Democracy

The term democracy is so overwhelmingly used that it has come to a point where it has lost its meaning or has none at all. Globalization is a major key factor for the weakening of democracy it has directly influenced our political, economic, and social structures. Democracy has now been left as a mere word that one can use to win a vote. There are many cases to take into account when looking into globalization and how it has affected the world negatively. The impact that globalization has made on the world has made it harder and much worst for the poor who have been left no choice but to work under harsh conditions to do whatever they can to support themselves and their families. These are the evil actions of multibillion dollar companies who are only out there to benefit themselves. Globalization is exploiting the environment slowly depleting anything left of the world's natural resources. With all this taking course due to globalization there are only a few some elites who are benefiting from globalization creating an even wider gap between the rich and poor. There is no democratic expression left in a world of globalization, for it is taking advantage of the underprivileged, exploiting the environment and causing great economic inequality.

In the world today about more then half of the population lives without basic survival necessities, and in order for them to survive they are forced to work in harsh conditions, even if it means making $1 a day.

There are as many as 1 billion people who do not even meet the basic requirements to decently live. Among the 4.4 billion people, that is about 70% of the world population, living in developing countries in Asia and Africa three-fifths live without sanitation; one-third without safe drinking water; one-quarter lack adequate housing. One-fifth live beyond the reach of modern health services; one-fifth of the children do not get as far as grade five in school, and an equal number are undernourished.

Globalization encourages the entry for multinational corporations into third world countries and to take advantage of the situation that the underprivileged are in. With this happening employees are then turned into objects of extreme exploitation in terms of working long hours for minimal pay. Globalization has now set this trend among other major corporations who are shifting from there home countries such as Nike and GAP, setting up factories and sweatshops without any health and safety codes and putting these unfortunate people at risk "Their work conditions are especially severe, often not providing the stimulation for proper physical and mental development." A major concern internationally is also the case of child labor "Child labor is a pervasive problem throughout the world, especially in developing countries such as Africa and Asia, together they account for over 90 percent of total child employment." Studies show that globalization does affect working children in third world countries "Studies show that rice price increases can account for 45% of the overall decline in child labor that Vietnam experienced in the 1990s. This corresponds to approximately 1 million fewer working children in Vietnam." This study identifies several ways in which rice prices had a direct impact on child labor, when rice prices go up both adult and child wages go up. Through taking a look at what is evident it is obvious that democracy does not stand for what it really means, and global effects are destabilizing social equality.

On the environmental front, globalization has caused overwhelming exploitation and damage of the worlds natural resources. Attainably there is a cause and effect relationship in whatever humans do, and if one notices how the world is flooding with massive growing industries, it is clear that the environment is being effected. In recent years many nations have implemented rules and regulations against factories and industries concerning pollution of the ecosystem, waters and other resources. Although many industries have been abiding these rules some may find it difficult and costly forcing them to move to another country where rules and regulations are not enforced.

One nation might pass strict environmental protection laws. But they will have little affect if neighboring countries don't pass similar laws. Only global agreements, therefore, can truly get all nations to act together to improve the environment. Because of this, some of the first truly global civil movements have been those which intend to protect the environment.

With the implementation process of the Kyoto Protocol it is apparent that first world countries such as the Unites States do not want to enter an agreement of this sort for it will cause great damage to there economy, let alone there own environment. These effects cannot be felt by countries like the Unites States, Canada and Britain as other countries, which have more of a cultural influence and who are much closer to the environment. In countries like Africa the effects of globalization has hurt the indigenous communities the most. Under globalization the tribal indigenous areas have had to face the attacks of massive developmental projects. These projects ignore tribal communities which has led to displacements within there tribal communities. Commercial activities have also influenced the traditionally protected life and culture of the indigenous people. Deprivation of land and forests are the worst forms of oppression that tribal people experience. "It has resulted in the breakdown of community life and a steady cultural of death and ethnocide" The tribal people are exterminated by a process of slow destruction, through which their lands are taken away, their rivers poisoned, their cultures undermined and their lives made intolerable.

More than 230 million people live in water scarce countries today. Water shortage and contamination kills nearly 25,000 people a day. Nearly 30% of the people in the Third World countries do not have safe water to drink. Diarrhea kills some 4 million children every year. Each year, 12 million hectares of forest (an area almost the size of England) are being eliminated. If continued, by 2010, only 7% of the planet will be left with forests, jeopardizing the planetary ecosystem. More than three billion hectares, almost a quarter of the world's land surface, are at risk from desertification and salinity.

If the world continues to ignore the global effects on the environment and the ecosystem there is no telling as to what might be the outcome "People have been witnessing several ecological impacts such

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