The Impact Of Globalization

First of all, the UN must punish nations for nonpayment of dues and enforce existing laws to maintain their moral authority over matters of globalization. Secondly, the UN needs to monitor fair trade, the flow of investment capital, activity in financial markets and restore a more functional Center on Transnational Corporations. (The center was shut down for inadequacies in 1992 but it could be set up more efficiently in the future.) Thirdly, the International Council on Social Welfare argues that the UN should adopt an "International Anti-Poverty Pact" that would mandate certain commitments to resources and targets aimed at halving the proportion of the world population living on less than $1/day (currently 22%) or the proportion of people without access to safe drinking water (20%). Other important objectives include: achieving universal primary education, reducing the gender gap for secondary education and reducing the spread of HIV. The impact of globalization can be positive if the UN establishes itself as the strong moral authority, as it was intended to be - rather than a passive vacuum for nations to push their narrow agendas through.

Member states have an important role to play in the impact of globalization too. While the UN should create and enforce policy, the first level of governance should be with national governments. General Kofi Annan reported: "Weak states are one of the main impediments to effective governance today, at national and international levels alike. By the same token, states need to develop a deeper awareness of their dual role in our global world. In addition to the separate responsibilities each state bears towards its own society, states are, collectively, the custodians of our common life on this planet." Institutions should be accountable, transparent and respectful of individual freedom. The distribution of health care, education and welfare must begin at home and should not be left up to the rest of the world to solve. National governments must keep their promises and free their borders from trade barriers. The problem with national governments is mostly a moral issue: By looking out for others, instead of just private interests, governments will act as stewards of the earth. According to the UNDP Poverty Report in 2000, "good governance is the key to poverty reduction" and "grass-roots participation is the key to good governance." This is what new globalization will be all about.

Koffi Annan's UN Millenium Report calls upon NGOs to strengthen cooperation and look out for the underdogs of society, thereby leading toward a more functional society for all. "Transnational single-issue campaigns have contributed to strengthen norms and build legal regimes, leading, for instance, to the conventional banning of landmines or to last year's agreement on enhanced debt relief for the heavily indebted poor countries. These campaigns, often conducted in concert with the UN, have helped to raise- and alter- the consciousness of the international community and to change the behavior of states on many critical global issues." The impact of globalization does not need to be a sad story, but it requires a new globalization and moral consciousness to take hold.