Globalization

After the break-up of Soviet Union, globalization accelerated through the world. It includes the increasing integration of countries' individual economies, the rise in the world trade and multinational companies and the effect of large sums of money moving in and out of economies. People around the globe are more connected to each other then ever before. Information and money flow more quickly than ever. Goods and services produced in one part of the world are increasingly available in all parts of the world. International travel is more frequent. International communication is commonplace. This phenomenon has been titled "globalization". Not only the term of globalization has increased since last years, but also anti-globalization has appeared and is still increasing. Anti-globalization is the umbrella term for a group of different protest causes, including: environmentalism, third world debt, animal rights, child labor, anarchism, and anti-capitalism and opposition to multinationals. The most attacked institutions of anti-globalization protests have been especially World Trade Organization (WTO), International Monetary Fund (IMF), and World Bank. As the big businesses are growing all around the world, anti-global activities and protests also increasing their level of intensity and violence.

Together with the collapse of communism raised the companies that expanded their sphere of business all over the world. Since the meetings of international monetary, trade and environmental organizations incited little or no interest in the past, at the present times; they are drawing the attention of thousands of anti-globalization activists. Large corporations with international undertakings stand accused of social injustice, unfair working conditions (including slave labor wages, living and working conditions), as well as lack of concern for environment, mismanagement of natural resources, and ecological damage. However, protest objectives extend beyond the claimed corporate impropriety. Multinational economic institutions, such as the World Trade Organization, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund, are seen as establishing, monitoring, and rendering judgments on global trade practices, and are viewed as the spearheads of economic globalization. These institutions, considering being the servants of corporate interests, exercising more power than elected governments and interested only in the profit motive, have increasingly become principal demonstrating targets.

Although multinational corporations and international trade institutions are the subject of criticism, not all observers share a negative perspective. Many commentaries are published which speak in favor of beneficial and positive accomplishments, especially in relation to the international institutions. For instance, free trade positively contributes to overall development of the world. Global free trade promotes global economic growth, it creates jobs, makes companies more competitive, and lowers prices for consumers. It also provides poor countries, through infusions of foreign capital and technology, with the chance to develop economically and by spreading prosperity creates the conditions in which democracy and respect for human rights may flourish. Unfortunately, anti-globalists do not see the good sides of globalization and they argue that economic growth does not necessary make people happier, and often makes them miserable; that institutions like World Bank have made the rich richer while making the nonrich poorer; that conventional idea of free trade are wonderful for managers and stockholders, but hell on workers and nature; and that a turn away the accumulation of things and toward more humane pursuits would be highly welcome (Korden, 2001).

New tactics and technologies have radically changed the face of protest activity and generated renewed life in the reality of demonstrations. Gone are old-style gatherings confined to waving placards and banners, declaiming speakers, and moderate controlled matches in specific locations. Today's demonstrations resurrecting the anarchist theme of 'direct action' employ a host of novel methodologies that have given a whole new complexion to the nature of the protests. The development of implementation of new tactics is a result of the impact of new technology and the ability of organizers to use it to their best advantage. The Internet has the greatest impact on these changes because it enables to organizers quickly and easily arrange demonstrations and protests. Individuals and groups are now able to establish dates, share experience, accept responsibilities, arrange logistics, and initiate myriad of other tasking that would have been impossible to manage readily and rapidly in the past. International protests and demonstrations can be organized for the same date and time, so that a series of protests take place in concern. Furthermore, it is a very cheap way of communication.

Opponents of globalization say it leads to exploitation of the world's poor, workers, and environment. They say it makes it easier for rich companies to act with less accountability. They also claim that countries individual cultures are becoming overpowered by Americanization. One of the examples how to explain what anti-globalists are fighting against is WTO, the target of anti-globalization protests. According to anti-globalists there are several reasons why to oppose the World Trade Organization. This institution covers all negative features which anti-global activists groups protest.

1. The WTO only serves the interests of multinational corporation.

According to anti-global activists, the WTO is not a democratic institution, because their rules are written by and for corporations with inside access to the negotiations. The US Trade Representative relies on its 17 "Industry Sector Advisory Committees" to provide input into trade negotiations. Citizen input by consumer, environmental, human rights and labor organizations is consistently ignored.

2. The WTO tramples over labor and human rights

Potential solutions to labor and human rights abuses are blocked by the WTO, which has ruled that is: 1) illegal for a government to ban a product based on the way it is produced (i.e. with child labor); and 2) governments cannot take into account the behavior of companies that do business with vicious dictatorship such as Burma.

3. The WTO is the enemy for environment

The WTO calls hard-won environmental protections "barriers to trade", and uses corporations to dismantle them. The WTO is currently negotiating an agreement that would eliminate tariffs on wood product, which