Toefl Essay #2: Globalization makes a difference

New changes in the 21st century brought by the globalization 

                Psy's Gangnam style has gone over 1.6 billion views. Arab Spring has democratized Egypt and Tunisia. Now, the 21st century has begun. Globalization of the 21^st century goes beyond the integration of culture and political systems. With the development of technology, information travels within a split second from the opposite part of the world.  Essentially, the world has become an integrated “town” marked by efficient communication and shared values. Among numerous changes that characterize 21^st century, I believe the international cooperation for human rights and integration of world economy will become the two most important outcomes of globalization.

               In the 21^st century, activism for human rights will see exponential growth with global legal coordination. In the past, it was hard to induce global cooperation for human rights because many countries prioritized national sovereignty and domestic laws over other international treaties. However, rapid growth of non-governmental organization (NGOs) and international law in the 21^st successfully prompted many countries’ coordinated actions against “crimes against humanity,” the universal harm to peace. The International Criminal Court (ICC)’s recent conviction of Pinochet, a former dictator in Chile demonstrates this point. A Spanish judge in ICC requested the arrest of Pinochet for genocide and terrorism in Chile and Argentina. ICC successfully earned British government’s cooperation to deport him for trial. As such, ICC punishes past war criminals, compensates for victims, and research further to prevent similar human rights disasters in the future. This example illustrates that growing practical power of international law is crucial to deliver justice to human rights violations in North Korea and other African autocratic governments in the new 21^st century.

In the 21^st century, a new economic order will establish with the rising influence of China and international organizations. When the Bretton Woods System was established in 20^th century, international organizations like World Trade Organization (WTO) and International Monetary Fund (IMF) were dominated by “Western powers,” such as United States and Britain because they are the biggest shareholders and have veto powers to shape their policy decisions. However, the rapid growth of China’s Multi-National Companies(MNCs) and Foreign Direct Investment(FDIs) in 21^st century led many scholars to believe that the new century will mark a transition in economic balance of power. MNCs not only initiate economic transactions, but also shape worldwide economic norms and trends by accelerating spread of information and values between countries. Currently, the US is the biggest shareholder influencing and vetoing the decisions of WTO and IMF.  However, the 21^st century will mark an important power transition in worldwide economy from US- centered dynamics to China-centered dynamics, leading world economy to become not only more integrated but also more “flat.”

The world has changed increment by increment in each decade and every century However, the 21^st century has seen particularly rapid changes, establishing new dynamics of international cooperation over universal human rights and new balances of economic power. Various problems of 21^st century, such as environmental issues, terrorism, human rights, and nuclear weapons, all require effective worldwide cooperation. How flexibly each country can react and adapt to the changes of 21^st century will determine the efficiency of the worldwide cooperation and will shape the future of human society.