Debates and critics

The essentials

Globalisation has supporters and critics, and the debate covers its economic, political and cultural consequences.

Supporters argue that globalisation brings greater economic growth, more choices for consumers, access to new technology and wider opportunities. They see greater trade and investment as a way to raise incomes and reduce poverty, and believe that interdependence can encourage cooperation among states.

Critics come from different directions. Some on the left argue that globalisation in its present form favours the rich, increases inequality within and between countries, and weakens the state's ability to protect the poor. Some on the right worry about the weakening of the state and about the loss of traditional culture and local ways of life. Others criticise its effects on the environment, labour standards and livelihoods of farmers and workers.

Key points

• Economic globalisation has sometimes been described as "re-colonisation" by critics, while supporters stress its benefits.
• Protests against the WTO's ministerial meeting at Seattle in 1999 drew attention to concerns about unfair trade practices.
• The World Social Forum (WSF) is an open meeting place for groups opposed to neo-liberal globalisation, bringing together human rights activists, environmentalists, labour, youth and women activists. Its first meeting was held at Porto Alegre, Brazil, in 2001, and its fourth meeting was held in Mumbai in 2004.
• Anti-globalisation movements do not necessarily reject global connections as such; many seek a different, more equitable form of globalisation.

Exam tips

Prepare a balanced answer: two or three arguments for and against. Know the WSF facts and the Seattle protests.

Common mistakes

• Believing that all critics oppose global contact altogether. Many critics oppose only particular policies.