The Social Costs of Economic Globalisation B.Com I English By Jaspreet Kaur

The Author – Vandana Shiva Physicist turned social activist; well known environmentalist. Participated in the Chipko Movement in the 1970s. Actively involved in issues related to globalisation. Recipient of the Save The World Award in 2009.

The Essay – An Introduction The dark side of globalisation, liberalisation and privatisation discussed. Social costs of development conviniently overlooked by the nations that are in control. Sustainable development must address important issues like climate change and food shortage.

The Essay Economic globalisation destroyed the little security that the Third world had. The poor vulnerable of society paying the highest price- the farmer in India. Society transformed by the rule of greed.

The Essay… Two aspects of food crisis in India – farmers’ suicides and malnutrition. Globalisation has led to increasing costs of production, falling farm prices and rising food costs. Farmers earn less, poor pay more.

Faulty Trade Liberalisation Package – Some Elements Liberalising fertilizer imports and deregulating its domestic manufacturing/distribution. Removing subsidies on irrigation, electricity. Deregulating wheat, rice, sugarcane, edible oil. Abolishing general ban on future trading. Abolishing inventory controls.

Impacts Control over agriculture over even more concentrated in the hands of TNCs like Cargill, Pepsico. Trade more unfair than free. Consumers paying more. Country getting less for what it exports. Choices of both farmers and consumers decrease.

“Grow more wheat” package of the Government Only a package for increasing corporate control over food supply. “Seed Replacement”, subsidies for sprinkler sets, diesel mean subsidy to corporates not farmers. Increased cost of inputs. Deplete soil health.

Instead, best of farmers’ varieties of seeds should be used. Seed conservation must be done. Organic manure must be used. Support must be given to small organic farmers.

The Priorisation of Culture Economic globalisation has hijacked culture. Now, a consumerist monoculture of McDonald’s and Coca Cola.