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Comparative Politics and Government Satyabrata Kar, Lovely Professional University

Notes Unit 14: Globalization

CONTENTS
Objectives
Introduction
14.1 Meaning, Nature and Dimensions of Globalization
14.2 Globalization and Comparative Politics
14.3 Responses from Developed and Developing Societies
14.4 Summary
14.5 Key-Words
14.6 Review Questions
14.7 Further Readings

Objectives

After studying this unit students will be able to:
• Understand the Meaning, Nature and Dimensions of Globalization.
• Explain the Globalization and Comparative Politics.
• Describe the Responses from Developed and Developing Societies.
Introduction

Freedom and equality are the two boons which everyone desires. Rousseau says that ‘man is born
free, but he is everyshare in chains.’ But the leaders of the American and French revolutions integrated
the boon of liberty with that of equality. The two boons should embrace all spheres of human life
whether social, economic or political. Moreover, they should prevail at all levels whether local, national,
regional or international. Movements for the achievement of both the boons led to the creation of
democratic system at the national level. Similar movement to universalise it has now assumed the
name of globalisation. A student of political science has to see that the two boons are best reconciled
through public participation in social, cultural, economic and political affairs. But it can be done in
different ways and by different means. Thus, this theme finds its place in the field of comparative
politics as “the study of how freedom and equality are reconciled around the world.”
14.1 Meaning, Nature and Dimensions of Globalisation

In the last decade of the twentieth century the world saw the rebirth of history and politics and the
death of territoriality and national identity. Francis Fukuyama of the United States regards it as “the
universalisation of western liberal democracy as the final form of human government.” Bertrand
Badie of France calls it “end of territories of the nation-state.” An American columnist Thomas
Friedman identifies it with “the integration of trade, finance and information that is creating a single
global market and culture.” Robertson describes it as ‘universalisation of particularism and
particularisation of universalism’. It simply means that now what is local is global and vice versa.
Thus, Anthony Giddens says: “Globalisation is the intensification of world-wide social relations which
link distant localities in such a way that local happenings are shaped by events occurring many miles
away and vice versa.”
One may say that globalisation is not something strikingly new. As a matter of fact, people in ancient
and medieval times moved from place to place to spread their religion, culture or cult, or to sell their
goods, or to popularise their mission and the like. Indian goods were sold in the British markets. The
Persian and the Chinese travellers came to India with their goods or with an anxiety to have the

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