Political Globalization

Traditionally, globalization is equated with modern economic development. Modern economic development is the institutionalization of capitalist structures which aimed to create the so-called “uniform world market. ” However, in recent decades however, social theorists were able to point two fundamental political transformations. The first transformation involved the development of nation-states – one of the requisites of globalization (modern political institutions are necessary to achieve economic development – in the rubric of modern economic theory).

The second transformation involved the end of ideological battle between Communism and Western democracy.

In the second transformation, political globalization was manifested. After the Second World War, the world was divided into two camps: the Eastern Communist bloc and the West (known as the Cold War). Many developing countries – those in the Third World – became pawns of the United States and the Soviet Union. In 1990, the Soviet Union disintegrated, ending the Cold War.

Thus, Western democracy became the “norm” of political development in many countries. Many countries adopted Western type political institutions, in the hope of making democracy more participative (Held and McGrew, 2007).

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Corollary to this was the development of the so-called “intergovernmental institutions. ” These institutions linked political power and geography. For example, the International Criminal Court was established to address specified crimes like genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes.

The court was involved in highly controversial cases like the war in Serbia. By exercising its interstate authority, the court was able to affirm its democratic obligation. Not only was the internal political structure of the state determined, its external boundary was also conditioned.

Here we can juxtapose that political globalization occurred, Western type and under the guidance of the United States. The United States though acted discouraged some countries to agree in the proposed amendment to the charter of the International Criminal Court.

The United States feared a sudden change of political fortunes of aspiring nations like China and the Russian Federation. The uniformization of legal norms would severely hamper the United States in “forcing” countries economic and political manifestations or favors. Reference Held, David and Anthony McGrew. 2007. Globalization. Retrieved on January 7, 2007 from http://www. polity. co. uk/global/globalization-oxford. asp.