Globalization, Development, and Superpowers: A Comparative Analysis
Globalization
- Progress in communications and transportation.
- Generalization of the capitalist system.
- Accrual of international economic organizations.
Globalization works globally: production is organized on a global scale, homogenizing tastes and facilitating exchanges of goods, capital, services, and information. This helps multinational corporations gain advantages by buying raw materials and installing plants in advantageous locations for sales anywhere.
Areas of Globalization:
- Economic: Focused on the U.S., EU, and Japan.
- Social: Globalized labor market through international migration.
- Cultural: Media and advertising environment.
- Environmental: Climate change.
Consequences of Globalization:
- Economic: Specialization in each area, more advanced activities in rich countries, more traditional activities in poor countries.
- Political: Spreading democracy.
- Social: Employment.
- Cultural: Extension of science and culture.
- Environmental: Ecological impact agreements.
Inequalities in Development
Indicators:
- Socioeconomic inequalities.
- Index of Human Development (HDI).
- Gross Domestic Product.
- Life expectancy.
Two Groups of Countries:
- Rich: Economic wealth, low population growth, aging populations concentrated in cities, high social welfare, democratic countries. Includes North America, Europe, Japan, and Russia.
- Poor: Poverty, primarily agricultural activities, young populations with low social welfare (low health service, schools, food), authoritarian political systems.
Causes of Inequality:
- Internal: Resources, territory.
- External: Domination by rich countries, industries.
Center-Periphery Relations:
Division of labor and unequal trade relations. Superpowers (USA, EU, Japan), semi-peripheral (Russia, China, Brazil), and peripheral (Sub-Saharan Africa, Arab world).
International Migration:
Imbalance between rich and poor countries. People migrate from Africa and Asia to America and Europe.
Consequences:
- Sending Countries: Declining but aging populations, less unemployment, more money.
- Receiving Countries: More young people, population growth, and labor. Europe, America, and Oceania receive low-skilled and poorly paid workers from Spain, America, Asia, and Africa.
Superpowers
USA:
Population concentrated on the Atlantic coast and near the Great Lakes. Capitalist economy. Specialized monoculture agriculture (belts) for corn and wheat. The most powerful industry with resources and multinational corporations. Significant service sector, comprehensive transportation network, remarkable foreign trade, and active financial sector. High income, cultural diversity, and English language.
Japan:
Archipelago economy. Second economic power concentrated on the Pacific coast. Very important economic activity. Lightweight agriculture with advanced technology. Strong manufacturing and presence of large companies. High living standards. Combines Japanese traditions with widespread English, Shinto, and Buddhism.
Russia and the CIS:
Regional power. Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Population concentrated in the west, uneven industrialization.
Economic Activities:
Problems with unemployment and inflation. Low weight and productivity in agriculture, mainly cereals. Industry with abundant resources but outdated technology and low competitiveness. Services in crisis, ineffective transportation, low-quality foreign trade. Low standard of living due to poor performance of social services. Dominated by Slavs and Orthodox religion.
China:
Communist system. Largest settlement system in the world, mostly in the Yangtse River valley. Agriculture is the most significant part, collective land ownership for rice cultivation, improving performance and eradicating hunger. Growing industry with large mineral resources and labor. Modernization of technology. Undeveloped east and south coast. Progressing services, export trade, transport, and light manufacturing (toys, textiles) to the USA, EU, and Japan. Scarce social inequalities in income per capita, many services (schools, hospitals), Chinese language.
Latin America:
In the process of development, industrialization has problems, economic dependence. Population on the coast and highlands. Mexico City.