SZABIST

GLOBALIZATION AND NATION

STATES
Lecture 3

Concept of Globalization
Three significant features:

Interconnectedness
Integration
An ongoing process not a completed
condition

Concept of Nation State

There were three important pillars:

Supremacy of the Sovereign

States sovereignty
Non-intervention

Globalization vs Nation State

It directly involves the very concept of

interdependence, may be integration,
and a sovereign unit: Nation State.
The academic discourse includes two
major arguments:
Globalization is gradually altering the
concept of nation states (critics)
Globalization advances in line with
sovereign units
(pro-globalization)

Critics
Globalization and States
Globalization permits non-state actors exercise
greater influence in economic, political, social
and environmental domains; where they tend to
undermine states interests by fulfilling theirs.
With the integration of all the important units,
especially economy, of a state with the greater
international system, states sovereignty is
gradually eroding.
People tend to gain benefits and hence associate
their loyalties not with the sovereign but nonstate actors.

Globalization and Nations

Globalization fosters socio-cultural

homogeneity and hence tends to
endanger states customs, values and
culture (especially language).
The blending of cultures erodes
individual socio-cultural, ethno-lingual
identities.
With the gradually eroding states
sovereignty; nations identities also tend
to vanish.
Generally, major powers trends and

Pro-Globalization argument
Globalization and States
States still enjoy preeminence and are the driving
force in international politics.
Since states are very much associated with the
institution of international law; their relevance
can never be invalidated.
Non-state actors are actually dictated and guided
by host state in terms of its principles within
states borders hence conforming to states
soveriegnty.
Regardless of the pressure exerted by interest
groups, INGOs and IGOs, economic institution
and groupings, transnational corporations, states

Globalization and Nations

Globalizations impact on social-cultural

fragmentation has been minimal.
With the technological advancement and
increasing exposure, accessibility to information
societies are getting interconnected essentially.
They retain their socio-cultural and ethno-lingual
identities, while promoting the distinct features of
particular tradition, customary practices and
values in their culture.
Since states sovereignty is intact, nations do
retain their national identities.

Whither Nation States in the age

of Globalization?

Nation states and globalization are a reality.

Both exist in the same world.
Some argue that globalization is a consequences of the
process of development that major states have been
indulged in for at least past three hundred years; others
argue that its a kind of a natural process that began with
the earliest human interactions since time immemorial.
Globalization still has to go a long way.If nation states
would vanish they would by the will of people only. If nonstate actors override nation states; they themselves may
turn into state actors, that testifies nation states cannot
be invalidated. Similarly, globalization cannot be undone.

References

James Lee Ray and Juliet Kaarbo, Global Politics

(New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2005).

Buffin Partners, Globalization and Nation States,

Commentary,
http://www.buffinfoundation.org/Commentary_2008_08.pdf

Jayantha Dhanapala, Globalization and Nation

States,
http://www.un.org/disarmament/HomePage/HR/docs/2001/2
001Apr07_Colorado.pdf