Good human development indicators and globalization in Kerala Essay

IntroductionThesis Globalization has caused to a greater extent problems than advant yearss to the introduce of KeralaMuch has been written about gentlemanwideisation and its set up on our world. In fact, no tree of the modern world, except in some extreme cases, has escaped the good and bad effects of world(prenominal)isation. On the brighter side globalization involves an increased openness in the international business relations, an integration of markets on a worldwide basis, and a movement toward a b magnitudeless world. The sources of globalization are varied and include the technological advances and loosening of trade policies brought into force over the past decades.Of all the effects of globalization, the chief source effect is the technological advances that have significantly lowered the costs of passage and communication and dramatically lowered the costs of data processing and information storage and retrieval. Electronic mail, the Internet, and the World Wide Web are some of the manifestations of this in the buff technology. While these are the more evident aspect of globalization, the meeting of minds across the constraints of culture and language has similarly become a realityThe impact of globalization and internationalism on family is also huge. Today e reallybody talks about the global village and nations on either side of the globe are ripe hours away from each other. Cities are expanding by the hour and the new technologies that are impacting us are creating a unified world culture what many would ex channel sufficient to call as the brave new world. In retrospect, is this new culture based on bravery or untamed consumerism? World cultures are universe annihilated by the wave of crass consumerism and scant impress for values. The populations of immediately have lesser family values and more internal strife, which threatens to tear apart well-disposed order. Violence due to the lack of family and supportive values are re ducing a whole generation to waste.People are being tempted to think beyond their means, and the end result is that the family has become the casualty. Today we have individualistic aspirations and the feeling of I is strongest in people. The stress on We is almost non-existent. Economically also, there is a terrible imbalance in the world. We see a few nations that are well off economically and the majority does not have enough all the same to feed their people. We see increased migrations from poor populations to rich economies. Lack of economic power compels these migrants to be dominated by the rich and the influential.One of the many advantages of globalization is the fact that cultures across the world could interact with each other and help each other in integrating with each other. It is only subjective that such(prenominal) interactions and the inculcation of modern ideas and interaction pull up stakes bring about so many changes that come into conflict with the existing norms and belief systems of a society. In fact, the efficacy to assimilate productive changes and the capacity to discard beliefs that are detrimental to the interest of the society are the essential qualities of a good brotherly order.If a society allows itself to be dominated by beliefs that are not in tune with the needs and aspirations of the changing times, one cannot say that it is a progressive society. On the other hand, it must(prenominal) also be said that a society that is open to change without considering the detrimental effects that such a change can have in the long run will not add quality to that society. Hence, ideally there needs to be a balance mingled with age old ideas that form the foundation of the society on which modern progressive ideas needs to be implementedThe ready of Kerala in the world scenarioThe diminutive press out of Kerala, which is located in the southern most end of India, has a place of its own in the global map of developed region s. In many respects, this tiny spec of land and its population has been able to assimilate the good values of globalization while mostly rejecting its evils even though the undesirable effects of globalization are for everyone to see in the dry land. The so-called Kerala Model of Development was a few years before a role model in evolution and shaping a society. (Devi, Lakshmy K R, (2002). Education, Health and Womens Empowerment Keralas Experience in Linking the Triad). Kerala has demonstrated that social teaching is not always united to economic superiority. Many human emergence indicators in Kerala are in par or above international standards and all of them cannot be attri saveed to globalization, which is a comparatively new happening in India.For example, Keralas infant mortality rate comes close to Ireland, which leads the world in this respect (Richard, Douthwaite. (2002). Kerala and Quality of Life interest Richard Douthwaite Article). Similarly, animation expectancy is much higher than some of the advanced nations of the world. There are many other factors, both social and political that has helped the state achieve a level of human development indicators that matches the best nations in the world. Progressive redistribution measures like land reforms, and a wide network of the public distribution system has helped the state lay a strong foundation of social upliftment (Franke, Richard W and Chasin, Barbara H. (1995). Kerala State A Social Justice Model). Similarly, welfare oriented policies of the state government, especially with regard to direction and minimum wage, and the role of a socially engaged population has also helped the state to achieve a place of its own in the global scenario. (Akash, Kapur. (1998).Poor but Prosperous. & Jean, Dreze and Amartya, Sen. (2002). India Development and Participation). It should also be noted that Kerala, which has only a fraction of the buying power of most advanced nations, has been able to gear u p a culture that utilizes its resources in an efficient manner. The one single factor that has made Kerala such a success story is perhaps the level of education that Keralites enjoy. With a 100 percent literacy rate and a high level of women literacy, it is not a surprise that Kerala has been able to assimilate the good effects of social and individual development. (Antrobus, P. and Christiansen-Ruffman, L. (1999). Women Organizing Locally and Globally Development Strategies, Feminist Perspectives. & Lourdes, Beneria and Gita, Sen. (1997). Accumulation, Reproduction and Womens Role in Economic Development Boserup Revisited).Effects of globalization in KeralaIt must be said that globalization has affected Kerala in both good and bad ways. Even though Kerala has been able to resist some of the destructive effects of globalization, it is not immune to the thrust that globalization has been having on the state. The most master(prenominal) aspect of globalization is that the state has become a hotspot for consumerist tendencies. Evidences indicate that the state is more a consumer than a producer. Agriculture is almost dead in the once thriving green belt of India and over exploitation of resource is the norm of the society. With a high percentage of Non Resident Indians who are responsible for one of the largest international remittances in the world, it is not surprising that the economy of the state is more and more dependent on its citizens working abroad than within it. In the job sector, the state has not been able to provide the required levels of employment to its youth and this has in turn affected the social milieu of the state. The increase social unrest is often attributed to dissatisfied informed youngsters who wants to match their facilities in par with the modern world, but do not have the means to do so. Criticism has also been raised on intellectual property rights and other similar issues, which are also a fallout of globalization.The western w orld is in a hurry to patent many processes and medicines, especially the indigenous system of medicine in Kerala called Ayurveda, in spite of the fact that these systems have been transferred across many generations in the state. Recently, farmers in Kerala protested against WTO practices that prevented them from conducting their traditional farming practices. All this indicates that the process of globalization in not subdued in the country and that there is much resistance to change from within the state.The potential of Kerala in the new worldExperts opine that Kerala, with its unique resources, both natural and human, have certain potentialities to match the increasing effects of globalization. (Nair, A. Balakrishan. (1994). The Government and Politics of Kerala. Structure, Dynamics and Development). The core difference between a manufacturing attention and a service-oriented industry is not only restricted to the way in which business is carried out, but also extends to vari ous dimensions such as its organizational culture. Companies that have made a transition from a predominantly manufacturing-industry attitude to a service-industry attitude have had to adjust to the phenomenal changes in attitude and culture that goes along with the change.Perhaps, the most important factor that comes into play is how human resources are attuned to respond to the challenges posed by such transitions. Companies that have undergone the transition can provide knowledge on the change to companies that are planning for such a change. A service oriented organization has to create, manage and advance its cultural values in order to spot up with the specific challenges that are posed to it by factor such as location and local culture. It is in this context that cultural values in Kerala attain significance with regard to service-oriented institutions.Within the past two decade, Kerala has increasingly cemented its position as one of the must-see holidaymaker locations in India. Kerala, which was rather obscure to the foreign tourist and even to the Indian traveler, shot into fame only about 10-20 years ago because of a concerted effort by the state government and cloak-and-dagger operators. The state, which had, and still has, a lot of unexploited tourism potential is one of the most popular destinations in the world and each year an ever increasing number of people are flocking into this state to relish its beauty and rich varied culture. Tourism, which has developed into an industry side in the state has attained the status because of globalization. It is believed that tourism is one of the most prominent symbols of globalization in the state.In terms of other factors that encourage business, a survey by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) (Kerala government policy. (2006)), which covered 18 states in India, indicates that Kerala stands 13th as far as its investment climate is concerned. However, Kerala ranks first in law and order and ed ucation, and ranks high as far as affluence and social sector are concerned. All this indicates without doubt that Kerala has all the potential to attract foreign investment.However, fresh event shows that that consumer debt is increasing since the past decade or so. More advertisements that speak about debt consolidation and take-over of existing debts are a definite indicator of the inwardness of debts that the average consumer owes to different credit companies in the country. Debts in the farm sector, which has been the worst hit industry because of globalization, is increasing and youthfully Kerala reported many deaths due to destitution and debts. Many experts believe that bad credit management happens because people are carried away by the features that are offered by modern financial institutions. (Pillai, P. Gopinadan. (1999). Left performance and Agrarian Relations in Kerala).Keralas stature with regard to globalizationDetractors of globalization argue that much has c hanged in the state that had been a model of development to the world. Today, reports show that the economy of the state is in tatters and that the advantages that the state had in terms of social equality and distribution has been whiled away. Advantages that the natives had gained as an agrarian and self-reliant economy had been work-shy in favor of consumerist attitudes. Social and political indicators point to the fact that the state has undergone a sea change in terms of development and expansion. Today, Kerala is a tourist hub and is developing in a manner that is similar to other third world tourist destinations such as Thailand and Singapore. The social system has broken bulge out and people are no more connected to each other as a few decades before.Kerala is unique politically because it had instilled one of the first democratically elected communist regimes in India. It must be said that the spirit of the communist ideology is fairly deep rooted in the state. The ideolo gies of the pioneers of the communism in the state are also largely responsible for the social improvements that the state has so far witnessed. The communists in Kerala, as in other parts of the world are strictly against globalization and capitalist motives in the state. They argue that globalization takes away a lions share of autonomy and that the effects of globalization will further deepen the divide between the deprived and the affluent classes.The loss of autonomy, especially in the farm sector, as evidenced by the recent global against the WTO regimes lends credence to the argument of the communists in Kerala. The communist ideology that globalization, which they infer as hegemony of capitalist nations over poor countries, will deepen the divided between the poor and the affluent is also true to some extent considering the fact that open market policies and regulations, which are by products of globalization will remove a lot of protection that investors used to enjoy previ ously.Other challenges in maintaining social welfare in KeralaIronically, economic factors are one of the major facts that could affect social welfare in the state of Kerala. Without the flow of money that critics attribute as the ill effects of globalization, social order in Kerala will be very much affected and governments will find it difficult to maintain social order in the state. For example, many experts have mentioned that Kerala in its zeal to maintain its position with regard to health and education has incurred huge deficits that cannot be easily solved without the advantages of globalization. Similarly, the ageing population of Kerala will cause productivity to drop in the draw near future and it will become mandatory to attract and retain young blood in the state to take care of its own resources and guide development in the state. Globalization has also helped to rectify some of the past mistakes of the leftist governments who were also responsible for driving the win ds of change in the society.ConclusionThe state of Kerala has been able to so far select the advantages derived from globalization and reject most of the bad effects it might bring to a countrys overall economy. However, it will not be long before the state will start succumbing to pure market-oriented practices that can destroy the carefully created social advantages the state enjoys today. The advantages that the state enjoys today as a model state is not a fallout of globalization, but were achieved even much before foreign investors invested in independent India.The commonplace degradation of quality in many aspects of social life and the huge cultural changes that the state is going through can be directly attributed to globalization. Hence, it is commanding that globalization is accepted in it right perspective and applied in order to ensure that the state maintains its inherent advantages while becoming a global role model in many more spheres. The state has much to offer i n terms of both its rich cultural heritage and super proficient workforce but if it doesnt stride in the right path, the negative effects of globalization might hamper its economical and social progress. gain CitedDevi, Lakshmy K R, (2002). Education, Health and Womens Empowerment Keralas Experience in Linking the Triad. 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