Has globalization done more harm than good to the promotion of human rights?
It was around the late 1800âs when European states partitioned and conquered most of Africa. In the early 19th century, Europe was undergoing its industrial revolution. And because of this, Africaâs resources were being unjustly exploited for the Europeâs benefit. But what does all this have to do with my views on globalization?
Globalization, in my opinion, is an ingenious system made for the more developed nations, giving them the ability to continue to exploit other less developed countries as they have done in the past, but in a much more socially acceptable way. Donât see my point? Well, developed countries trade with other nations to gain resources aiding in their own sustenance, and they give back in return. This would indeed seem like a fair system in which everyone would benefit, and in some cases, it does. But it is obvious that even through all of the advancements, lesser developed nations are in fact slowly, but surely being crippled, and as a result, human rights are being breached.
Take Zimbabwe as an example. Due to the effects of globalization, Zimbabweâs economy is going through a period of hyperinflation. A hundred trillion Zimbabwean dollars is the equivalent of approximately 1 Euro cent. Zimbabweâs people are getting poorer and poorer. Similar cases of inflation can be spotted in developing countries all around the globe.
Many girls have dropped out of school because their families cannot afford to pay all the school fees. Zimbabwe has not yet seen the extent to which this can go, but people from Ghana or Uganda whose countries have been quoted by the World Bank as "success stories" will tell you of the majority of a whole generation who have not gone to school - the majority of whom are women. In Africa, there is a limit to your capacity to enjoy your rights if you have not gone to school. It means that you may not get a job and therefore your economic rights (which are basic human rights) are affected.
There is also a more direct impact globalization has had on the human rights of many underprivileged people. People argue that because of globalization, people have been able to find more jobs than before, and thus are capable of sustaining themselves, and possibly, their family. However, major organizations such as Nike for example are taking advantage of their workforce paying very little for their labor (doesnât that sound a bit like slavery?). Yes, they have managed to find jobs, and in todayâs world, it has become a necessity, but they are being mistreated and this is against their human rights. Despite this, there is nothing they can do about it.
In conclusion, I would like to point out that globalization has indeed made a huge advancement in promoting human rights, but it has done nothing to aid in the enforcement of human rights. Yes, people are now more aware of the existence and necessity of human rights than ever before (as I am typing this right now), but whatâs the point of knowing when you still canât do anything the breaching of human rights, many of which are the result of globalization? And then again, despite this, this system we call globalization will still continue to exist, and it will continue to exploit the less fortunate.
