Globalization and its Impact on States

This chapter examines the impact of globalization on the nation state. It analyses the case for and against the globalization thesis, focusing on the extent to which global economic integration might restrict the parameters of domestic political autonomy. The chapter first distinguishes between the politics of globalization and the globalization of politics before discussing the principal mechanisms in and through which globalization is seen to impact upon the nation state, along with the empirical evidence that might either substantiate or question the existence of such mechanism. It then considers the complex and sometimes paradoxical relationship between globalization, democracy, and the nation state, with emphasis on both the impact of globalization on states and the state's impact on globalization.