Name:

Course:

Instructor:

Date:

Globalization’s positive and negative effects on poverty in Jordan through a political perspective.

Globalization has also been coined as westernization or industrialization. It can be defined as the process through which countries and economies of the world have increasingly become interdependent and connected with each other in terms of technology and communication, production, politics, and culture. In the sense of technology, globalization means increased interconnectivity and information sharing between individuals as well as between countries. It also implies a reduced human interaction on a face-to-face basis. This is made possible through the internet. In terms of production, it means increased trade volumes due to the movement of capital, technology and labor. Culturally, globalization has led to the transfer and adoption of the different ways and beliefs of life. These are thus the political, cultural, and economic perspectives of globalization.

Globalization has positive and negative effects. The positives effects are notably the increasing communication speeds, growth in trade volumes, and the transfer of superior technologies between countries. However, the negative effects are as strong as the positive ones. They include the loss or reduction of some countries political control and sovereignty, the erosion of culture, and instability. Globalization has also been faulted for increased poverty as economies unify (Harrison 23). This is because countries lacking resources such as technology and capital are increasingly being dependent on economic powerhouses with the resources.

In Jordan, the onset of globalization has affected migrant workers mostly women significantly increasing their poverty levels. This attributes to the fact that the government has not implemented frameworks to address the plight of migrant workers. In Jordan, women migrant workers, as other migrant workers, have been living in deplorable conditions with low wages and difficulties in accessing basic services such as health. Their employers at times also willingly terminate their jobs and illegally delay the payment of their wages (Ghosoun 3). All these have a political bearing. However, the organization of United Nations Women, working with the Government has led to the development of a framework that addresses the plight of women migrant workers. This move seeks to ensure migrant workers access such basics as health care, leave days and better shelter and that an employer pays the correct wages in a timely manner.

Globalization and politics have also played a part in the economic instability in Jordan and the subsequent lowering of living conditions and welfare of Jordanians. Iraq and Jordan enjoyed close and cordial relations before the war in Iraq began. The benefits of these relations included the free supply of oil in part and at reduced prices to Jordan by Iraq (Brynen, Korany, & Noble 54). However, bad governance in Iraq led to uprisings and the United States led invasion and occupation. This resulted in increased oil prices, which affected the purchasing power of many Jordanians.

However, politics can also play a positive role in the reduction of poverty even in the face of globalization. In Jordan, for instance, the government has taken steps to implement the Millennium Development Goals agreed upon by countries in the year 2000, in New York. This includes the recognition of these goals by allocating funds through the national budget to the Education ministry. The funding has been to the amount of over US$ 25. The government has also entrenched in its policies a national strategy to eliminate poverty. This is through the structuring of a fund, the National Aid, Development, and Employment Fund for improving development and employment opportunities (Ha 67).

Works Cited

Ghosoun, Rahhal. Globalization and the impact of war. Web. 29 Oct. 2011. <http://www.socialwatch.org/node/10900>

Ha, Eunyoung. Distributive politics in the era of globalization. California: ProQuest, 2007. Print.

Harrison, Ann. Globalization and poverty. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2007. Print.

Rex Brynen, Bahgat Korany, & Noble Paul. Political Liberalization and Democratization in the Arab World:Theoretical perspectives. Colorado: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 1995. Print.