3.8) Social, political and environmental tensions have resulted from the rapidity of global change caused by globalisation.

Question 1

London’s Melting Pot:

1) In 2011, how many of the parents of the babies born in London, had been born outside the UK?

Answer 1

1) 65%

Question 2

1) What has this growing diversity been caused by?

Answer 2

1) > EU citizens are free to move around the UK. There are 250000 French people in London.
> There is a freedom to invest or transfer capital. Any individual can trade in shares without having to use the London Stock Exchange. There are no restrictions on financial institutions setting up offices, and government approval isn’t needed.
> FDI: In 2015, the UK attracted over 32000 jobs from overseas-owned companies, that are investing in software and financial services. London has attracted 35% of companies that moved their European headquarters to the UK. The UK attracts the most European research and development projects, and it’s also the first choice for US companies investing in Europe. The UK is also the leading recipient of FDI from France, Japan and India.

Question 3

1) What large foreign communities does France have?

2) What foreign communities does Germany have?

Answer 3

1) North and West African communities.

2) 3 million Turkish

Question 4

1) What is a diaspora?

Answer 4

1) Communities of people outside their homeland.

Question 5

Some are against globalisation:

1) What are the two main issues caused by globalisation?

Answer 5

1) Immigration and the distribution of resources such as water.

Question 6

Immigration:

1) What are some examples of extreme political parties coming to power in Europe?
2) What has caused tensions between Greece, Turkey and other Balkan countries?

Answer 6

1) Golden Dawn in Greece, The Northern League in Italy, and France’s National Front, are becoming more popular. There are less extreme views in the UK’s tabloid press.
2) Since 2014, there has been an influx of refugees from Syria.

Question 7

Trans-border water conflicts:

1) What has happened since the 1990s, on the Mekong river?

Answer 7

1) A number of dams have been built.

Question 8

1) What did the 1995 Mekong River Agreement aim to do?

Answer 8

1) It required Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam to agree on the construction of any new dams. This aimed to share water allocations within the Mekong river basin.

Question 9

1) How has the Xayaburi Dam tested this agreement?

Answer 9

1) Laos benefits in terms of employment and water, whilst Thailand has financed it and therefore receives the electricity it generates.

Question 10

1) In 2011, how many more dams were proposed along the lower Mekong.

Answer 10

1) 11 - 9 of which are in Laos.

Question 11

1) How important is the Mekong to China?

Answer 11

1) The southern part of the basin is one of China’s poorest regions, damming the river to create HEP would encourage economic development.

Question 12

1) How important is the Mekong to Myanmar?

Answer 12

1) None of its tributaries are affected by the existing dam proposals. It has no plans to build dams, but any such plans would have impact further downstream.

Question 13

1) How important is the Mekong to Thailand?

Answer 13

1) Thailand wants the water and electricity generated by the dam for industrial development - this would aid rural investment and stem the flow of migrants to its cities.

Question 14

1) How important is the Mekong to Laos?

Answer 14

1) 90% of its population depends on the Mekong for agriculture. Dams would reduce the flow downstream.

Question 15

1) How important is the Mekong to Cambodia?

Answer 15

1) It depends on the river for crucial annual flooding of its rice-growing area. The lack of a reliable source of energy has led to the depletion of their forests, hence why HEP would be a better option.

Question 16

1) How important is the Mekong to Vietnam?

Answer 16

1) It supports 40% of Vietnam’s population. Annual floods allow for the growth of rice. Damming the river will reduce flow, with 10% already being lost.

Question 17

Controlling Globalisation:

1) What classic economic freedoms is globalisation based on?
2) What is its more recent form?

Answer 17

1) Liberalism

2) Neo-liberalism

Question 18

Neo-liberalism might not always work:

1) What threatens China’s leadership?
2) What are the two types of censorship?

Answer 18

1) The free flow of information. Events such as the ‘Arab Spring’ might give people ideas about less State control.
2) >State-controlled: Print publishing or broadcasting is run by official state media.
> State-monitored: Overseas media is monitored and censored. This includes TV, radio, literature and the internet.

Question 19

1) Give an example of how a right wing politician wants to tackle immigration:
2) What take do politicians in the UK, have on immigration?
3) What are the main two arguments against immigration?

Answer 19

1) Donald Trump wanted to control the flow of immigrants coming from Mexico, by building a wall.
2) They want to limit net migration - this will be difficult considering net flows from the EU and skill shortages.
3) Cheap migrant labour undercuts local wages, and the government hasn’t planned adequately for the increased demand on infrastructure.

Question 20

Protectionism

1) In 2016, how did Chinese steel become so cheap?
2) What impact did this have on Tata Steel?
3) What could have been a solution, and why is this banned?

Answer 20

1) It was being heavily subsidised by the Chinese government, to protect its own manufacturers.
2) They were losing £1 million a day, and they put all of their steel plants up for sale. They threatened to close them if a deal couldn’t be reached.
3) Raise tariffs on imported steel, as the USA does, but this is forbidden by the WTO.

Question 21

Maintaining cultural identity:

1) Which group of people have been affected the most by globalisation?
2) What are they called in Canada?
3) How many recognised groups are there, and how have they faced injustice?
4) Since the late 20th century, how has justice been given to the First Nations?

Answer 21

1) Indigenous peoples
2) First Nations
3) 643, who had their land taken during colonial rule.
4) They have received compensation payments.

Question 22

1) When it comes to resource exploitation, who has the Canadian government been accused of supporting?
2) In 2013, how many of the 21 resource projects were close to collapse, due to protests.
3) What did the indigenous people protest against?

Answer 22

1) They support TNC’s against traditional indigenous landowners.
2) 6
3) >Fracking
> Oil sands and shales mining
> The Trans Mountain Pipeline
> Pacific Trails Pipeline

Question 23

1) Will these conflicts become more common?

Answer 23

1) Increased resource exploitation will push companies to explore more remote regions, pushing out indigenous people.