NO NATION CAN SURVIVE ISOLATED IN THE MODERN AGE

In the era of globalisation, it is indeed a reality that no nation can remain isolated and still survive. The increasing aspirations of the people for economic growth and development has led to greater interdependence among nations for raw material, energy and other natural resources. Since no nation has all the resources to cater to the needs of its citizens, they just cannot remain isolated and still progress.

We have seen the adverse effect of economic sanctions imposed by the UNO on South Africa and Iraq. Though the sanctions were imposed on them for different reasons, they affected the lives of the common people profoundly. Economic compulsions force nations to forge economic ties, even if they are at variance with their ideology, customs and way of life. The growing economic ties between capitalist America, and communist China serve as an example. While China provides cheap labour, raw material and natural resources to the multi-national corporations of America for manufacturing goods, America and the European markets provide China a ready-made market for products being manufactured by them. This is thus a mutually beneficial arrangement for both the countries.

Similarly, MNC’s utilise the cheap inputs of different countries to manufacture goods, which are subsequently sold across the whole world. This outsourcing enables them to provide quality products at reasonable prices. It has thus led to new business strategies like BPO (Business Product Outsourcing) and KPO (Knowledge Product Outsourcing). These are basically back-office operations of MNC’s done in third world or developing nations, for mutual benefit. Thus, while the advanced countries reap the advantages of a lower labour cost, the developing countries are benefited as it generates employment and helps in their economic development.

Technology like the Internet and cable has reduced the world to one global village. Virtually everything is now available at the click of a mouse. It is common to find a teenager here, making friends with an American in the chat room. Their friendship easily forged as if time, space and cultural barriers had been breached by the tilting modems and the blinking satellites. This greater interaction and interdependence are not only confined to national and business corporations but has now started affecting our way of life and culture. We are increasingly becoming more cosmopolitan in outlook – thanks to the programs beamed by CNN, Star and BBC. There is far greater cross-cultural exchange happening today than ever before. This is evident in the proliferation of McDonald’s restaurants, Mega Malls springing up in India, with the corresponding same number of Indian, Thai and Chinese restaurants dotting the American and European cities with more people migrating, we have truly cosmopolitan families, speaking different languages, having different nationalities but still bound by old family ties.

However, to think that these factors would lead to a One World State in the present scenario is indeed far-fetched. While technology many have blurred our linguistic and cultural barriers, it has had no effect on nationalistic feelings. Thus, the highly advanced European nations, though bound by same customs, beliefs, religion, and of late even the same currency, the Euro, still like to keep their separate identity. They have distinct national boundaries, different foreign policy and a government of their choice.

Richa Singh is a student pursuing Economics Hons. from Jamia Millia Islamia.

Edited by: Nidhi

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of The Jamia Review or its members.