SONGSOPTOK INTERVIEW
FACES AND FACETS OF GLOBALIZATION
“Globalization is the process of
international integration arising from the interchange of world views,
products, ideas and mutual sharing, and other aspects of culture” (Wikipedia)
SONGSOPTOK: What are
you views about globalization? In the country and the society you live in, is
globalization a threat or an opportunity?
ARONI: I think that globalization is now a phenomenon
that is fully integrated in the current paradigm the world is in. The fact that
most of the interactions between countries, markets, economic and political
actors happen in a dynamic environment which is shaped by the influence of
global actors cannot be denied or considered as something new. In that sense,
globalization is one of the key mechanisms of the system we all live in. So
while the past generations had to adapt while this process was taking its shape,
the current ones just have to think of it as a part of their lives.
In
France, the opinion on globalization by different parts of the society is
linked to its effects on the daily lives of individuals. I would have to say
that most people who consider it as a threat are the ones who lost their jobs
because of the loss of competitivity of their sector, but now even they have realized
that it is not something that is going to change. Most of the people accept the
fact that globalization cannot be avoided and hence try to use it to their
advantage.
SONGSOPTOK: To what
extent is the society you live in is globalized? What are the outward
manifestations, if any, in the everyday lives of the citizens?
ARONI: The
French society is globalized in most ways, in the sense that it's economy is
fully integrated to the global markets, be it imports, exports, financial
transactions; and since France is also a member state of the European Union,
she has to adapt to policies which affect the different zones (Eurozone,
Schengen etc.) to which the country officially belongs. The impact of
globalization can be very implicit or intangible in the everyday life of the
citizens, such as access to banking systems or loans, which actually are
dependent on the financial sphere which is completely globalized. Or it can be very
visible and sometimes brutal, such as the loss of jobs due to competition or
outsourcing, or the rise of petrol prices because of the policies of the OPEC.
SONGSOPTOK: In your
opinion, has the process of globalization improved the quality of life in your
country? In what way?
ARONI: I think
overall the quality of life in France has been affected by globalization as
much as in any other of the developed countries. Globalization enables a faster
transmission of new technologies into societies, and thus the changes in
qualities of life regarding progress are enhanced by the country being part of
a globalized world. I think it is now impossible to be in autarchy and at the
same time improve the quality of life, so I think that any change not induced
by national welfare policies are somehow linked to globalization.
SONGSOPTOK: One of
the major effects of globalization is the significant increase in the volume of
trade and monetary transactions between the different nations. Do you think
that your country has benefited from this? In what way?
ARONI: France
has one of the most developed economies in the world, so it has fully
benefitted from the effects of globalization on trade, and even more so with
its partners in the European Union. The European construction is in itself an
example of the extension of globalization to the political sphere, and the fact
that 19 countries have a single currency means that the exchanges in an already
free-trade zone increase exponentially. France as one of the founder states of
the EU, and one of the growth engines of the system along with Germany, has
greatly benefited from globalization in and out of the EU, by being able to
expand the market shares of its biggest companies thanks to favorable terms of
trade, and a strong currency.
SONGSOPTOK: Do you
think that globalization serves to make the already strong economies even
stronger and weaker economies weaker and more dependent? Can you give us a few
examples to illustrate your answer?
ARONI: I do not
think that the effects of globalization can be analyzed by a one sided
approach. Overall I think that globalization in the long term makes any economy
stronger, due to the fact that trade naturally increases when countries are
allowed to interact more, and that it is a vector of growth. But as in any
economic mechanism, endogenous or exogenous factors may affect the economies
and the effects of globalization can have very negative effects in the short or
mid term horizons. I think the integration of the emerging powers to the world
economy is a perfect example to show that the effect of globalization enabled
them to achieve high growth rates and become more prosperous, but that some
problems persisted or became stronger, and are still to be solved. Also, some
of the most developed economies suffered from the effects of globalization as
well: some sectors were completely destroyed by competition, there were social
tensions due to outsourcing and loss of jobs, and the massive financial crisis
of 2008 spread so fast because the banks in the world were all linked, which
then translated to a full-fledged recession all around the world. So the
effects are in no case unilateral, be it on strong or weak economies, and each
case must be analyzed in its own environment.
SONGSOPTOK: What,
according to you, is the role played by the major multinational companies in of
globalization? Do you think that the entire process was actually put in motion
by the large MNC’s for their personal profits or do you think that there has
been a trickle-down effect to the economy of your country?
ARONI: The MNC's
are the main vectors of globalization since most of the trade is done through
their activities, and also that they are actually operating all over the world.
I am not convinced that the process was designed by these corporations to make
profits, but it was born from their activities and that the economic and
political actors could see that enabling these companies to operate all around
the world would open new trade opportunities and influence zones for the
countries they belong to. That is the reason why countries like China, India or
Brazil slowly opened their economies to foreign investment, and encouraged the
implantation of these MNC's so that their economy could be boosted by the
activities of these profit making companies and their influence on the local
environment. MNC's did not create globalization, but they quickly understood
what they could get out of it.
SONGSOPTOK: Do you
think that globalization actually breeds a homogenous culture? What, if any,
has been the effect of globalization in the cultural sphere of your country? In
your opinion, has it been positive or negative?
ARONI: It is
possible that globalization helps certain cultures spread faster to certain
parts of the world, but I don't think that a homogenous culture is actually
something that can exist in a globalized world, precisely because the
interconnection of societies actually links different cultures rather than
shutting out one another. The fact that in Paris I can eat a French gourmet
meal, sushis, Mexican, McDonalds or even a dosa means that different cultures
are coexisting, and I think that is one of the most positives aspects of
globalization.
SONGSOPTOK: What, in
your opinion, is the impact of globalization on environment? Do you think that
the capitalistic growth model used by the large multinationals have a negative
effect on the environment? In what way?
ARONI: I think
that the capitalist model of production has had negative effects on
environment, but those effects existed way before anyone even started talking
about globalization. The fact that most of natural resources are used in an
extensive way and that mass production in factories reject large quantities of
greenhouse gases and other toxic waste, means that the global ecosystem is put
under a lot of pressure, and needs to be taken care of. But that is not a
result of a globalized world, but by how industry was designed from the very
beginning. Globalization has maybe accelerated the growth of these issues by
enhancing emerging economies, but it is not the primary cause of the
deterioration of the environment.
SONGSOPTOK: Is it
possible to imagine a world today with an alternative mode of production and
consumption? Is it at all necessary? If so, will you share your ideas with us?
How can we, as ordinary citizens, contribute to such a model?
ARONI: It is
always possible to imagine an alternative to an existing model, but that would
realistically possible only if research on human sciences finds the concepts
that could result in a systemic change. As citizens, it is extremely hard to
change a macro system or a paradigm that dictates most of the interactions
between individuals, but sharing about it is the first step to find new ways of
life.
ARONI: Master’s student specializing in Geopolitics at
Institut Français de Géopolitique, Paris.
We sincerely thank you for
your time and hope we shall have your continued support.
(Editor: Songsoptok)
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