Globalization and Governance: Aspiring to a fairer globalization
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Globalization and Governance: Aspiring to a fairer globalization
GUY LACHAPELLE
ABSTRACT Guy Lachapelle reviews the World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalization suggesting there are four basic items at play: What method of effective and applicable development strategies can nation states shape in this context? What role can civil societies play in redefining world governance? Does globalization respect cultural identities by facilitating access to diversified cultural products or does it simply aim towards a standardized production? He asks how can globalization satisfy the needs and aspirations of human beings? (World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalization, 2004: 134). He proposes that the answers to these questions will bring us well on our way to finding solutions to a fairer globalization. KEYWORDS civil society; the State; UNESCO; security; partnership
‘Globalization can and must serve to the needs and aspirations of people and communities everywhere’ (World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalization 2004: 26).
Introduction In the Western hemisphere, states were established as a means to respond to their populations’ need for security. Evolving originally around the issue of border protection, this need soon extended to a host of social domains. In time, the baseline functions of the State encompassed protection of the territory against the malevolence of outside invaders, enforcement of law and order as well as economic stability and the promise of rational, and finally, basic trading regulations between contracting partners. In the aftermath of World War II, the State strengthened its economic position. It supervised and corrected market failures. In true Keynesian fashion, the State endeavoured to stabilize the economy, maintain full employment, stimulate growth, ensure price stability, and support external viability. In addition, it worked to ensure higher standards of living as well as regional expansion. At that time, international trade between countries was not a critical issue since economic growth was largely dependent on internal markets; the trend shifted more toward national integration. The creation of welfare states during the first half of the twentieth century served to give greater credibility to the central state. Development (2005) 48(1), 52–60. doi:10.1057/palgrave.development.1100109
Lachapelle: Globalization and Governance In the course of its evolution, the nation-state also tailored an international order to its image. As a by-product of statehood, the international system born out of the Treaty of Westphalia denotes not only the creation of an era identified as the nation state, but it also argues that a coalition of political foreign states is the only viable option, and that this union alone will lead to stability and security (Badie, 1996). The international system, at that time, was geared to lend support to central governments in order to provide them with greater stability, thus helping to facilitate the institutionalizati
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