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| Dr. M Pushpangadan, EIS Tilakan, K. Rajan |
ആഗോളഗ്രാമത്തിലെ ബഹുസ്വരതകള്- സാഹിത്യവേദി പ്രതിമാസ ചര്ച്ച-നവംബര് മാസം (റിപ്പോര്ട്ട്)
Dear Dr Pushpangadan,
I have recd your various forwards on the subject of Globalization, as a sequel to your article presented in Sahithyavedi. You have attempted to give a holistic and idealistic view of globalization akin to `vasudhaiva kudumbakam’ , which in fact is a travesty of truth prevailing in the post-globalization era. We should not forget that even with the lofty percept of vasudhiva kudumbakam, we have been subjecting our own people to prejudice, subjugation and exploitation – percept divorced from practice! And
globalization in its present incarnation (and there no common agreement
even on the definition of globalization!), is more identified with the
evils listed in your own article.
The proof of the pudding is in the eating. UNDP Report says” “…globalization, while enhancing the opportunities for some, shrinks them for many others. Although
globalization may seek to promote growth and yield profits, it misses
out on the goals of equity, poverty eradication and enhanced human
security.”
Earlier, the UN Millennium Report had observed: “The greatest challenge we face today is to ensure that globalization becomes a positive for all the (emphasis mine) world’s people, instead of leaving billions of them behind in squalor. Inclusive globalization must be built on the great enabling force of the market, but market forces alone will not achieve it. It requires a broader effort to create a shared future based on our common humanity in all its diversity.” (emphasis mine).
Even in a country like India blessed with all natural resources and a big reservoir of skilled labour, we see all the negative consequences. Many
studies have shown that the disadvantaged groups have becomes
vulnerable owing to poor government spending/subsidies, only peripheral,
unorganized labour at below subsistence level (which I had loosely
termed as `under-employment’ in our discussion), and low quality
imported goods infiltrating into Indian market due to absence of
government control, etc. The widening gap between the rich and the poor is ever increasing.
As
it emerges today and as the antagonist say, by globalization “the
ruling elites sought to harness the expansion of the world markets for
their own interests”, moving freely across the borders, extracting
natural resources and diverse human resources.
If
a true globalization as you envision is to take place, I personally
feel and wish that the forces at play behind the economic globalization
first work on a humanitarian globalization – make the world war-free and
declare disarmament. The military budgets of the developed nations can build a humanitarian paradise on earth.
With regards,
K Rajan
It is interesting to note that the debate on the article presented
in Sahitya Vedi has moved out of the closed class rooms of Matunga
Kerala Bhavanam to the cyber space.
When we talk about globalisation, there is something more than
the issues related to economics etc. that we usually discuss. There is a very sderious issue related to the culture. In the new world order, the
idendity/culture of a nation is slowly erased. A nation without
idendity/culture is soul-less. This hollowness is best to mould
the people accordingly. This has already taken place in various
levels -- language, taste, dressing, relationships, value systems, etc.
These changes started taking place slowly since industialisation.
Urbanisation furthered its momentum. This happened in the name of
so-called 'progress'. One can argue that there are number of positive
sides to these 'developments', but if we look at the other side,
the price we pay for this is too high.
P.K. Surendran