Global Trade Imbalances, Geopolitics, and Spain’s Role
Unequal Trade
The volume of trade from the least developed countries is very low. Many countries with subsistence economies cannot access international trade. Other countries reap highly valued products such as coffee, cotton, cocoa, and sugar for global marketing. The prices of these products are set by multinationals. The least developed countries remain outside of international trade.
There are three global trade flows linking North America, the EU, and Japan-Korea. Trade balances of these countries are deficient because they export few goods and import many manufactured goods from *less* developed countries. This exacerbates debt.
Geopolitics: Order and Global Disorder
A global capitalist system has created wealth, but inequality has provoked protests, reactions, and the decline of the world order established by the U.S..
From a geopolitical point of view, some countries have opted for Islam as a policy guide. The rejection of the Western world by some Muslim countries is encouraged by the conflict between Israel and Palestine, where Israel has U.S. support and UN officials’ decisions have repeatedly been ignored. So, the clash of Arab and Western cultures creates uncertainty in the global system, as evidenced by small terrorist groups, such as in Spain, which has a sad remembrance of the 11-M bombings in Atocha in Madrid.
Keep in mind that despite China being communist, it is a market economy and, despite being a developing country, is considered a world power. The conflict between Russia and Georgia shows Russia’s resurgence as a major world power.
The solution to the problems of the global system requires negotiations and agreements. It is increasingly necessary to create supranational institutions to regulate the economy and global justice. The UN may have this role because it was created for it.
Spain Worldwide
Spain’s Position in the World
To understand Spain’s position, the following factors must be taken into account:
- Extension: Countries over 7 million square meters are considered first, followed by those with more than 1 million square meters. Spain ranks 50th and is considered a large country.
- Population: Spain is a populated country and is located within the group of countries with a considerable population.
- Wealth: The wealth of a country is measured by GDP. Spain has a high GDP and is considered a rich country.
- Development: The development of a country is measured by the HDI. Spain ranks 16th and is a developed country.
Cultural Influence of Spain in the World
Language is the most direct expression of culture. Spain is a multilingual country where many languages represent a cultural richness. Of the languages of Spain, Castilian has the largest presence in the world.
Spain in International Organizations
Due to the Civil War and Franco’s dictatorship, Spain lived in isolation from the international level between 1939 and 1959. Its strategic position in the Mediterranean was of interest to the U.S. during the Cold War, and this facilitated its entry into the UN in 1955. Since then, Spain has had great economic and social development and is now an EU member. It also participates in a large number of international organizations.
Defense Organizations for International Security
One of the most important is NATO, founded after World War II. Spain was incorporated in 1986. Others are the Western European Union (WEU) and the OSCE.
Economic Organizations
The most prominent are the OECD, which Spain entered in 1961, the IMF, and the WTO.