Globalization or Recolonization?
Globalization or Recolonization?
Mohd Saifullah Mohd Zulkifli
The globalization is a global development that is driven by major global player through International organization such as the IMF, World Bank, WTO and global media. It is obvious that all of these organizations are mainly objectives and activities are to control the entire world, particularly the muslim world, economically, politically, culturally, ideologically and militarily.
The IMF presented a splendid definition of globalization “The growing economic interdependent of countries world wide through the increasing volume and variety of cross-border transaction in goods and services and of international capital flow, and also through the more rapid and widespread diffusion of technology”
The globalization to certain extend is a process of interdependence of a countries in their economic and even in politics. Globalization is not only deal with the issues of interdependence, but also the issue of dependence where a group of a country is putting the total reliance upon the other country.
In essence, globalization divides the countries into two major group, developed and developing or First World Country and Third World County. In the globalization process, the process of interdependence may be the attribute to the developed world whereas for the developing world is more towards dependence upon the First World Country and multinationals organization.
For instance, the creation of the General Agreement on Tariff and Trade (GATT), in the early post-war period, was an institutional attempt to begin negotiation aimed at lowering tariff and trade barriers. This institution was eventually replaced by the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 1995. In this context, globalization has restructured the role of the state, which has become merely instrument for transmitting global market, multinational companies onto the domestic economy.
It has increase power to capital investors, multinational companies and global financial institutions. This actor delivers their own terms and policy to the state, and it is unfortunate for the state if they refuse to adhere and obey the policies. They will be retaliate the state by either speculating against the country in the world currency markets, as disclose by recent East Asian currency crises, or political stability and social unrest leading to the removal of governments. President Suharto in Indonesia provides a good example of a ruler that removed from power by the pressure causes by these actors.
In addition, the imposed privatization and deregulation policies that are pursued through structural adjustment programmes under the dictates of IMF and the World Bank have led to political destabilization in many countries. Consequently, states are unable to deliver on the promises and the expectations of the masses because they have lost control over their national economy.
Based on this matter of facts, the original meanings of globalization as mentioned by Ali Muhammad and Muhammad Ahsan in their book, Globalization or recolonisation? (1998):
The world wide phenomenon, globalization is a composition
of a series of a series of processes of domination through
global political economy, including international finance
and trade, informational technologies, media, international
defense and strategic issues. In other words, it is systemized
process of making and breaking of countries, imposing
ideologies and programmes of one, or a group of a countries
over others. Within the first world, globalization is the
integration of economies, which promotes economies of
scale. In the context of the First and the Third Worlds, it
promotes dependence of latter on the former. However, with
regard to the muslim world, it is characterized by ‘ dependence’
as well as the imposition of alien ideology. In current global
affairs, this whole exercise of globalization has accelerated the
processes of dominance by the First World.
Case Study: Somalia and the destruction of state.
This case study is mainly on the argument made by Chossudovsky (1998) in his book, The globalization of poverty: Impact of the IMF and the World Bank Reform. He argued that the World Bank and IMF was not comfortable with the situation of the African country where even thought people of African countries lives in pastoral nomadic society that move from one place to another, planting as the main sources for food but still they manage to survived and self-sufficient.
Based on this matter, in late 1980s the World Bank and IMF wanted to intervene the country domestic economy which resulted in the creation of series of crises in Somali agriculture. So-called economic reform was imposed in order to replace the pastoral dominated economy. Thus a very tight structural adjustment programme was imposed on the government in order to release the fund required to service the county debt. Somalia was forced to import food grain. In June 1981, the IMF forced the Somali government to devalue its currency. This was followed by series of further devaluation that push the price of fuel, fertilizers, and farm implements up to the peak level. This led to an overall decline in the purchasing power of the general public as well as the collapse of the national economic infrastructures which has been based on agricultural and livestock production.
One of the main reasons behind the desire to punish Somalia was that its autocratic President, General Siad Barre, had adopted Marxist policies that were not popular with western counties. Further more United State along with global power was interested in Somalia due to its strategic position on the horn of Africa. This county is situated at the point where the Red Sea meets the Indian Ocean close to oil field of the Persian Gulf. The access to oil resources was an important factor that determining the Western decision to intervene in Somalian affairs.
Muslim Responses Towards Globalization.
The Islamic approach to globalization is stresses the need for cooperation among muslim countries leading to their political and economic integration. However the reality of the situation, unfortunately, the status and position of the Muslim World is declining day by day. If the present trends of decline and recolonisation continue at their present rate, the muslim world will face an extremely critical situation over the next few decades. What it in fact amounts to is a question of survival, and Muslim countries must realize that they have to take measure to protect themselves if they are not to become totally excluded from global affairs.
This struggle for existence has to be conducted in several areas. The development and strengthening of the Islamic Financial System, promotion of mutual trade, cooperation in the field of sciences and technology, media and information, and most importantly of all, the creation of a system of common security.
The key to the success of this whole muslim agendas lies with economic motives. It is therefore necessary that these countries seek to encourage the promotion of mutual trade through institution such as the OIC and the Islamic Development Bank. This increase in cooperation will lead to a further of mutual confident in muslim world. The step by step nature of these agendas will help them to solve their problem without external interference. Such a development would be beneficial in maintaining the balance of power in global affairs.
OIC will be the platform for the countries to unite synergies the muslim strategy to develop the ummah. OIC should be fully utilized as it is also the biggest world organization that joined by various of countries on the basis of religion. Despite the weakness of this organization, it still provides the best basis for all future development activities in the muslim world. The muslim world has no other or better alternative. In the context of the contemporary global environment, any future cooperation among Muslim countries needs to be predicted on economic factors, otherwise it is doomed to failure. With regards to Islamic approach towards globalization there must be at least five important elements:
Establishment of a sound central financial system for the muslim world.
Common Islamic market for the promotion of mutual trade.
Advancement in the field of science and technology.
Well established media and news agencies.
Establishment of security system, ISC and the IDF.
What's Next?
With this regard, we have realized that the international organization are the key player in manipulate the developing countries particularly the muslim world. The policy or feeling of dependence to the west must be abolish and reform with the policy that rely on the strengthening of the Ummah. The muslim political leaders must think about the unity of the ummah above than other personal interest.
Mohammad, Ali : Globalization or Recolonization?. London 2002.
Chossudovsky, Michel: the Globalization of poverty- the Impact of IMF and World Bank Reform. London 1998.
Kausar, Zeenath: Reading Material For Subject Colonialism and Neo Colonialism. Kuala Lumpur.
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