Blog 3 What is the relation between politics and globalization? -SHI JINGJI

 

1. Summary

Before reading about political globalization, I mostly thought politics was something decided inside each country. A government makes its own laws and policies, and other countries cannot simply tell it what to do. After reading this topic, I still think states are very important, but I understand more clearly that politics today does not stop at national borders.

Globalization makes countries much more connected than before. A country can decide its own immigration policy, visa rules or economic policy, but these decisions can affect other countries and sometimes lead to a response. For example, if one country changes its visa policy or raises visa fees for another country, the other government may also change its own policy. The two countries are still making separate decisions, but those decisions are influencing each other. For me, this is one simple way to understand political globalization.

Another important point is that politics is no longer only about governments. International organizations, NGOs, social movements and ordinary people can also take part in political discussions. These groups do not have the same power as a state. They cannot directly make national laws or control a government. However, they can bring attention to certain issues, create public pressure and sometimes influence the way governments respond.

The internet also makes this process much faster. When something happens in one country, people in many other countries can immediately see it, discuss it and share opinions online. This can affect the international image of a country even if it does not directly change its policies. Because of this, I think political discussion has clearly become more global, even if political power itself has not become completely global.

At the same time, I do not think globalization means that national borders have become unimportant. Countries still have their own laws, systems and interests. To me, globalization means more connection and more influence across borders, but not the disappearance of borders.

2. Interesting Point

One point that interested me was the idea that the United States and global civil society could be described as the two remaining “superpowers.” I understand why this expression is used, because civil society can now create international pressure through NGOs, media, campaigns and social movements. However, I think this idea is too idealistic.

Global civil society can be influential, but it does not have the same kind of power as a state. A government has laws, institutions, economic resources and administrative authority. Civil society mainly influences politics through public opinion and social pressure. Also, the global balance of power is always changing. Today, countries such as China also have very strong international influence, and it is difficult to explain global politics only by talking about the United States and civil society.

Another point that made me think was global normative culture. Some values are becoming more international, even though different societies still understand them differently. One example for me is gender equality.

I feel that respect for women and discussions about gender discrimination have become more global than before. People in different countries can see and discuss the same issues online, and criticism of discrimination can spread quickly. Of course, some societies and individuals are still very conservative, and the speed of change is different everywhere. Still, I think the fact that more people openly talk about gender equality is a positive change. I hope that equality between men and women can become a value that is taken seriously everywhere, not just in certain countries.

3. Discussion

For me, one difficult question is whether political globalization actually makes politics more democratic, or simply makes it more complicated.

There is a clear advantage. Ordinary people now have more opportunities to speak publicly. In the past, people depended much more on traditional media or political organizations. Today, one person can upload a video or write a post, and people in other countries may see it very quickly.

However, the same system also creates problems. There is much more information, but also more false information, emotional content and manipulation. Sometimes it becomes difficult to know what is true and what has been edited or exaggerated. This means people have more chances to participate, but they also need much stronger judgment.

I also think globalization makes the world more connected, but not necessarily more equal. Large and powerful countries still have more influence than small countries. The same problem can be seen in global civil society. Some organizations have more money, media attention and international connections, while other groups are rarely heard.

This is probably the biggest weakness of global civil society for me: voices are not equal. The fact that everyone can speak does not mean everyone has the same chance to be heard.

I also tend to think that domestic problems should first be solved inside the country itself. In China, there is a saying that “family problems should not be exposed to outsiders.” I sometimes think national politics can be similar. Other countries may give opinions or criticism, but direct interference can easily create conflict. At the same time, I am not sure where the limit should be when a domestic problem starts affecting people outside the country.

So my main question is this: If globalization connects countries more closely, how can smaller countries and less powerful groups make sure their voices are not ignored?

For me, political globalization means more connection, more communication and more influence across borders, but it does not automatically create political equality.