Liberal democracy has globalised from its European origins to become the worlds’ most

common political system.

- Democratic elections are observed by international monitors, to reduce bribery, vote
rigging… elections are free and fair
- Ideas about human rights and equality spread, The Universal Declaration of Human
Rights adopted by the United Nations in 1948

These changes are all result of

● Globalisation - cross-cultural contact, exposing people to new ideas
● International organisations (UN and EU) putting pressure on governments for democracy
and respect for human rights
● Spread of capitalism - demcratic states create stable business environments, having
greater chance of international trade and involvement of TNC

However, also non-democratic countries (China, Vietnam) that are subject to globalising forces,
suggesting that globalisation alone does not lead to democracy and human rights

Global social movements and attempts to oppose globalisation

Due to globalisation, national boundaries no longer restrict political activity. Global political
“actors” now include Greenpeace, the Red Cross, Amnesty

New social movements (NSMs) usually described as (loosely organised, without leaders uses
direct action tactics)
- Environment movement
- Feminism
- Peace and anti-nuclear
- Gay and lesbian liberation
- Animal rights
- Occupy movement

Global social movements

are response to
- new global risks
 - People having a growing sense of being unable to take control their lives and wanting to
take action > with growth of internet and global electronic communication
- Access to internet and media enables global social movements to put pressure on
governments and international bodies

Used to
- Express anger about effects of globalisation (protests in 2001 against neo-liberal
globalisation > claiming that global economic systems keeps people in poverty)
- Anti-globalisation would point to the failure of structural adjustment programmes to
reduce poverty. Give example of China - who largely ignored neo-liberalism but economy
has had rapid growth
- Anti-globalisation also criticised for lack of effective organisation, allowing violent
protests at times

Debates about role of nation state in tackling global social and environmental problems

Globalisation means that nation states lose power and authority. They are less able to control
- Employment - rising/falling employment depending on how capital, labour and jobs
move across national borders
- Taxation policies relating to business (transnational corporations) > if taxation in one
nation is too high, TNCs relocated to lower-tax nations (capital flight), TNCs also export
profits, making it difficult for national governments to track what profit is being made and
where
- Investment > increased competition and pressure on governments to provide
environments and packages to attract corporate investment

Ohmae states that “political globalisation marked the end of modern nation state itself”

TNCs become more powerful, profiting more than the national products of whole countries. This
is evident for developing countries who may be heavily reliant on one source that only TNCs
have the expertise and ability to exploit. The power TNC holds means their actions have wide
consequences.
EX: Though the Paris Climate Accord is signed by governments, its success in holding back
average global temperature increase depends on the actions of corporations to reduce
emissions and develop new technologies

The scale and global nature of some problems country face leds to increase in transnational
organisations, conferences and treaties. Problems include
- Global drug trade
- Global illegal trade in endangered species
CITES (the convention on international trade in endangered species) gave protection to
35000 species)
- Carbon emissions and climate change
 Paris Climate Accord 2016, agreed to take measures to limit increase in average global
temperatures
- Terroism
- Weapons of mass destruction (nuclear)

There are also political events suggesting movement in the opposite direction (President Trump
on behalf of US leaving the Paris Climate Accord)

Beck argued that we now live in a global risk society. Us - having to confront problems that
earlier generations could not imagine (natural disasters and plagues beyond human control,
many generated by science and technology).

Though some nation states increased power to supranational level, some moved down to local
level through devolution of powers from central governments to cities/ regional assemblies From
UK governments in London to Scottish Parliament illustrating the “glocal” aspect of
globalisation.

Are nation states withering away?

- John Gray (SCEPTIC) believes that globalisation makes the world a true single market,
where nation states wither away, supplanted by homeless multinational corporations
- Hirst and Thompson points out that nations create stable political conditions where trade
and international development can continue
Arguably, when nation states cooperate with others in intergovernmental organisations, their
collective strength enables them to do more than tackling global issues