Globalisation And Its Impact On Third World International Relations.

By
Chris .M.A. Kwaja
kwajaamc@yahoo.com
Programme Associate
Global Rights: Partner for Justice
75B Mississippi Street, Maitama, Abuja, Nigeria.
Introduction:
A significant transformation of the post cold war global economy has occurred. There is
pressing need to integrate the politics of international relations with the current wave of
globalisation to which the third world is part of.
Profound changes underlie this current phase of globalisation. Since the sixteenth century,
the primacy of the nationstate has been the organizing principle of the international
political order. The nation-state has largely displaced such pre-modern forms of political
organization as city-states, tribes, and empires, while simultaneously the market has
become the primary means of organizing economic relations, displacing other means of
exchange; reciprocity, redistribution, and imperial command economies. These two opposed
forms of social organization, the modern state and the market, have evolved together
through recent centuries, and their mutual interaction have become increasingly crucial to
the character and dynamics of international relations in this twenty first century era of
globalisation to which the third world as mentioned earlier is a player.
Changes in the world economy as a result of the globalisation process have indeed elevated
politico-social and economic issues as they affect relations among actors in the international
system to the highest level of international relations.
This study, then proceeds on two levels. At one level, it is a practical inquiry into the reality
of the contemporary international relations and how relations interactions among actors is
transforming international; relations in the twenty first century. At another level, this work
is theoretical; it attempts to integrate the principal ways in which scholars have conceived
of globalisation and international relations. An attempt will be made, throughout the
discussion that follows, to draw out implications of the duo as they affect the third world in
the contemporary global economy.

Globalisation: Towards A Conceptual Clarification.

Globalisation has become the biggest buzz word in contemporary academic discourse and
the popularity of the term is not accidental. It is a broad process permeating the whole
world, with far reaching impacts covering economic, political and cultural dimensions of
contemporary life.
Globalisation is derived from the word global, which refers to things affecting the world
(Oxford Dictionary, 2000:503). Globalisation heralds the emergence of a global cultural
system. A global culture that is, more or less a kaleidoscope of trans-national socio-cultural
characterisation. This includes the existence of global consumption pattern; the existence of

a world satellite information system; the cultivation of cosmopolitan lifestyles, the

standardisation of strategies of address critical world problems for instance famine,
terrorism or the scourges of HIV/AIDS.
It might seem that globalisation is the unitarisation of the world as a single space. It has
been viewed as the compression of the world and the intensification of consciousness of the
world as one whole entity (Robertson, 1992:46). It has been perceived as a process (or a
set of processes) which embody a transformation in the spatial organisation or
social relations and transactions, expressed in transcontinental or interregional flows and
networks of activity, interaction and power. In a nutshell, globalisation describes the
growing interdependence of peoples and countries (Held and Mc Graw, 1996:24).
Globalisation is also defined as increasing integration of the nation economies with the rest
of the world. Its features are economic integration through:
...trade and capital flows (investment) increasing adoption of common relations between
sovereign nations, creation and nurturing of institutions that supports the process of
integration in addition to integration in other areas such as national value, cultural beliefs as
well as religious beliefs (Shonekan, 2000: 4).
Globalisation is essentially the geographical dimension of the phenomenon of imperialism, a
transition to geo-finance system. Eskor Toyo saw it as:
A phase in the anti-stagflation, counter-revolutionary, tripartite competition, and neomonopolistic propaganda offensive of imperialism (Toyo, 2000:15).
Along side the notion of globalisation is the three fold domination of the world by the
transnational capital, the hegemony of neo-liberalism and the emergence of a global
historic bloc. The latter segment in the contemporary world is led by transnational
capitalist class. It is important to note that this is not a monolithic bloc advancing a unified
and uncontested agenda.
According to the World Bank perspective:
Globalisation is about an increasingly interconnected and interdependent world, it is all
about international trade, investment and finances that have been growing faster than
national incomes (World Bank, 1990:13).
The Situating Third World in a Globalising World.
Indeed, globalization represents the triumph of a capitalist world economy tied together by
a global division of labour (Wallestine, 1979:46).This capitalist world economy is driven by
the logic of capital accumulation. However though, globalization has brought about the
integration of the third world as well as its progress in an uneven and unbalanced manner.
This has meant that the third world has continued to be on the margins of the globalized
world economy. Of course, someone was bound to be marginalized for it is in the nature of
capitalism that capitalist accumulation can only take place on the basis of some countries
loosing put those which gain and control the entire system of production and reproduction
(Naburere,2000:32). Third world position in this globalized world economy is no different
despite her famed human and material endowment.

Different types of globalisation has been identified .These include mercantilist (1450-1800);
free trade globalization (1830-70); and the monopolist and colonialist globalisation of late
19th century and early 20th century. The fourth type of globalisation is that of the
development of underdevelopment countries (1960-70); while the fifth is the globalisation
of the SAP era, the 1970 to date (Toyo, 2000:16).Globalisation is also the third phase of
scientific technological revolution, the promotion by transport and communication revolution
of a greater linking up of economies and cultures of the world and continues expansion of
world trade (Toyo, 2000:12).
Globalization in the contemporary world is characterized by objects in motion- they include
ideas and ideologies, people and goods, images and messages, technologies and
techniques. It is a world of flows (Appadurai, 2001:5). It is also a world of structures and
organization.
Globalization is not a single unified phenomenon but a syndrome of processes and
activities, which embody a set of ideas and policy framework organised around the global
division of labour and power (Mittelman, 2000:4). It is usually apprehended at two levels.
The first level is the increase in interactions. The second level is the intensification of
worldwide social relations, which link distant localities in such a way that local happenings
are shaped by events from distant points on the globe and vice versa. It is within this
context that third world international relations can indeed, be situated and appreciated.
It is also useful to describe globalization from a particularistic standpoint that explicates
ones position in the global hierarchy as has been presented by Mittelman:
It is worth noting also that the dominant form of globalization means a historical
transformation in the economy of livelihoods and modes of existence; in politics, a loss the
degree of control exercised, for some, however little to begin with such that the locus of
power gradually shifts in varying proportions above and below the territorial state; and in
culture, a devaluation of a collectivitys achievements or perceptions of them. This structure
in turn may engender either accommodation or resistance (Mittelman, 2000:6).
The economic essentials of globalization are evident in the acclaim of multilateral agencies
with respect to the third world. According to the World Bank, globalization is good for
economic growth and growth is good for the poor. This is a simple yet forceful fact-based
conclusion and cannot be dismissed by specific examples to the contrary and such examples
could be countered by more examples where globalisation works for the benefit of the poor
(World Bank; 2000:14). In this regard it has been argued that globalization would attract
Direct Foreign Investment (FDI) and international aid to the Third World. It was also
promoted that globalization would enhance competition which would encourage rationality
and efficiency in capitalism (Toyo, 2000:22). But there is inequality in this type of capitalist
competition, because there is no level playing field.

The Impact of Globalisation on the International Relations of Third World

Countries.
There has been a lot of debate among scholars and policy makers both within the developed
world and the third world with respect to the impact of globalisation on third world
international relations. While it has been praised for being an opportunity for the third world
countries to make it in the twenty first century, it has also being criticized for its anti third

world posture. This implies first that it is another way of projecting European values on the
rest of the world. Hence it is termed cultural imperialism (Philips, 1985:113). To the critical
minded third world, globalization has been seen as a replacement of imperialism or
modernity. It displaces a focus on domination of third world countries by the so-called
developed world, or of local and national economies by transnational corporations. It is a
method to preserve the continuing exploitation of much of the world by few super powers.
It is important in the light of the above to clearly state that there is increasing fear of
marginlisation and possible re-colonisation of the third world with reference to global
relations. This is accentuated by the fact that almost all the structures, upon which the
foundation of the global village is to be built, are controlled by the so-called developed
countries.
Furthermore, globalisation of trade and liberalization of economies have been described as
inequitable and inimical to the third world in general. Economic structure is yet another
important structure which is wholly controlled by the developed world. Besides, the fact that
most, if not all the third world countries are largely indebted to the developed nations,
leaves them with very little or no control over their national economies how much more that
of the global economy. It is glaring that relations between the debt ridden third world
nations and the other part of the world is that of a slave-master or master-slave relations.
Politically speaking, globalisation is changing the context in which governments operate.
The challenge to policy makers is made more acute by a lot of other internationalisations
under way. International actors and events that nationally affect even so called domestic
issues in third world countries. Thus the national sovereignty and national policy autonomy
of third world countries are undermined as a result of the world begin seen and referred to
as a global village. The principle of erstwhile freedom of internal affairs of state is no
longer held sacrosanct as events such as human rights and democracy are now
internationalised.
In addition, there is the crisis of loyalty between the national government of third world
nations and the international government. This is because for the Staff of these globalised
governments even when their policies are contrary to the national government, these
people/group of people, still dance to the tune of the globalised government.
The security structure too is not left out in this regard. This is because the developed
nations through science and sophisticated technology have been able to hijack the global
security through which it can exercise relational and structural powers. That is causing the
third world nations to do what ordinarily it would no consider doing, or determining the rules
to which the third world countries have to behave within the global structure. For instance,
the insistence by America that Nigeria should hand over Charles Taylor for prosecution by
the International Criminal Court is a case that readily comes to bare.
Another impact that globalisation has on the third world is the destruction of traditional
cultures among those who are drawn into that economy and its practices. People have a
right to cultural diversity but this is no longer the case following the tenets of globalisation.
The possibility of having universally accepted paradigms in the assessment of the cultures is
very remote.
From the foregoing, we have been trying to examine the impact of globalisation on the
international relations of third world countries. However, some analyst have it that
globalisation has a possible prospect for the third world countries. This is because of the
possibility of trying to become economically competitive in the global economy that values

high technological goods. Although, one way of achieving this economic relevance is for the
indebtedness of the third world to get the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World
Bank write off write off their multilateral debts so that they can start afresh.
Another means through which the third world can reap from the benefits of globalisation is
for them to develop strong regional groupings. It is through such regional groupings that
they can jointly secure fairer deal for themselves in the security, economic, political and all
other relevant structures of the global economy. Infact, Samir Amin captured it succinctly
when he argued thus;
What we need is a concept of regionalisation in which we will fit into global re-organisation
of the world, which I will call a polycentric world. That is starting from the regions are very
unequally developed and therefore need to negotiate- there is need to reshape the global
system with a view to opening avenues to develop the least developed of these areas (Uroh,
1998:172).
Concluding Remarks:
In this work, we have been able to examine the concept as well as impact of globalisation
on the international relations of third world countries. It is revealing to note that the impact
of globalisation is not one sided. That is, it has positive and negative impact for example in
the words of Kofi Annan, (The United Nations Secretary General);
If globalisation is to succeed it must succeed for the poor and rich alike. It must deliver
rights no less than riches. It must provide social justice and equity no less than economic
prosperity and enhanced communication (Annan, 2002:11).
It is truism that the choice to make it in this twenty first era of globalisation lies principally
on how the third world wants to accept the challenges of globalisation. As well as make
choices. It is time to reflect more now on how these choices could either develop or underdevelop the third world.
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