Globalization and Imagining Communities

The word Globalization has gained considerably dynamic force over the years. Increasing the interconnectedness and interdependence of people and countries worldwide to open international borders has made this term progress evenly. It is seen as the key to future economic development across the globe. Many countries have embraced Globalization in quite a commendable manner, making it reach an inevitable and irreversible point.  However, some groups have reacted to Globalization with hostility and fear. They believe it has increased inequality among nations, threatened people’s employment and living standards, and hindered social progress. Although the central meaning of Globalization does not refer to imperialism, colonialism, development, Westernization, and easternization, it is composed of all these parts.

Imperialism refers to the domination of other countries’ political and monetary activities either formally or informally to create an empire. Globalization has brought about imperialistic expansion, which has led to the third wave of devastation to the world. Globalization has led to the transformation of the trajectory of modern life, thus marked in extant history (Amin, 2021). This has raised various debates on whether it conveys western superiority or the natural progression of modernity (Lee, 2017). According to sociologists, the aspect of Globalization has led global civil society to become less and more homogenous as the existence of Westernization determines it. The countries that reject Globalization are made to pay their prices for assuming anti-liberal policies (Amin, 2021). Therefore, they are left with no choice but to adopt since it is the key to a boundless economy. The objective of Globalization is to dominate capital and control the expansion of markets in the world (Amin, 2021). This connection in the name of creating opportunity has led to manipulation. 

Globalization is a mark of continuity of colonization of the third world.  This is because the ideology has brought about the economic and social connection between colonialism in the behaviour of suppressor and oppressor (Mikander, 2016). Globalization has inhibited the development of the third world countries in the concept of free trade; the oppressed nations are forced to consume goods brought by the colonialists and, in return, give up their productivity leading to high revenue and exploitation by the colonist. This has led to an unequal relationship between the homeland and the economy (Mikander, 2016). Therefore, Globalization and colonization portray similar ideologies in that the rich countries try to expand their territories by exploiting other countries to gain significant benefits.

Globalization has made the world become a small village by breaking the borders between countries. This has played a significant role in the developing world as it seems to have brought economic processes, political influence, technological advancement, among others. However, Globalization holds out the promise of better opportunities and development for the developing country’s it has brought with it new challenges (Fairooz, 2015). These include environmental deterioration, instability in the commercial markets, and also increased inequality between nations. This is because many developing countries depend on the developed countries for resources and flow of technology, and in turn, the latter depends on the developing countries for raw materials (Fairooz, 2015). Developed nations are setting up companies in the developing countries and taking advantage of low wages and poor regulation of pollution, thus causing pollution and affecting their economy, thus increasing unemployment. This has increased inequalities by creating a big gap between the rich and the poor. As much as the developing countries are benefiting from Globalization, they are still lagging behind.

Globalization has often been referred to as Westernization due to outstanding contributions from the civilized western world. Westernization refers to the change from the traditional culture to western dominance (Britannica, 2020). This includes areas such as industry, technology, politics, religion, clothing, among others. For more than 500 years, Westernization has dominated most countries in many nations’ economic, political, and cultural (Britannica, 2020). The current westernized world has maximum western power, especially at least being political power.

Easternization is viewed as a game-changer for Westernization. The world would adapt, and events shaped by this part of the world as people try to search for the meaning of life or are at the stage of self-actualization (Sheth, 2021). The first wave of easternization is focused on Eastern wisdom on spirituality, which includes looking within the self for happiness and meditation. The second is environmental sustainability, thus conservation of the surroundings and the living things in it. The third is the rapid diffusion of social media platforms to influence their arts, music, and culture (Sheth, 2021). Finally, it is collaborating with emerging markets such as China to bring the old wisdom of contemporary.

The process of Globalization is interrelated in one way and also differentiated from each other. Colonialism and imperialism are similar in that they describe the exploitive behavior between people with power and those without. The main difference between these two terms is that colonization means total control over another country. At the same time, imperialism dominates the formal and informal economic and political activity of another country (byjus, 2021). Westernization and Easternization are similar in that globalization includes both processes, including mixing with other cultures to try and adopt their own concepts and values. The difference is that Westernization is changing traditional culture to western dominance while Easternization is changing traditional eastern culture to eastern dominance.  Therefore, Globalization has led to the development of the above processes.

In conclusion, Globalization comprises processes such as imperialism, colonialism, development, Westernization, and Easternization. According to sociologists, the aspect of Globalization has led global civil society to become less and more homogenous as the existence of Westernization determines it. All the above processes showcase that Globalization has similar ideologies in that the rich countries try to expand their territories by exploiting other countries in order to gain significant benefits.