GLOBALIZATION IN THE DYNAMICS OF HUMAN HISTORY: LESSONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR THE THIRD WORLD

Abstract

Globalization has been under serious scrutiny due largely to its inability to provide social wellbeing to the world population especially, the Third World as promised by those supporting the process. Anti-globalist scholars have pointed at the exploiting tendencies of the process and doubted its capability, for global peace and security. Interactions with those promoting the process have landed majority of the world societies in stringent socio-economic and political conditions in their attempts to cope with their national needs. Some are trapped in the process. Reactions resulting from such conditions have undermined global peace and security. Attempts to curtail these reactions have led the super powers into production of instruments of mass destruction opposed to production of food. The Existing literature has not captured this problem in balanced analytical and theoretical frameworks to enhance understanding without bias, of issues concerning the problem. Their partisan and narrow uses of theories have led students/readers astray. Thus, this paper has used liberal and Marxist conceptions of globalization to x-ray the history of globalization, and verify its impact on the Third World social formations. It interrogates the prospects of globalization to guaranteeing the security of the Third World region and humanity in general especially, in its present character. It argues that globalization has made the Third World a victim of international exploitation and unequal exchange. And that the security of the area can still be guaranteed, if and only when, the region internally takes the challenges of its development with greater discipline, sincerity and patriotic leadership. It concludes that while globalization cannot be avoided, the Third World countries should relate globally with caution, and build internal capacity supportive of self development.