Which Approach Is Right: Universalism or Nationalism? or Do Both Approaches Complement Each Other?

Which Approach is Right: Universalism or Nationalism? Or Do Both Approaches Complement Each Other?

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Which Approach is Right: Universalism or Nationalism? Or Do Both Approaches Complement Each Other?

Jonathan Tan 1A113G09-6

School of Political Science and Economics Waseda University

Which Approach is Right: Universalism or Nationalism? Or Do Both Approaches Complement Each Other?

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To examine the above topic, it is integral to first define “universalism” and “nationalism”. Here, the definition of universalism shall be given as “the state of being universal” (MerriamWebster) while nationalism shall be defined as “a sense of national consciousness exalting one nation above all others and placing primary emphasis on promotion of its culture and interests as opposed to those of other nations or supranational groups” (Merriam-Webster). In this sense, “universalism” can then be substituted with “globalization”. The term “globalization” shall then be used interchangeably with “universalism” in this essay.

To facilitate research into this topic, the advantages and disadvantages of nationalism and globalization shall be discussed before identifying the extent to which the two are able to complement each other.

Globalization should not be studied as a single entity as beneath its umbrella are interconnected yet distinct sectors such as political globalization, economic globalization and cultural globalization. The rise in economic globalization, marked by a vast increase in the number of multinational corporations and international trade volume, has been commonly attributed to an advancement in science and technology which has reduced the price of commodities to a large extent (Gao). Another method in which globalization has helped in reducing overall prices around the world is that increased global competition has forced domestic suppliers to refrain from raising prices arbitrarily (Calza, 2008).

Which Approach is Right: Universalism or...