BIG HISTORY 2

GLOBALIZATION
✓ Refers to different things to different people
✓ Has taken on additional nuances in different parts of the world, reflecting the concerns of
these different areas

“Globalization is the intensification of worldwide

social relations that link distant localities in such a
way that local happenings are shaped by events
occurring many miles away and vice-versa.”
Giddens – a Sociologist

“Globalization refers to a multidimensional set of

social processes that create, multiply, stretch, and
intensify worldwide social interdependencies and
exchanges while at the same time fostering in
people a growing awareness of deepening
connections between the local and the distant.”
Steger – a Political Theorist

How is globalization seen by a Big Historian at Holy Angel University? Are there
multiple contributions you can make to transform the world? Can a small deed
rooted on conscience, competence, and compassion spell a difference?

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“Globalization, for all its risks, also offers exceptional and promising 3
opportunities, precisely with a view to enabling humanity to become a single
family, built on the values of justice, equity and solidarity.”
(St. John Paul II – World Day of Peace Message, 2000)

With the definitions presented, we are confronted with this question: Has globalization truly
provided “intensified social relations” according to Giddens? Has it given the world “social
interdependencies” according to Steger or sole dependency of poor countries to the
superpowers? Did it strengthen “values of justice, peace, and solidarity” according to then Pope
John Paul II or has it clearly defined the disparity and the distance?

Christianity and Globalization

The book entitled Globalization: A Christian Perspective, originally written in Italian by Edizione
Cantagalli, presents a vivid picture answering the question What is the Church’s role in a
phenomenon such as globalization? Excerpts from the book will be presented here so as to
capture the fullness of its essence. Later on, you may be able to realize that other than the
Church, you portray a valuable role as well.

The lack of a Church document exclusively devoted to globalization does not mean, however,
that the Church has neglected the subject. In the past, the social encyclicals dealt with universal
social principles regarding economic activity. In recent times the first explicit treatment of
globalization is contained in John Paul II's 1991 encyclical, "Centesimus Annus." Globalization
affects daily lives, but at the same time its dynamics often remain difficult to understand. For
example, are economic inequalities between various countries and regions caused by
globalization, or are they due to the poorer nations not entering sufficiently into the globalized
world?

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But a more serious underlying problem is that of deficiencies in our capacity to govern, due to
a lack of an ethical vision to guide governments. It is precisely this ethical perspective that the
Church offers as its contribution to society. John Paul II commented that globalization in itself
is neither good nor bad, but that its impact will depend on the decisions made by men.
Therefore, governing globalization calls for wisdom, not just empirical data

The Three Mistakes:

The first of these, a sort of economic determinism, consists in considering globalization as a
sort of undeniable process, with no room to maneuver. You become helpless in the face of
changes that are beyond your control. For this reason, it is necessary that international
organizations and the more powerful nations should not impose on the poorer and weaker
countries especially if these economic changes do not take into account their local needs and
problems. The Church also asks for respect for local traditions and cultures and not to impose
a globalization based only on economic criteria. It is vital also that the human person be the
main protagonist in the process of development. This requires full respect for human liberty
and not reducing people to mere economic instruments.

The second mistake is reductionism. This simply blames all problems and social changes on
globalization without an adequate analysis of each situation. The impact of globalization on many
aspects of lives cannot be denied, admits Bishop Crepaldi. However, it is wrong to simply blame all the
world's ills as stemming from it. Many countries have benefited from globalization and it is not
necessarily the case that the economic advances of one nation result from impoverishing another. The
problems of underdeveloped countries often stem from a complex series of factors; not all of them
economic.

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The third mistake is similar to the second, and consists in thinking that by now all is globalized.
There are, nevertheless, sectors of economic activity that are not integrated globally. In
addition, hand in hand with globalization there has been an increased emphasis on local and
regional identities.

Discernment is needed in order to avoid accepting a vision of globalization that sees itself as
part of a postmodern process in which liberty is given an absolute value and a place for
tradition and religion is denied. For its part the Church proposes a culture based on a Christian
anthropological vision that has as its objective the construction of a new humanity.

The Church also proposes the concept of moral authority in dealing with globalization. The
changes at a global level have brought to the forefront questions regarding progress and
goods on a universal scale that needs to be somehow reconciled according to a hierarchy of
values. This in turn requires a correct understanding of human dignity and rights that is not
possible unless a system based on ethical relativism is accepted.

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The universal moral principles derive from man’s common nature. Discerning the content of
these principles is not an easy process. But if globalization is not guided by moral principles, then
it will result in all sorts of injustices.

Solidarity

Another essential aspect of the Church’s teaching on globalization is the promotion of solidarity.
It has to be a global solidarity that will ensure all peoples can benefit from the economic changes
taking place. Christian solidarity consists in making you responsible for the welfare of others. It is
more than compassion or sentiments, as it calls for a full reciprocity in human relationships.

The unity of humanity is evident from the moment of creation, when you read in Genesis that
God created man and you, therefore, have a common point of origin. Your common destiny is
also evident in the incarnation, when Christ becomes man to save humanity.

Christ’s message not only makes evident the unity among all people, but also your common
brotherhood. In the final analysis human unity is founded on the Trinitarian unity. Seen in this
perspective is the increased interdependence resulting from globalization. It acquires a new
dimension, which saves it from a merely technical or economic reductionism.

Along with solidarity the Church also teaches the importance of subsidiarity. This means avoiding
an excessive concentration of power at higher levels, allowing institutions such as the family,
local communities, and ethnic groups sufficient autonomy to carry out their functions.

Globalization, therefore, needs to be a process guided by respect for human liberty. A

globalization thus oriented by Christian principles will result in a harmonious unity of the
human family.

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Here are two interesting lessons included in the discussion to help you analyze further where you
are and where you are headed: UNDP’s HDI and UNESCO’s SDGs

HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDEX – HDI

According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the HDI was created to
emphasize that people and their capabilities should be the ultimate criteria for assessing the
development of a country, not economic growth alone. The Human Development Index (HDI) is
a summary measure of average achievement in key dimensions of human development: a long
and healthy life, being knowledgeable, and have a decent standard of living. The HDI is the
geometric mean of normalized indices for each of the three dimensions. The health dimension
is assessed by life expectancy at birth. The education dimension is measured by means of years
of schooling for adults aged 25 years and more and the expected years of schooling for children
of school entering age. The standard of living dimension is measured by gross national income
per capita. The tables below, derived from the 2020 Human Development Index Results or
Ranking will give you an idea on how we have been described as “developed” as “humans” using
the abovementioned parameters. It will be presented initially with the 10 highest ranking
countries followed by the Philippines and the other countries belonging to the last ten in rank.

Top Ten:
1. NORWAY 2. IRELAND 2. SWITZERLAND 4. HONG KONG CHINA 4. ICELAND
6. GERMANY 7. SWEDEN 8. AUSTRALIA 8. NETHERLANDS 10. DENMARK

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101 to 110 – The Philippines in the 107th spot (106th as of 2019)

181 to 189 – lowest ranking countries

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SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

UNESCO’s official website
mentioned that the 2030
Agenda for Sustainable
Development, adopted by
all United Nations
Member States in 2015,
provides a shared
blueprint for peace and
prosperity for people and
the planet, now and into
the future. At its heart are
the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries
– developed and developing – in a global partnership. They recognize that ending poverty and
other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education,
reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to
preserve oceans and forests.

How far have you gone in your efforts to fight poverty and hunger? Is education more of a
privilege than a right these days? What have you done to
preserve seas, forests, flora and fauna? If having clean
water is one of the goals, how come people in Africa do not
only die of hunger; even worse, they die of thirst. At times
you are led to believe that it is better to go back to the days
when everything was
simple and crude.
People have attributed
modernity and world interconnectivity to collective learning
and agriculture. But these after-effects possibly led to a more
chaotic environment where water and food – which used to be
free all around us especially during the Paleolithic age – has gone scarce and expensive. As
Angelites, how do you define being interconnected with each other? How do you spell out the
meaning of developed human persons? Are you truly civilized and distinct from other living
plants and animal species? Who are you, really? Have you done enough or have you done so
much?

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