The United Nations is a great example of globalization because it is a group of 192 countries working together for the interest of the whole world, and it is not controlled by America. The United States became part of the United Nations in 1945 along with 50 other countries with a goal of solving problems like world hunger, world peace, and universal education. Also, they work as the world’s court on morality, and they work together to solve world problems like AIDS and global warming.
The International Bank of Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), also known as the World Bank, is another example of a world organization that is made possible by globalization. It was started in 1944 and now has 185 members, including the United States of America, France, Germany, Japan, and the United Kingdom. The World Bank’s goal is “to reduce global poverty” by “[helping] people help themselves and their environment” (World Bank.org).
Global trade has become much easier over the past two hundred years because of technological advances in transportation and communication. The United States’ economy, styles, and trends influence the rest of the world. However, America is also influenced by other nations’ culture and trends, like foreign cars and technology like, Toyota, Nissan, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz are all foreign companies that make cars that have become the new standard in America instead of Ford, Chrysler, or GM becoming the world’s standard for vehicles. Also, Japanese companies like Sony and Toshiba are commonly seen on computers and DVD players in America instead of Apple or HP becoming the world’s computer. America is influenced by what happens in other major countries like Japan, China, and India because we are technologically and economically linked. America has Hollywood movies, famous pop singers, and name brand clothes and food like Nike and McDonald’s. However, America imports far more of their products from other countries than they export to them. This is a sure sign that American Universalism is false, because one of the main concepts of Globalization is that America is influencing all the other countries in the world without being influenced back. In 2005, America imported $243.5 billion worth of goods and services from China, as opposed to the $41.9 billion exported to China from America according to the United States Census Bureau for 2005. What both American and foreign consumers want is quality and a fair price for their products and services, whether it is an American product or not. This is why free trade is so important, and organizations like the World Trade Organization and the North American Free Trade Agreement help make globalization possible. This disproves American Universalism, because the essence of American Universalism is a one sided trade of products and ideas.
America is one of the last developed countries to focus a large amount of resources on environmental problems such as global warming, and only recently did President Bush acknowledge the existence of global warming. The environment is something that affects us all, and it is something that we all must share. Therefore, it must be a world effort to lower our CO2 emissions and help stop global warming. Recently, China bypassed America as the largest contributor of carbon dioxide emissions, because they do not have emissions regulations and they have a quickly growing economy. However, as of 2004, America contributed 22.2% of all carbon dioxide emissions for the world according to Proceedings of the National Academy of Science in 2007. Global warming is a problem that was caused globally, not just by America, and therefore must be solved with global participation.
Fashion is another example of globalization, because new fashion trends in one area of the world, like Paris, become the trends for the whole world. The fashion found in Paris and other fashion capitals, like New York and Milan, are quickly adopted in Asian countries because of the quick spread of information and products made possible by globalization. This causes a loss of cultural identity, and often destroys local cultures by lessening the uniqueness between the various cultures of the world. One such example is India, where their world is quickly changing as they industrialize. They are taking the jobs from the western countries because they want to become self sustaining and are able to be competitive with American wages, which is the essence of globalization. As they do so, their culture is conflicted between their traditional Hindu culture and clothing and the western, modernized society that they are part of because of globalization. Many successful Indians work as call center operators in Bangalore, a quickly developing westernized city. They are constantly conflicted between their traditional dress and traditions, and the culture of their customers that they talk to everyday on the phone. Many women must choose between the traditional customs of staying in the home or going into the workforce like they see in the other developed counties. This cultural conflict is caused by globalization. International trade is an integral part of globalization, and some believe it negatively affects culture by mixing them, like in India. However, others believe globalization has had a positive effect on the world by helping the world’s economy and creating more competition in the global market.
If the United States suddenly collapsed, globalization would still go on. The United Nations, the World Bank, global trade, environmental regulation, and fashion all show the effects of globalization. Many of the world’s countries have joined world organizations to found ways to work together to help fix world problems, which is a form of globalization. Globalization is a two-way street, and although America is a large contributor to CO2 emissions, everyone has contributed. That is why the world must work together to help reduce and regulate emissions to help stop global warming, none of which would be possible without globalization.
Work Cited
25 November 2007 http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/Press-Release/2005pr/final_revisions/exh13tl.pdf
26 November 2007
