Students of Political Science discuss Relationship between Globalization and Democracy

Islamabad Institute for Constitutional and Legislative Debates conducted a session for political science students, where students from various colleges came to know about relationship between globalization and democracy.

Report prepared by Dr. Muhammad Akram Zaheer

Globalization is an approach of the existing authorities to provide social stability and maintain political support for them. Economic globalization, global culture and global democracy are closely intertwined. The political spaces have opened up by the expansion of the free market. Liberal democracy facilitates and raises the human capacity to realize its natural economic senses. A global commercial culture shatters barriers of difference and identity. But the democratic rights in lesser developing countries are improving.

It is quite clear that the isolation of elites such as capitalists, military and bureaucrats are prerequisites for the change of politics in any state and nation that has not still achieved democratic culture. Globalization necessarily disentangles privileged unified as the extent of power over policymaking for economy and performance becomes considerably unnatural, and nations have to face uncertainty and instability of society. The pressure of private sector and mass disillusionment result of political isolation of rulers. In these circumstances, government faces two options: political authoritarianism and greater political liberalization. For the political liberalization, it required to safe guard to some extent of authority and rights of the elites which competent of overthrowing it. Improving wellbeing using along with globalization can present this compulsory protection for elites by giving confidence to social stability and disheartening voters from taking part in political process that why the liberalization of politics and economy take place. Otherwise, elimination of human being liberty will take place if privileges have not substituted way of retaining communal control. Then the definite sections of the elite classes will be aware about the fruits of liberalization are less significant and so they more tending to hold a hard line in support of political domination. In these circumstances, the association of globalization and democratization may be more restrictive. Therefore, an interesting situation arises consequently. Liberalization has indirect effects on trade and capital markets which have dynamic effects on democratization by way of public spending. If enhance in societal spending, it goes along with escalating level of globalization then the capital flows, reveal a constructive relationship with democracy.

In the globalization scenario, “the greater democratic rights can be demanded in the developing countries. Welfare spending for the masses plays a vital mediating part in this relationship. Ultimately “under conditions of globalization, if governments expand the size of the welfare state, important advancements in human freedoms are likely to occur”.This theory emphasizes that choices regarding democratization are arbitrated as the disclosure international market that increases because it challenges to the sections of governing unity. Democracy and the consolidated literature recommend to the disunity of elite in time bring essential change of political process. The increasing economic unrest, and the demonstrations increasing popularity, elite division strengthen as the usefulness of compulsion becomes extensively disputed in the arena of strong of private sector. “Greater democratization can serve as a means to sustain legitimacy of existing elites, minimize domestic opposition, and increase the likelihood of social stability in the globalizing environment”.According to the democracy literature, the process of democracy has significant fundamentals. Even group of elites favouring democracy will not be ready to produce a great political freedom until they can take up a protection to their places and privileges. Exclusively such safety measures, the system will fear a threat of losing their individual assets and political authority with the increase in democracy, principally because without globalization people may be not in such position to insist considerable economic and political change. The key groups in democratic or undemocratic (check this out) and they feel oppression to get stability and regulate while the expenses by social spending as a tool are alleged to be greater than the benefits. “Globalization’s effects on democratization are thus indirect, contingent upon the scope and desirability of redistributive policies.

 Major nuts and bolts for the failure otherwise success of democratic revolution are economic role and its impact on people’s lives. “The more prosperous the country, the more likely it is to be democratic”. Samuel Huntington said, “in poor countries democratization is unlikely; in rich countries it has already occurred. In between there is a political transition zone; countries in that particular economic stratum are most likely to transit to democracy. Opportunities of income and availability good living standards are the features of rising political established democratic countries.

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