Globalization and Democracy

The contentious issue of globalization has captured much attention from various scholars and is rigorously studied upon by the myriad of dimensions of globalization – namely social, political, economy and culture. This essay will attempt to focus on political dimension of current global society. The political characteristic is gauged from the viewpoint of democracy and democratization and is examined together with the social influences rendered by globalization as a process. The paper shall deliberate on ways in which globalization may have aided – both positively and negatively in different parts of the world

Like multiple other actors, national governments are increasingly submitted to the economic tides of globalization. As a single economic model imposes itself across the planet, with corporations accounting for 40 per cent of the world's 100 largest economic entities in 2012, global financial markets and transnational groups are influencing a growing array of state-and local-level public policy decisions. 1 A March 2016 Foreign Policy article, headlined "These 25 Companies Are More Powerful Than Many Countries", argues that some multinationals are "vying with governments for global power". 2

The requirements of global economic liberalization do not fit with the requirements of democracy. I take the main characteristic of the environment of globalization to be the pressure on all states in the global system to restructure their economies and societies in order to survive and prosper in a competitive global capitalist economy in which production and exchange is increasingly organized along liberal lines. This has far-reaching consequences for the relationship between capitalism and liberal democracy. In the past, its ideal-typical form combined management of both economic development and social provision by the state with a political system arising out of civil society and remaining largely autonomous (a liberal polity, in other words, in a socio-economic framework managed by the state). In a future structured by globalization the ideal-typical pattern will be the reverse: an economic and social system shaped by liberal economic forces operating at a global level which states have limited capacity to resist, and a political system managed by the state in order to mitigate the consequences of global economic liberalism (a liberal economy, in other words, in a political framework managed by the state). States will take a more direct role in the management of their citizens, in order to compensate for their decreasing inability to manage the broader social and political environment.Thus, globalization does not mean the end of the State, but possibly the end of liberal democracy.

Economics Working Papers, 2007

Despite some notable achievements in many parts of the planet the gap between the rich and the poor has become wider rather than tighter. On the political sphere success seems much more unequivocal, though. Indeed, beyond a handful of anachronistic exceptions, the world seems to have surrendered to the delights of democracy. From there to the conclusion that globalization favours democracy there was a small step that many political scientists all over the world have not hesitated to make. Refusing to share this optimism, many other scientists have, on the contrary, severely questioned the democratic character of the global economy, almost since the term globalization itself has been invented. In this work I will show how the logic of globalisation, in other words the logic of internationalised market capitalism conflicts with a substantive definition of democracy in developed countries as much as in developing countries.

Despite some notable achievements in many parts of the planet the gap between the rich and the poor has become wider rather than tighter. On the political sphere success seems much more unequivocal, though. Indeed, beyond a handful of anachronistic exceptions, the world seems to have surrendered to the delights of democracy. From there to the conclusion that economic globalization favors democracy there was a small step that many economists and political scientists all over the world have not hesitated to make. Refusing to share this optimism, many other scientists have, on the contrary, severely questioned the democratic character of the global economy almost since the term globalization itself has been invented. In this work I intend to show how the logic of globalization, in other words the logic of internationalized market capitalism conflicts with a substantive definition of democracy in developed countries as much as in developing countries. First of all we will explain why, i...

2002

In Mehdi Mozaffari (ed.), Globalization and Civilizations, Routledge, August 2002 In world politics ‗globalization' means a growing demise of the traditional power of the sovereign state. These challenges can by seen in the multiplying international pressures towards democratic and law-based governmental structures; the growing adoption among nation-states of liberal economic policies; burgeoning restraints on the unilateral use of coercion in foreign affairs; and a seemingly rising power of individuals as global actors. In short, in the field of international relations ‗globalization' means a changing interstate system-changing from high state sovereignty to some other structural form.

Proceedings of the XXII World Congress of Philosophy, 2008

The topic of this article is the correlation between the modern process of globalization and democracy. The agenda starts with the concept of globalization, its different meanings and various layers, traps and paradoxes, consequences and effects, advantages and disadvantages in the horizon of contemporary life. Following a brief theme introduction, the article outlines a short historic philosophical review into the development of globalization from the ancient times to the contemporary world. The focus of the philosophical view is that of two significant authorities and opposite approaches in the process of developing 'World Society'-Immanuel Kant and Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel wherein Kant explains the means to the status of 'World Civility' as a 'Natural Purpose', and Hegel exposes the necessity of the historic global development to the state of global freedom. The question: Does the process of making global society threaten democracy in the modern world-is the key issue nowadays. All agree that the globalization process diminishes the area of authentic political acting. Democracy originates from the 'polis' or small town republic and is a symbol of the government in the small political community. The step from the polis democracy to the national state democracy was the result of change from the direct to the representative democracy. The transition from the national to the supranational and global politics requires new essential transformation of the being of democracy.

Synthesis Philosophica, 2006

Although the accelerated globalization of recent decades has flourished in tandem with a notable growth of liberal democracy in many states where it was previously absent, it would be hard to say that the prevailed processes of neo-liberal globalization foster development of global democracy. On the contrary, globalization has undercut traditional liberal democracy and created the need for supplementary democratic mechanisms. But, suprastate democracy of regional and transworld regimes as well as potential unofficial channels, such as global marketplace, global communications, and global civil society, have shown many democratic deficits rather than democratic credentials. the most serious problem in the relationship between democracy and globalization is, however, related to differences among the global cultures and/or civilizations.

Текстът е част от научен сборник, издаден от Регионален исторически музей - Шумен: Музеите и културното наследство. 120 години Исторически музей – Шумен. Сборник с доклади от Национална научна конференция с международно участие. Шумен, 26-28 юни 2024. Научен редактор Светла Димитрова. Велико Търново: Издателство „Фабер“, 2024. ISBN 978-619-00-1789-9 The article presents the project "The Other Museum", which was realized with the financial support of the National Fund "Culture" through the production company "B Plus". To date, 13 documentaries, 12 virtual tours of museums, as well as a number of additional materials, including three audiovisual podcasts, have been created based on it. The three stages of realization are centered on different aspects and phenomena of museum work – from the classic fund and exhibition activities to the individuals working and creating in a museum environment. All created products are united around the concept of the museum as a center for the exchange of values, ideas, and knowledge and as a center of sustainable cultural realities, preserving the ancient traditions of Bulgarian culture, but also open to communication with new generations, technologies, challenges.