same time, our energy requirements continue to dramatically increase. To feed the projected additional 2.3 billion people expected by 2050 and as incomes rise, 70% more food will be necessary to sustain these numbers.
Spread Of Disease
With globalization, the flow of goods and personnel across the world is resulting in the spread of infectious diseases. The advent of modern transportation allows such ones to travel anywhere quickly, thus further propagating the spread of potentially epidemic and pandemic diseases. For example, due to immigration, it is estimated that 500,000 people in the United States are infected with Chagas disease. The ratio of foreign-born persons to Americans for tuberculosis is an alarming 9.5 to 1.
Drug And Illicit Goods Trade
The global drug trade industry results in about $320 billion a year. Worldwide, there are estimated to be over 50 million heroin, cocaine and synthetic drug addicts.
The trade of endangered species, as well as traditional Chinese medicine ingredients, have resulted in a further depletion of valuable and endangered plantlife and wildlife.
So, while there are some positive things to say about globalization, there are still many negative aspects as well to consider. It is hoped that the great minds of the world can figure a solution that will put an end to these issues before it is too late.