Globalization
The nation state has dominated global/world politics since 1648.
(Treaty of Westphalia)
The dominance of the nation state arose due to the decline of the Holy Roman Empire, and the decline of the power of the Pope.
The nation state was seen (from 1789 onwards) as the end of the dominance of empire and a movement towards the dominance of citizens.
But globalization is threatening the dominance of the nation state.
Globalization takes many forms:
Global NEWS – instant images from all over the world. The CNN factor.
Satellite TV – means that national govts can’t effectively control the images, the news that their people see, read, listen to.www – the internet, BBC world, Al Jazeera.
Globalization is:
1. “the erosion of national borders and of the dominance of the nation state”
traditionally the state developed as a means of providing security to its citizens – security from within – law & order to prevent crime and anarchy
security from external threats – threats from invasion, rival
nations etc
What threaten state security now?
Terrorism
International data base on terrorist groups, and known terrorists, prevent travel to and from areas where terror training occurs, could prevent terrorist propaganda and training videos from reaching residents of the nation state, but the www makes this v difficult. Should we question whether the nation state still provides us with security?
2. “Thatcherism writ large” small role for the state / the end of the nanny state, no national protection for firms, one market and survival of the fittest. Economic Darwinism.
3. “what we in the Developing World have known as colonialism for hundreds of years”
4. “the best and indeed only solution to global poverty”