Study Questions: Chapter 20
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1. What is globalization and how do hyperglobalizers differ from skeptical globalizers?
Answer: Globalization refers to an economic, political, and cultural set of processes that link local communities with the global one. It is a contested term and one about which few people can claim to be neutral. Hyperglobalizers, in Manfred Steger’s terms, are people who uncritically and zealously promote the idea that globalization is beneficial for all concerned and that it offers the promise of democracy and social equality on a worldwide scale. Steger also refers to skeptical globalizers. These are people who look upon the forces of globalization as dangerous to the global environment as well as to the social welfare and economies particularly of “have not” nations of the South. (pp. 547–548)
2. What are economic globalization, political globalization, and cultural globalization?
Answer: Economic globalization is about global markets and refers to the flow of capital, goods, and technology across borders around the world. Neoliberalism as an ideology plays an enormous role in economic globalization today as do transnational corporations, such as Nike, Walmart, and General Motors, and international lending and development agencies, such as the World Trade Organization, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank.
Political globalization is the intensification and expansion of political relationships around the world. While some people believe that globalization can aid the spread of democracy, this depends on how democracy is defined. The United States government, for example, has often supported anti-democratic regimes in order to maintain its dominance in a particular nation, sometimes through government sponsored terrorism via its military and the CIA and sometimes by setting up fake democratic elections.
Cultural globalization refers to the expansion and intensification of the flow of culture around the world. This is generally accomplished via media. Of particular concern is the spread of American culture or what is often referred to as American cultural imperialism. (pp. 550, 555, 563)
3. What are the elements of the neoliberal political economic agenda, according to Manfred Steger?
Answer: Steger summarizes ten key elements that make up the neoliberal political-economic agenda: (1) the privatization of public enterprises (e.g., hydro, ferries); (2) the deregulation of the economy (e.g., no caps on tuition increases); (3) liberalization of trade and industry (e.g., free trade); (4) massive tax cuts (e.g., especially to corporations; (5) measures to keep inflation in check (even if unemployment increases); (6) strict control over organized labour (e.g., designating sectors as “essential services”); (7) the reduction of public spending (especially social spending on education, healthcare, and social services); (8) the downsizing of government (eliminating provincial ministries that were put in place to help bring equality to people); (9) the expansion of international markets (reducing public spending on education and allowing private companies to pick up the slack); and (10) the removal of controls on global financial flows (e.g., eliminating protective tariffs). (p. 550)
4. What is a preventative war and what makes a nation an ideal target?
Answer: According to Noam Chomsky the United States engages in preventative wars for its own gain. A preventative war is defined as attacking a nation before it has the opportunity to attack. Chomsky outlines three conditions that make a nation an ideal target for a preventative war: (1) it must be almost completely defenseless; (2) it must have important resources (e.g., oil) or a coveted strategic position that make an attack worth the trouble; and (3) there must be a way to portray the nation as evil and threatening to our survival or to our ideals (e.g., democracy). (p. 556)
5. How is jihad defined in the Qu’ran and what are the different types of jihad?
Answer: In the English translation of the Qu’ran, the Muslim holy book, jihad is translated as “struggle, striving, endeavor.” There are three types of jihad. The greatest is the personal jihad, the jihad-i-akbar which instructs followers to struggle against elements of their baser selves (e.g., jealousy, revenge, greed). Ummaic jihad is the non-violent struggle for freedom within the Muslim world through addressing wrongs within the community of Muslims. The lesser jihad, the jihad-i-asghar, refers to violent or martial jihad. It represents the struggle against hostile aggressors and is used to protect the integrity of Islam and defend the umma (community). (pp. 561–563)