9.7: Resistance to Globalization

  • Northern Hemisphere benefited greatly from globalization; southern hemisphere not so much
  • Some people say organizations like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Trade Organization (WTO) work to maximize profit of developed nations at the expense of developing countries

Why Oppose Globalization?

Environmental Degradation

  • Globalization accelerated climate change
  • This environmental degradation has also negatively affected developing countries more than developed countries

National Sovereignty

  • Some countries feel like globalization restricts what policies they can enact
  • Ex: Britain felt limited by the EU and initiated Brexit

Human Rights Abuses

  • Garment industry, for example, pays workers unlivable wages
  • Industries like the cocoa industry may rely on child labor

Loss of Culture

  • Globalization by making everyone so interconnected leads to an adoption of popular culture like American culture at the expense of the home country’s culture

The “Battle of Seattle”

  • In 1999 protests erupted at a WTO conference in Seattle against globalization
  • Protestors protested for labor rights, environmental protection, economic justice, human rights, and transparency, stuff they believed globalization had undermined