Globalization and Democracy: Is It Really That Bad?

The world is shrinking - or so it seems. Governments are quite possibly more interconnected and interrelated now than at any other time in history. This web of interdependency is primarily made possible by trade. And while some argue that free trade is mutually beneficial to all parties, critics of globalization say that, among other things, centralized trade organizations and non-governmental organizations threaten states' sovereignty. More succinctly: Political sovereignty is threatened by global organizations that regulate worldwide trade.
Ultimately the critic's argument is based upon the perception that free trade is capitalism run amok. It invites developing nations into its circle of commerce only to exploit that nation by imposing heavy tariffs upon its exports and limiting its production by imposing unrealistic environmental standards. Moreover, critics see international organizations that regulate trade as threatening the authority of a state's sovereign will by the imposition of democratic values upon a society unable to financially or culturally support them.
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