Q. Elucidate the relationship
between globalization and new technology in a world of scarce resources, with
special reference to India. (250 words, 15 Marks)
2022
Answer:
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Approach: Introduction
Body
Conclusion
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Introduction:
Globalization means growing interdependence and
integration of economies, societies and cultures from across the
world. It is brought about by cross border trade of goods, services and
technology and flow of investment and people.
In the human world ‘resource’ is anything that can be used to
fulfill our needs and wants. Often some resources are abundant while others
scarce in every nation.
The relations between globalization and new technology in the
world of scarce resources have varied facets. The positive aspects can be seen
as follows:
- Globalization
has made it possible to access scarce resources: Globalization has
led to easier access to new technologies to all the regions of the world.
- Example: Lithium
is present only at certain places, but it is extracted and sent to far
away places and is being used in electronic gadgets globally. India is
one of the biggest users of electronic items.
- Globalization
has made it possible for nations to move beyond one’s resource
restrictions: The technologies of the developed countries are being
transferred & used in the developing & least developed countries.
- Example: Technology
is the reason why water-scarce countries in West Asia are able to satisfy
their needs. Globalization allows for this technology to be shared with
other countries facing water-scarcity like India.
- Easier
to extract maximum potential of scarce resources and reduce the demand for
certain resources: Globalization can help to increase the efficiency of
resource use by allowing countries to specialize in the production of
certain resources and trade them with other countries. This can help to
reduce the overall demand for resources.
- Example:
New technologies such as renewable energy sources can help to reduce the
reliance on non-renewable resources, such as fossil fuels.
- More
power to consumers: Globalization has allowed for greater competitive
markets which ultimately benefits the customer with respect to improved
quality of goods and services and reduction in cost.
- Example:
Internet has become the mainstay of today’s society as it has become
cheap and India is one of the biggest internet users.
- Uniform
standards: Development of technology along with globalization has
made it possible to develop uniform standards that allow for greater
interoperability and wider reach of products.
- Example: Mobile
phone technology has uniform standards that allows for phones
manufactured anywhere to be used anywhere globally. Similarly, solar
panels, pharmaceutical products, etc are produced in India for the world
because of uniform standards.
There are some negative aspects as well:
- Resource
curse: Globalization has made scarce resources captive to the market
forces. The poorer third world nations sitting on huge resource wealth are
being exploited for feeding the extravagant life of the developed world.
- Example: African
nations feed resources to the Western world. Within India, areas in
poorer States feed the resources needed to run industries based in
cities.
- Inequality
widens: Most of the benefits of globalization are reaped by the rich who
are the owners of technology. The rich become richer while the poor are
unable to access the new technology or its benefits. This may also lead to
conflicts. The Oxfam report highlights the rising inequalities
in the countries and within the countries.
- Environmental
degradation: Increased demand for certain resources, such as water and
land, can lead to resource depletion and environmental degradation.
Growing resource scarcity can trigger zero-sum competition between
countries. Various climate change reports highlight the destruction.
- Techno-nationalism:
The rise of new technologies in the globalized world is leading to techno
nationalism wherein advanced countries dominate third world countries
through AI, IoT etc.
Conclusion:
Technology will continue to play an integral role in
supporting globalization. The scarcity challenges need to be understood as an
integrated whole, not as separate issues. Thus, India needs to swiftly embrace
emerging technologies and should be more ambitious in developing cutting edge
technology to escape techno-colonialism of advanced countries and to address
its socio-economic problems. India needs to adopt policies and practices that
will maximize the benefits from and reduce the negative impacts of
globalization and adoption of new technologies.
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