HOW CAN GLOBALIZATION INFLUENCE NATIONAL SECURITY? DISCUSS (BY: LT COL MOHD RADZI BIN ABD HAMID)

INTRODUCTION

The computer technology is considered as a major instrument to become an absolute instrument for changing of human life. It had created ‘borderless’ and it makes every process becomes easier, fastest and efficient. Then, it comes the term of globalization as a ‘magic’ tool in order to be competitive in the world of economy, political and social. Globalization is a vision that mankind has been working towards. The word ‘globalization’ itself is a relatively new invention; the process of cultures exchanging goods and ideas which have existed since the genesis of human history. The advent of globalization has provided more opportunities for communications and travel and this freedom of movement has broadened the concept of security and made it more comprehensive. Globalization can be seen as a process of growing and incremental international activities in many areas that bring the world closer and more interdependence. The globalization process not only has become the key towards development and successful in economy but also changed the nature of security. It also brought a negative consequence as organized transnational crimes exploit these advances in technology, services and communications, posing a graver threat to both national and international security. It opened the way for illicit transnational flows of narcotics, smuggled migrants and others never before imagined. Globalization has, therefore, opened a new dimension of national security, particularly in the form of non-traditional security. Non-traditional security moves beyond inter-state conflicts and geopolitical concerns. It focuses on the non-military security issues and non-state actors.

Globalization brings opportunity and also vulnerability for all. It produces powerful forces of social fragmentation, creating critical vulnerabilities and sowing the seeds of violence and conflict. All these aspects of globalization have important security implications. It is capable to bring the world together, tearing it apart or facilitating some combination of both. It is easy to understand the impact of globalization towards economic, communication and social; but in terms of national security is a problematic. Therefore, this paper will discuss on the aspect of ‘how’ the globalization can influence the national security. The paper will start with a brief history and the definition of globalization and subsequently to examine the effect of globalization on the national security.

 
DEFINITION

a. Globalization

The concept of globalization is the process of increasing interconnectedness between societies such that events in one part of the world and have more effects on peoples and societies far away (Baylis, Patricia & Smith, 2008). According to Keohane, Robert and Nye (2000), globalization is a process of rapid economic integration among countries driven by the liberalization of trade, investment and capital flows, as well as technological change. Baylis and Keohane definition are similar to the definition given by Rodrik (1997). He points out that the phenomenon of globalization as fundamentally the closer integration of the countries and peoples of the world which have been brought about by the enormous reduction of costs of transportation and communication, and the breaking down of artificial barriers to the flows of goods, services, capital, knowledge, and people across borders[1].

Therefore, by globalization, simply means such phenomena includes flow of goods and services across borders, reductions in policy and transport barriers to trade, international capital flows, multinational activity, foreign direct investment, outsourcing, increased exposure to exchange rate volatility and immigration. These movements of goods, services, capital, firms, and people are believed to contribute to the spread of technology, knowledge, culture and information across borders and political freedom and promote peace. In fact, the term of ‘globalization’ is a multi-dimensional. It has economic, social, cultural and connotations. It is accelerated by technology which is driven by only a few hundred multinational corporations and may be harmful to the environment. There in lies the conundrum of whether it is wise to leave globalization in the hands of these few corporations, or it might not make more sense to seek greater involvement from the global community.

b. National Security

Hartland in Buzan (1991), has defined national security as the ability of a nation to pursue successfully its national interest, as it sees them, any place in the world. The inclusion of traditional defense policy and also the non-military actions of a state in the national security is introduced by Louw (Buzan, 1991). US Defense Dictionary has defined national security as a collective term encompassing both national defense and foreign relation specifically the condition provided by a military or defense advantage over any foreign nation or group of nations or a favorable foreign relations positions or a defense posture capable of successfully resisting hostile or destructive action from within or without, overt or covert. In this light, national security may also means the protection of the political, economic, psychosocial, military, geo-ecological and techno-scientific environment of the nation.

Based on those definition and today’s circumstances, national security is a very broad concept. It encompasses the internal strength, cohesiveness and firmness of the purposes of the nation itself. It is the ability of the state to exist and develop in a rapidly changing international environment. However, there is no exact and standard definition of national security for it is always been compared to other states view of security. The perception of security differs from one state to another.

 
HOW GLOBALIZATION INFLUENCE NATIONAL SECURITY?

There are so many implications cause by globalization towards the national security. It operated 24/7, while we are in the bed; our enemies are looking on us by using their satellite. The information is easily searched and shared with another side of the world. This paper will discuss on seven areas of globalization influence towards national security. It created ‘globalization cycle’ which cordoned the nation national security and the influence time is 24/7 (Rowntree, Lewis, Price, & William, 2008). Refer to Graph 1. They are created complexity and new challenges, wider the scope of national security, national security becomes more vulnerable, borderless security environment, infected national culture, tradition and values, increased of international crime and transnational threats[2].

Graph 1: The Globalization Influences Cycle.

a. Created Complexity and New Challenges.

21st century had witnesses that the elements of globalization had shaping international politics and security affairs. Globalization has been recognized by scholars and policy makers in the field of international relations as a global phenomena that make the subject related to national security becomes more complex (Baylis, Patricia & Smiith, 2008). The subject of security that encompasses both traditional and non-traditional security issues have become more complex, where part of the complexity arises due to the awareness and concern on non-traditional issues in particular human security and the impact of the national security. The increased complexity poses new challenges to the formulation of state defence policy. One of which is the need to balance between security of state and the concern on human security dimension in international relations. Globalization has no boundary and in some ways the impact has been positive such as relationship between states leader become more faster and has reduced the potential for conflict. Nevertheless, globalization may give rise to new security concerns and intensify tensions. Globalization makes the world become closer and most of the events occurred in some part of the world are now affecting each other.

b. Wider the Scope of National Security

Globalization has vastly expanded the scope of national security. For individuals, communities, and nations alike, security has always meant freedom to pursue a freely chosen way of life without undue danger, interference or uncertainty. Globalization creates and exposes vulnerability to what had previously seemed remote or irrelevant. In our globalizing world, many contradictory things are happening at the same time and will be for the foreseeable future. States are losing power; states are not losing power. According to Joseph (2003), some groups’ dream of nationhood, others have only recently won it, and members of the modern community such as EU are moving beyond it. Depending on the area, the rule of law is on the rise or breaking down. Local culture is threatened or flowering. Religion is fading away or undergoing a revival[3].

c. National Security Becomes Vulnerable

Information technologies and systems are central features of globalization and have become increasingly important to the functioning of many critical civilian systems such as communications, energy, transportation, electrical, water, and banking. The problem is that they are now vulnerable to the threat of cyber attacks and disruption. The dangers have arising from environmental degradation often cross state borders. The rising global temperatures are touching off devastating droughts, floods and violent storms. Other environmental dangers include air and water pollution, the loss of forests and biodiversity and the potential introduction of toxic substances into the human food chain. The threat is growing that infectious diseases will spread globally and quickly, as a result of increasingly drug-resistant microbes, the lag in development of new antibiotics, poor patterns of land and water use, shifts in climate, the rise of mega-cities with severe health care deficiencies, the ease of movement of peoples across borders and the growing number of refugees.

d. Borderless Security Environment

Traditionally, security has been an external, cross-border concept. City dwellers built walls and fought off invaders. Alternatively, their leaders went off and conquered their neighbors. Military forces are still organized geographically and their most basic mission is to protect territorial integrity[4]. In the era of globalization, by contrast, external threats from military to military confrontation have increasingly changed to transnational forms. Information that classified as secret such as on making weapons of mass destruction can be easily gleaned from the internet. The intelligence job becomes easier and difficult to detect. By using satellite camera technology, others state can torch others states activity especially military movement in 24/7 without been at that particular area and most undetectable. Because of improvement in transportations and ....

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