Martin Gonzalez
April 27, 2012
Prof. Gagliardi
English 102-076
“Globalization in America”
Whether someone lives in a developed or a developing country, it is impossible to
deny the positive and negative effects that globalization has in the world. This phenomenon
does not exclude the United States where its effects have shaped the way of life of every
citizen.
After World War two, America became the most powerful nation in the world,
gaining a huge influence in the world’s trade, and becoming one of the strongest economies
in the globe. However, the world has changed a lot since then, and the growing competition
that exists from developing countries is enormous, making America’s economic future
uncertain. Even though globalization has had some good aspects for the country, the harm
that it has caused is greater.
The greatest benefit that globalization brings to America is the access to cheaper
products. The products made in countries where the labor is cheaper have enabled
American consumers to get many products for affordable prices. This excellent advantage
has made possible for companies like Wal-Mart and Target among others to propagate all
over the nation. “The Wall Street banker who pays $350 for Church‘s shoes benefits
relatively little, but the janitor who buys shoes for $25, rather than $50, at Payless or Target
or Wal-Mart benefits greatly.”(Overholt) This statement indicates that globalization has
enabled America’s working class to buy everyday products for lower prices.
Although globalization has brought the opportunity for consumers to get cheaper
products, there are stronger reasons that make globalization bad for America. One of these
reasons is offshoring. Offshoring is the ability of companies to move their factories to other
countries. This has created a big problem in the job market. For a while now, we have heard
of companies move overseas and leave thousands of people without jobs. According to
Mary H. Cooper’s article “Exporting Jobs,” as many as 2.8 million jobs have been lost since
2000 in the United States due to companies moving overseas. The overwhelming figure is
expected to increase in the next ten years due to the continuing relocation of companies to
other nations.
