What is the relation between economy and globalization? - SEOHYUN S 손서현

1. Summary

The economy and globalization influence each other in many ways, and it is almost impossible to separate them. Globalization has connected countries more closely than ever, and because of this, economic activities now move across borders very easily. Companies no longer keep all their work inside their home country. A product might be designed in one country, use materials from another and then be assembled in a place where labor costs are lower. This kind of system shows how different economies are tied together and depend on one another.

However, this does not mean that countries are becoming powerless. Governments still play an important role in shaping the direction of globalization. They create laws, protect workers, set environmental rules and try to attract foreign companies. At the same time, big companies need the state for things like stable infrastructure, educated workers and legal protection. This means that the relationship between the economy and globalization is not simply about companies dominating everything. It is more like a constant negotiation where both sides need each other and try to gain the best position.

2. What I Learned

Studying this topic made me see globalization from a very different perspective. I used to think globalization was mainly about countries selling goods to each other or cultures spreading across borders. But now I understand that the economic side is the most important foundation. Without trade, investment and production networks, cultural exchange would not happen so quickly. The global economy creates the conditions that allow ideas, people and technology to move more freely.

I also learned that globalization is not as equal as it may appear. Big companies have the ability to move their factories whenever they want in order to reduce their costs, but workers cannot move as freely as companies do. This creates a serious imbalance. For example, a factory may close in one country and reopen in another place where wages are lower. Workers in both countries face insecurity even though they did nothing wrong. This made me think about how globalization affects real people, not only companies.

Another thing that surprised me was the fact that globalization is often regional rather than truly global. Many production networks are concentrated in certain areas like East Asia, North America or Europe. This means globalization does not erase differences between countries. Instead, it mixes them while still keeping regional patterns and histories alive. I realized that globalization is not a single unified system but a collection of many overlapping systems.

3. Questions and Concerns

After reading and thinking about this topic, I still have many questions about fairness. Strong countries with large markets can negotiate with companies in a powerful way, but weaker countries may not have that luxury. They might lower taxes, reduce regulations or weaken labor protections just to attract foreign companies. This creates a situation where countries compete by lowering their standards instead of raising them. It makes me wonder who really benefits from globalization and who gets left behind.

I also worry about environmental issues. Products are shipped around the world every day, which creates pollution and uses a lot of energy. Companies often focus on profit instead of sustainability, and some governments might ignore environmental problems in order to attract investment. If globalization continues like this, the damage to the planet could become very serious. So I think we need to ask whether states can still protect the environment and workers within this global economic system. Maybe we need stronger international rules so that companies cannot move to places with the weakest protections.

※ I received GPT-5’s help only when I had difficulties in translation. The main process of recalling class content and organizing the essay structure was done by myself.

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