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Globalisation and Democracy: Some Issues

Dr. Hemlata
Asst. Professor (political Science)
H.N.B. Govt. P.G. College
Naini (Prayagraj)

ABSTRACT

Globalisation has today become a major sort of debate among academicians, policy makers and NGOs.
Its impact is profound. Despite the continuing emphasis on promoting global prosperity and achieving a more
“just world,” negative aspects of globlisation remain rife in our globe. Poverties, inequalities, injustices,
starvations, backwards and marginalizations are all serious problems many societies are still experiencing.
Globalisation creates new opportunities for many peoples to increase their wealth and enhance their
prosperities. On the other hand, the potential for people of different cultural and religious backgrounds to know
and understand one another owing to this process is greater than ever before. Therefore, it is important that one
not reject it totally. Instead, as a short and medium-term strategy one should try to inject ethical and moral
considerations into some of the dominant economic institutions, activities and goals associated with the process.
KEYWORDS- Globalisation, democracy, society, equity.

Globalisation is an ambiguous term. It means different things to different people. It may mean different
things to the same person. So what does globalisation mean? Is it a new stage in human civilization that goes
beyond national borders or native cultures? Could it lead to a universal entity within which criteria of race,
color, religion, class, language … etc, would disappear? Or is it just another transformation in world economy?
Is it a means of dominance or another face of neocolonialism intending to control people’s minds and lifestyles,
or to make their future dependent upon the actions and behaviors of market whales and business groups?
With the end of the Cold War, liberalist nations have become more interested in promoting the free trade
principle, where market mechanisms must be dominant, and governments must not interfere in economic
activities. The economic and military strengths of these nations assist them to pursue this objective through
convincing many other countries to conduct structural changes in their economic, political, cultural and social

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spheres. As a result, this process has brought profound impacts on the various aspects of human life in many
societies, particularly of those involved. Not only it changes many types of lifestyles, but also involves the
bridging of temporal, spatial, and cultural distances in new ways, and that these processes tend to be driven by
the revolutions in transport technologies, communications, the internationalization of capital notions of the
world system, and post industrialism.
In spite of all these changes associated with globalisation, a large number of peoples and scholars do not
trust this process. Some, who may be described as conservatives, are skeptical about the role of globlisation in
human life, and view it as a phenomenon which may bring destructive effects on all human beings. Radicalists,
on the other hand, argue that the process is not without great benefits to all peoples; its effects may reach all
spots of the earth. Still others view this process as any other historical human experience which may have its
positive and negative affects.
Regardless of these stands, it is wrong to view the process from an economic perspective only because it
is increasingly involving political, cultural and technological fields and is remarkably being reinforced by the
huge development of communications and information technologies. The significance of these developments
does not only lie in the rapid communications or flow of information among peoples, but also in its role in
changing the nature of the lives of all social classes, ‘the rich and the poor.’ Therefore, its importance manifests
in the fact that its effects are not limited to the ‘macro’ social systems such as economic or financial systems,
but exceed that to affect other social sub-systems such as family structures and individual private patterns.
The phenomenon of globalisation as a new paradigm, in influence of economic evolutions, has excellent
changed human societies from half century past. In late decades, the scientific and academic societies,
especially political science, and some other matters like political systems, states, and democracy, has conceptual
redefined by globalisation. Some main questions about the democracy and Globalisation are: which form of
democracy did influence by globalization? Did ideology of democracy, or political culture of democracy
influenced by globalisation? Or democracy is as a governance pattern? Democracy is Grecian word and derives
of "kratia" and "demos", in mean, "home rule". Mainly there are two classes definition of democracy: 1-outlook
that argued democracy as a governance method. 2-outlook that argues democracy is as values. Based on
different goals and definitions of democracy, there are many various models of democracy. According to mass
direct or indirect participation, it disports to direct and indirect or participative democracy. And according to
isonomy and equality of economy, there are liberal and social democracy and social democracy disport to
industrial and corporate democracy. And according to different geographical scopes, and many religions and
races groups, the indirect democracy disports to current democracy and multiracial and associative democracy.
Democracy has main characteristics that some of them are as follows: Free elections. It means every one and
groups can have chance to reach power. This is a main index to evaluation democracy in political systems.
Rationality of political actors. In fact, this index is basic of democratic system, and is democratic structures
formation. However, the measure rationality of actors is different in various countries. Separation and
monitoring of powers. Liberally decision making power of representations. The representations should be

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making decision making liberally and without internal and external threat and impacts. Freedom of parties,
political groups, social forces, in political actions. "Josef Schumpeter" belief that, this index is essential for
democratic decision making. Civil liberties and its safeguard. It includes freedom of expression, press,
conscience, information, association, action, and etc. This index, obtains the context of political participation.
Codification of constitution and respect it. In fact, the constitution appearance general will and guaranties
democracy. Political and social equal opportunity for all citizens. There are many different outlooks about
effective of globalisation on structures of political system and democratization process. Because of globalisation
and democracy are complex, fluid and universal concepts. Some thoughtful argued, globalisation explodes and
reinforces the measure of democracy in national and supranational level. And others said it is a serious
challenge for democratization process. Some thinkers belief, it's negative and positive effectives are different in
various countries, and it dependence to conditions. The effective of globalisation on democracy is not limited to
special scope. Some thoughtful beliefs that, globalisation affects on all foundations of democracy such as:
freedom of expression, freedom of belief and religion, civil community, citizenship rights, confine of state
activity, legitimacy of governors, freedom of press, and etc . In principle there are some ways and methods of
effective of globalisation on democracy that follows:
Evolution on concept of democracy: Democracy, in influenced of globalisation, has more changed in relative
to its traditional concept. Democracy in its new concept is not just participation process, election,
representation, reign of low, and political and urban freedom. But it should be define as: measure of formation
civil institutions in societies and its combine on global culture . In "David Held" opinion, democracy in
globalisation age, include societies that closed in borders. However they utilize similar communication and
world order.
Spread of civil society: Civil society is essential and structural request for democracy realization. Behind the
three columns of democracy, namely: responder state, freedom elections, urban and political rights, the civil
society are fourth and important column of democracy. So, democracy doesn't realize, unless independent
institutions of civil society be Institutionalize in societies. "Richard Falk" beliefs, globalisation not only created
civil society in national level and inside of nation-states, but also caused creation civil society in supranational
level, namely; global civil society. Global civil society includes all organizations, movements and associations
that are ultra individuals and understate.
Increase of middle class: Globalisation increased and developed middle class, by increase of urban
institutions, parties, national and supranational groups and movements. Increase of middle class, whit various
and vast demands, is a social context of democracy. In otherwise, it signs non growth of democracy.
Globalisation and Nation-State The post important political scope of Globlisation is its impact on nation-state as
a historic phenomenon. Some are believe that political Globlisation is salvation of state domination. It means
that globalisation reduces the authority and autonomy of states. Other groups are arguing that globalisation
phenomenon causes downfall of nation-state. In contrast, some writers believe that globalisation not only
doesn’t waken nation-state but, in globalisation age, the central role of states will be preservation and state as a

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main factor of organizer will stable. Some theoreticians, with realism outlook and without stress on continue or
downfall of state, have regarded to reference of supervision, and they believe that in globalisation process the
concentration of supervision will be transfer from national state to sub governmental, nongovernmental and
ultra governmental organizations. In other words, in globalisation age the method of governance will be
completely difference. So, whether we accept the realism outlook such as McGrew who was believed that states
are undeniable fact of political life and they will be stable, and whether like David Held talking about formation
of global state, but the fact is that the nation-state has been seriously influenced by globalisation, and have been
formed new issues in political scope by it.
Globalisation and New Political Actors - Another impact of globalisation on politics is appearance new
political actors in national, regional and global scopes, and change in location of some old and traditional actors.
These new actors, in inside of state, are visible in form of groups, ethnic and regional organizations, and in
transnational dimension, they are action in form of intergovernmental international organizations and
nongovernmental international organizations. The important point is non historic growth of new different
organizations, especially transnational organizations in late of 20th and beginning of 21th. The number of
intergovernmental organizations has increased from 37 at the beginning of 20th century to 300 at its end. The
new actors due to have mass capital and influence on politics and behaviors of other actors and even states are
post important.
Globalisation and Human Rights - One of positive consequences of globalisation is more attention to human
rights as most important common issue of human society in nowadays world. The global culture of human
rights emphasizes on this issue that everyone in different dimensions and levels has right which should be
immunity of unjustifiable disturbance of states and global power. Increase level of insight and knowledge of
nations and states, under influence of globalisation process have converted the more attention to global human
rights as a general and humanity certain right requests in the world wide. Nowadays, the issues such as illegal of
killing, forbidden of torment, forbidden of child forcible working, battle against terrorism, peaceful solution of
discards, enjoyment of justly judicial system, enjoyment minority of hygienic and education and welfare,
freedom of expression and belief and action, are as general values of human rights and are acceptance for all
cultures .
Globalisation and New political culture – This is another main and important output and consequences of
globalisation. Its influence on political culture in national and international level. Gabriel Almond defines
political culture as set of norms, values, emotions, information and political technique. Almond argues political
culture has three basic dimensions; 1- knowledge dimension (the measure of information and
knowledge of citizens about political roles and system). 2- Sentimental dimension (emotion of loyalty,
dependence and relation to political system). 3- Value dimension (judge about function of political system).
Before globalisation age the culture and identity of nations have been defined by intervention of state, but in
globalisation age due to reduction influence of states, the political culture of people has changed independently.
Globalisation has created a kind of common political culture among people in the world, and has caused

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similarity in political culture. So, common values like pace, justice, equality, freedom, democracy, competition
and free election as common humanity values, are publishing by globalisation. Nowadays, the insight and
knowledge of people about political system and political behavior of governors have been changed, and they
only and without any fear are evaluating the function of system officers.
Globalisation and Increase of interdependence - The extension of globalisation of has caused accession
among nations, and increase interdependence of different societies. Jims Rosina believes that if in the pest, the
global politics problems have been solved by interaction of states, but now there are complex problems which
are out of states capacity. Some of them are such as; air pollution, financial crisis, narcotic, terrorism, aids,
despotism and violence in some political system, flood, earth quake, and etc. So, it is clear that the solution of
these problems are out capacity of singular of states, and cooperation of formal actors and trans national
organizations are most necessity. Hence, globalisation has created and broadcasted nongovernmental
international organizations and international actors, and increased their independence.
Globalisation and Freedom - There is questioned that how freedom and globalisation fit together. According
to some research it funded that they work together quite nicely. There is a strong positive relationship between
globalisation and political freedom. Globalisation may also be one of the best ways of keeping politicians
honest, as more globalized countries have far lower levels of perceived corruption, as measured by transparency
International. Some countries may help foster increased political rights and civil liberties for their citizens.
Furthermore, increased integration may lead to the adoption of higher international standards for transparency,
which in turn would discourage corruption and increase government efficiency. Of course, there are always
exceptions to the rule. Singapore, the world's most globalized country, is home to a modern, open economy that
exists alongside tight government control over the media and limited individual liberties. On the other end of
the spectrum, South Africa has a relatively high level of political freedom but a mediocre globalisation ranking.
Going global does not offer any guarantees, but it clearly can give countries a leg up. So, globalisation with its
high impact power has completely influenced culture and politics scopes of individual and states life.
Globalisation with formation new definition of culture and politics and creation new political and cultural actors
in national, regional and global scopes has appeared now world which is completely difference of the past. New
political cultural discourse which has dominated on human society has most important impaction, and shouldn’t
imagine it simple.
Thus, to conclude, Firstly globalisation creates broad and varying global governance challenges in
relation to the “global commons” that must be carefully balanced with development and advancement.
Additionally, globalisation has allowed for the creation of new “global commons”, such as the internet and
cyberspace, with ambiguous and undefined global governance parameters. This had led to increased demands
on certain sectors of the variety of global governance institutions, most notably in the instance of cyberspace,
the banking sector and private firms. However, these ambiguous governance spaces have also opened global
governance up to political debate and pressure, all of which have increased demands on the process of global
governance to address these legitimately and effectively.

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References

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2-Giddens, Anthony. (2000).- Runaway World: How Globlisation is Reshaping Our Lives. London: Profile
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3- Muzaffar, Chandra. (1998). - Globalisation and Religion: Some Reflections, in Globalization: The
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