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Ghait Sary
Donetsk national university of economics and trade named after M. Tugan-Baranovsky, Krivoy Rog, Ukraine
MIDDLE EAST COUNTRIES’ DEVELOPMENT
IN THE TERMS OF GLOBALIZATION
Participation in
globalization would be a great contributing factor to obtaining stable economic
growth among Middle East states. In fact, globalization and its use in economic
development have profound importance both for the region’s stability and for
the global economy. Middle East countries should find a way to use
globalization to their benefit. In order to gain this least globalized region’s
integration into the global economy and promote international institutions’
support to the region’s economic developmental process, it is important to
understand globalization and its impact on the region.
The challenge to
globalization exists at the state level in the Middle East, which is a
critically important part of the world. Most countries in the region accepted
the principles of economic liberalization and the need for adoption of World
Trade Organization (WTO) standards. In spite of this, there is a real fear of
globalization because of its negative connotations as pro-Western. This fear
has shaped the region’s relations, particularly with the West.
Globalization is
the result of enormous progress in Information Technology (IT) in recent
decades. It is an economic term that signifies free movement of goods,
services, labor, and capital across borders. However, the perception of this
concept in the Middle East is different. It is critical for the West to
understand this different perception of globalization in order to reestablish a
positive economic and political relationship with the Middle East countries.
One of the major
problems with the issue of globalization is its different perception within
Middle East countries. The governments in the Middle East, opposition
movements, and intellectuals are against globalization. The antiglobalization
trend is dominant throughout the region. It has even resulted in violence
during anti-globalization struggles. There is a real fear of globalization.2
States perceive the globalization process negatively, and it is largely
considered a threat.
The other major
problem is a concern over sovereignty. Entrenched governments, business, and
labor groups consider globalization to be a danger to their authority.4 After
all, it is clear that this crucial part of the world opposes the world’s new
trend. This produces some difficulties in relations with the region.
Although these
problems seem to represent the entire region, it is not the fact. There are
successful examples of applied globalization in the area. The pattern the Gulf
States have been following is quite different from that of the developing countries
in the Middle East in terms of accepting the theories of globalizing. The Gulf
States welcomed the World Economic System without losing their basic tenets.
They made small adjustments to these new concepts and then adopted them for
optimal performance and effectiveness. The assessment helped them protect their
social structure against what some believe are the corrosive impacts of
globalization.5
Economic change
impacts social organization and ideology. Theory alone does not. Therefore,
these play a significant role in a society choosing and directing globalization
changes. The Gulf States determined what was acceptable for their society when
evaluating which aspects of globalization to implement.
Lastly, another
important issue is the negative connotation of globalization. It is associated
with several concepts, especially imperialism. European Imperialism in the
Middle East had two impacts on the region. The first was based on the invasive
model and the second on the withdrawing model.7 The entry of global forces into
the region represented the first model. The withdrawing model was leaving the
region after building connections with the global economic system that
advocated benefits for the West.
Associating the
concept of globalization with Americanization, secularization, westernization,
imperialism, and loss of identity only contributes to a problem that does not
help reconciliation. The Iraq invasion, the PalestineIsraeli conflict, oil, and
the increasingly high demand for oil are contributing factors to the widening
gap between the sides.
Three dimensions of
globalization are market growth, which is economic; newly emerged social
movements, which are cultural; and, challenges to states and institutions,
which are political. In terms of economics, transnational companies often
ignore the territorial borders of states and work globally. In the second
dimension, globalized states need approval of international institutions in the
decision-making process on certain issues such as the environment. The third
dimension impacts society as an attitudinal change resulting in a global
society.
Literature:
1. Abushouk, Ahmed
Ibrahim. Globalization and Muslim identity challenges and prospects. The Muslim
World 96, no. 3 (2006): 487-505. http://www.proquest.com.libproxy.nps.edu/
2. Barnett, Thomas P.M. The Pentagon's new map:
War and peace in the twenty-first century. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2004.
3. Clark, Janine. The Arab world: Society,
culture, and state. Review of The Arab World: Society, Culture, and State, by
Halim Barakat. Arab Studies Quarterly 17, no. 1-2 (1995): 151.
http://www.proquest.com.libproxy.nps.edu/
4. Cordesman, Anthony H. Beyond anger and
counterterrorism: A new grand strategy for U.S. and Arab relations. Center for
Strategic and International Studies, (September 13, 2004):4-5.
http://www.csis.org/
5. Cordesman, Anthony
H. Ten reasons for reforging the U.S. and Saudi relationship. Center for
Strategic and International Studies, (January 2004):3. http://www.csis.org/