Anti-globalization/Anti-capitalism vs. Neoliberalism the Colonial

Anti-Globalization/Anti-Capitalism vs. Neoliberalism

The colonial relations that represented the basis of the system which determined the evolution and development of empires such as the British and the French one represented some of the most important examples of controlled economies. Colonies such as India were viewed as being essential for the economy of the British Empire; consequently, the trade relations most of the times included a controlled report between the two sides.

It has often been debated that globalization and capitalism are not solely responsible for the improvement in the condition of human life. This is largely due to the fact that there have been seen more negative aspects rather than benefic ones. However, neoliberals consider this issue reversely. They argue that the interdependent nature of communication, transit, and economic flows are essential and represent a driving force for the development of the world.

The British Empire represented one of the most successful colonial stories of our history. India was in this respect the jewel of the royal crown. However, there were situations in which the colonial system imposed by the British failed or gave away serious weaknesses. In this sense, the case of Warren Hastings is relevant to point out the lack of cohesion and the possible negative aspects of international trade. At the same time however, as the indictor of Hastings pointed out at the time of the trial against Hastings, "it is not only the interest of India, now the most considerable part of the British Empire, which is concerned, but the credit and honor of the British Nation itself will be decided by this decision. We are to decide by this judgment whether the crimes of individuals are to be turned into public guilt and national ignominy" (Burke, 383). Thus it is rather hard to say from the perspective of a deed of an individual the extent of negative aspects of free trade, capitalism, or neoliberal economic policies.

Capitalism and globalization, as the neoliberal doctrine points out, is related and based on the issue of trade, precisely in the way in which Indian affairs were conducted at the time of the British Empire. Although in the 18th century colonial affairs were not fully characterized by a capitalist structure given the fact that the relations with third parties were still controlled by the colonial master, they were the early examples of the internationalization of trade. This is a first trademark of liberal economic practices.

The issue of capitalism entangles various aspects. On the one hand, it "makes trade between nations easier. It is about freer movement of goods, resources and enterprises in a bid to always find cheaper resources, to maximize profits and efficiency" (Shah, 2007). Therefore, this means development for both the areas that sell these resources, as well as for the actors which buy them and use them in the manufacturing business. It is argued however, that the ones who benefit from raw materials at a lower price tend to exploit the sources of these materials. Indeed, there are more benefits for those countries or companies that buy from poorer regions of the world. However, they do help them develop. Moreover, the trend in the globalised world is to precisely move parts of the manufacturing businesses in areas that are in need of jobs. Thus, a certain benefic impact would exist on the host society. There are numerous examples that suggest this outcome, such as IBM and Microsoft in India or other countries of the region. On a similar note, India has benefited from a comparable strategy on the time of the British Empire, when the practice was to move large parts of the manufacturing business in India and export India manufactured goods. Thus, the society eventually evolved and entered the world map.