Question

Explain in detail the political issues in the context of globalisation.

1. Meaning of globalisation
2. Importance of democracy
3. Position of the state
4. Non-state actors
5. Human Rights

Discuss the political issues in the context of globalization.

Answer the following question in 80 to 100 words:

Explain political issues in the context of globalisation.

Answer 1

Introduction: Globalisation increased connectedness among countries and people and events in one part of the world have an impact on another part. There are various ways of looking at this change.

Some of the important political issues in the context of globalisation:

1. Importance of democracy: The East European revolution of 1989 and the disintegration of the Soviet Union is looked at as the fall of communism. It has been argued that the world is moving towards democratic political systems. Terms like ‘Participatory State’, ‘Citizen Centric Governance’ and ‘Good Governance’ have become important. Participatory state goes beyond traditional democratic practices wherein the decision is made by the majority. In a participatory state, all segments of society are involved in the making of policy. 
2. Position of the state: It is being argued that the state is becoming less and less important. One of the key features of the state is its sovereignty. The concept of sovereignty is linked with the concept of jurisdiction of the state. This is the right of the state to make laws within its territory. It has been argued that the concept of sovereignty is being challenged by both internal and external factors. External challenges come from the growth of international law, regional economic organisations, globalisation of markets, growing environmental and humanitarian concerns, etc. Internal challenges come from a decline of national consensus, growth of ethnic nationalism, activism of non-state actors, etc.
3. Non-state actors: It is the importance of the civil society that has given importance to non-state actors. Thus, voluntary Organisations and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) have started to become more important. Today, international relations is not only relations between states; it also includes non-state actors. They play an important role in promoting humanitarian issues. Besides organisations like Amnesty International and the Green Peace Movement, terrorist organisations are also non-state actors.
4. Human Rights: In the age of globalization, protection of human rights has become an important agenda. But there is a need to make a distinction between the approaches to human rights of the developed world and the developing world. The Third World holds that economic development has to precede before civil and political rights and that a greater value needs to be placed on community and family than on individual rights. The Indian constitution, for example, lays stress on the aspect of social justice and looks at food, shelter, clothing, education and health as the primary needs of its citizens. It is further argued that in the desire to achieve distributive justice there is an undue emphasis on liberty rights and not welfare rights of the people. Therefore, countries should have the right to interpret human rights in accordance with their history, culture, polity, and economy.

Answer 2

International relations, national sovereignty, and governance have all been touched by globalisation, which has had a major impact on politics. The following are some important political issues: 

1. Erosion of National Sovereignty: International institutions such as the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the United Nations (UN), and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have an impact on national policies and can occasionally restrict a nation's autonomy.
2. Rise of Non-State Actors: Cross-border operations by international NGOs, terrorist organisations, and multinational corporations (MNCs) pose a threat to established state authority.
3. Power Imbalances: Economic and political inequalities among emerging nations are a result of developed nations' frequent dominance of global decision-making.
4. Security Concerns: The rise in cross-border conflicts, cyberthreats, and international terrorism necessitates international cooperation for peace and security.