Economic globalization has had both positive and negative effects on developing countries.
Financial and industrial globalization is increasing substantially and is creating new opportunities for both industrialized and developing countries. The largest impact has been on developing countries, who now are able to attract foreign investors and foreign capital. This has led to both positive and negative effects for those countries.
Economic globalization gives governments of developing nations access to foreign lending. When these funds are used on infrastructure including roads, health care, education, and social services, the standard of living in the country increases. If the money is used only selectively, however, not all citizens will participate in the benefits.
Access to New Markets
Globalization leads to freer trade between countries. This is one of its largest benefits to developing nations. Homegrown industries see trade barriers fall and have access to a much wider international market. The growth this generates allows companies to develop new technologies and produce new products and services.
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Widening Disparity in Incomes
While an influx of foreign companies and foreign capital creates a reduction in overall unemployment and poverty, it can also increase the wage gap between those who are educated and those who are not. Over the longer term, education levels will rise as the financial health of developing countries rise, but in the short term, some of the poor will become poorer. Not everyone will participate in an elevation of living standards.
Decreased Employment
The influx of foreign companies into developing countries increases employment in many sectors, especially for skilled workers. However, improvements in technology come with the new businesses and that technology spreads to domestic companies. Automation in the manufacturing and agricultural sectors lessens the need for unskilled labor and unemployment rises in those sectors. If there is no infrastructure to help the unemployed train for the globalized economy, social services in the country may become strained trying to care for the new underclass.
Angie Mohr is a syndicated finance columnist who has been writing professionally since 1987. She is the author of the bestselling "Numbers 101 for Small Business" books and "Piggy Banks to Paychecks: Helping Kids Understand the Value of a Dollar." She is a chartered accountant, certified management accountant and certified public accountant with a Bachelor of Arts in economics from Wilfrid Laurier University.
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