Costs and Benefits of Globalization and Localization

"Globalization is unstoppable. Even though it may be only in its early stages, it is already intrinsic to the world economy. We have to live with it, recognize its advantages and learn to manage it," said Maria Livanos Cattaui in her article, The global economy - an opportunity to be seized (Business World, 1997). Many authorities agree that as the world enters into the twenty-first century, many economic, political, and cultural changes will take place due to what some people are simply calling the latest buzzword. The fact that globalization exists is not necessarily the important issue here. Rather, the world's eyes must focus on costs and benefits of both globalization and localization, and how countries are affected by both of these opposite tendencies of international politics.

James N. Rosenau, in his article, The Complexities and Contradictions of Globalization, defines globalization as "'something' that is changing humankind's preoccupation with territoriality and the traditional arrangements of the state system." In other words, globalization is causing countries to break their territorial boundaries economically, politically, and socially, and in doing so, open themselves up to outside international influences. Such worldwide influence has proven to have many benefits throughout the world.

Through globalization, the world has seen a significant expansion of economic, social, and political benefits. Particularly, globalization has expanded investments, trade, and production far beyond any individual country?s boarders. According to the article, The Global Economy, by Maria Livanos Cattaui, " International trade in goods and services now stands at more than US$ 6000 billion per year [while] the accumulated stock of ...

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...of globalization are much more uniformly widespread than the social or political benefits.

Therefore, in determining whether the things gained by globalization are more fundamentally important to people?s lives than the things gained by localization, I would argue on the basis of sustained economic growth due to globalization, that yes, they are.

Works Cited

Cattaui, Maria Livanos. "Global Economy." Business World, Internet. Available:

http://www.iccwbo.org/html/globalec.htm

Rosenau, James N. "The Complexities and Contradictions of Globalization."

World Politics 98/99. Connecticut: Dushkin/McGraw Hill.

Sanger, David E. "After a Year, No Letup in Asia?s Economic Crisis." New York Times. 6 July 1998.

Sutherland, Peter D., and John W. Sewell. The Challenges of Globalization. Internet. Available: http://www.odc.org/ges.html