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Opinion | Are we globalising ourselves out of community?
Globalisation is here to stay, but it doesn’t have to come at the expense of local identities, people's livelihoods and the environment
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Does globalisation have a future, given US President Donald Trump’s protectionist policies and the rise of the far-right in Europe?
According to US economist and political analyst Jeffrey Sachs, globalisation did not occur only in recent decades, but began as early as when humans started migrating out of Africa tens of thousands of years ago.
Like it or not, globalisation will soldier on unfazed and is merely entering a new phase. As history has shown, its reach and character will evolve with the advance of technology and various national policies, affecting us both positively and negatively.
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The voyages of figures like Christopher Columbus and Vasco da Gama globalised travel and trading by sea while also giving rise to transoceanic empires, colonisation and the proliferation of slavery. The Industrial Revolution accelerated the world’s scientific discoveries and revolutionised modes of production while eventually bringing about our reliance on fossil fuels and the resulting environmental dangers.
We are now living in the digital age of globalisation. People, goods and services are connected more than ever, and new ideas are ever at our fingertips. Governments and corporations collect big data, not just domestically, but internationally.
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Commodities are still manufactured in places where they can be made the most cheaply and sold in places where they can be sold the most profitably. Corporations are the new “empires”, with many publicly listed in multiple markets. Humanity has created more wealth than ever. Unfortunately, inequality and wealth gaps continue to grow.
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