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Political Outcomes

Key Terms
  • Nation-state: an independent state inhabited by all the people of one nation and one nation only.
  • Sovereignty: the exclusive right to exercise, within a specific territory, the functions of a nation-state and be answerable to no higher authority. 
  • Religious fundamentalism: movements favouring strict observance of religious teaching (Christianity, Islam, Hinduism etc.)
  • Trade bloc: a group of countries that share trade agreements between each other.
  • Immobility of labour: the effect of barriers to the movement of workers between jobs and geographical regions.
  • Wealth: the total amount of economically relevant private and public assets including physical (natural), financial, human and 'social' capital. 

Loss of Sovereignty


Complete the Loss of Sovereignty Worksheet.
Loss of Sovereignty Worksheet
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Resources
Effects of Globalization
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What Is Globalized and What Supports Globalization?
Adapted from: GreenFieldGeography

 EU


Read the page above and make some brief bullet points. You will then be asked to give a 1 minute summary of the key points of how the EU works.
Examine the information in the next two sections [How does the EU erode national Sovereignty & Is the EU good or bad]. What do you think? Discuss and justify your opinion.
How does the EU erode national Sovereignty?
France - National Front
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Is the EU good or bad?
Adapted from Greenfieldgeography
ADVANTAGES OF EU MEMBERSHIP

  • Member citizens can travel freely between other members to go on holiday (saves space in your passport too!)
  • The above should increase tourism revenue for all member countries
  • Member citizens can choose to work freely in other countries
  • Within the Eurozone it is not necessary for currency conversions, easing trade and tourism
  • Undeveloped areas of the EU can receive support and assistance from the EU
  • Reduced risk of internal conflict and stronger military bloc to defend external borders
  • Bailouts for poorer countries e.g. Greece from stronger members e.g. Germany
  • Subsidies from the common agricultural policy (CAP) for farmers
  • Voice in the G20 for smaller members of the EU
DISADVANTAGES OF EU MEMBERSHIP

  • Countries in the Eurozone lose control over their monetary policy e.g. interest rates
  • Free movement of members may lead to influxes of workers leading to racial tension e.g. Poles in the UK
  • Economic problems in one country e.g. Greece, Ireland and Portugal can cause Europe wide recessions and the need for bailouts
  • Enforced fishing quotas which may harm fishing industry e.g. Spain and UK
  • Imposition of working regulations e.g. working week
  • Imposition of metric measurements e.g. The UK being forced to use kilograms instead of pounds
  • Growth of independence and nationalist parties e.g. UKIP and BNP in the UK
  • Brain drain from poorer eastern European countries
  • Cost of supporting weaker nations

Multinational/Transnational Corporations


Using the information in this sections complete the worksheet.
MNC & TNC worksheet
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What are TNCs and MNCs?
How Powerful are TNCs and MNCs?
ADVANTAGES OF TNCs IN LEDCs

  • Creates jobs for local people
  • Locals with jobs then spend money in their local economy at local businesses and therefore there is a positive multiplier effect as extra money gets added to the local economy.
  • TNCs will pay local and government taxes and therefore increase the government budget.
  • Jobs at a TNC will be in the formal economy, so hopefully better regulated in terms of safety, pay, etc.
  • Improves workers skill and education level
  • They introduce new technology into the country
  • Infrastructure like roads and ports are often upgraded and benefit the whole economy
  • Diversifies the economy, might move away from the reliance on one industry like farming or tourism
  • The country receives prestige for attracting TNCs and investment into the country.

Adapted from: GreenfieldGeography
DISADVANTAGES OF TNCs IN LEDCs

  • Many of the best paid managerial jobs go to foreigners
  • Local workers often do manual jobs which are poorly paid and often workers suffer exploitation (long shifts, no breaks, etc.)
  • There will be some economic leakage as profits from TNCs go back to their home country
  • Increasingly manufacturing processes are becoming more mechanised so less workers are needed in factories. Many top jobs may go to workers from abroad
  • One of the attractions of LEDCs is cheap labour, but as a country develops labour costs increase and TNCs may move to cheaper locations.
  • Products produced by TNCs maybe too expensive for locals to buy. TNCs may also use local raw materials. Products may not even be intended for local market place.
  • Electricity and water supplies maybe diverted away from local population
  • The increased demand created by TNCs may cause local inflation. Land may also become privatised and unavailable to locals.
  • If the government is building new roads or a port for a TNC it probably means that they can't spend as much money on education or healthcare. New roads, ports, etc. may increase congestion on roads.
  • TNCs may cause environmental damage and pollution e.g. Union Carbide in Bhopal (Transboundary pollution and The effects of transnational manufacturing and services)
  • TNC decision makers are often foreign so policies of TNCs may not always benefit local people.
  • Increased dependency on foreign companies. Local domestic companies may close.
Other Reading:
IB Style Question:
To what extent has the sovereignty of Nation states been eroded?
This essay should not only include the information on MNCs and TNCs but also the EU.

Challenge yourself - Further reading

globalization_and_state_power.pdf
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Globalization: theory and experience

Responses

Key Terms
  • Anti-globalisation movements: organisations and other groupings of people calling for reform of the global economic system to make it more equitable.
  • Immigration: the migration of people into a country form other countries
  • Privatisation: the transfer of business from the state to the private sector.
  • Resource nationalisation: when a country decides to take part, or all, of one or a number of natural resource sunder state ownership.
Create a case study on the National Front - France. Use the information in this section.
[How has the National Front attempted to regain control of the country's resources and culture?]

Nationalism in France
National Front
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Anti-Globalisation Movement

Does the Anti-Globalisation have a point?

Your task is to prepare for a debate on this issue. You will need to:
  1. Outline what is meant by globalisation and what is the anti-globalisation movement.
  2. Find arguments for and against the anti-globalisation movement.
  3. Justify your arguments with real life facts.
  4. Create a document outlining your main points to be submitted as an overview. You may want to use Coggle to do this.

Yes they do

Which one are you?

No they don't
Some sources:

CONTROLLING Migration

Good news! We have already covered this area, take a look at your notes from Economic Interactions and flows and you will find a case study on the USA and Mexico.
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