Globalization, Trade Liberalization And The Likely Impacts Of WTO And AFTA On The Agriculture Sector In Malaysia

The word globalization conjures the image of a globe with a singular mass of humanity. It has been suggested that globalization will inevitably bring about a world of singular economic, cultural and political system. Others have suggested that globalization will usher an age of economic development and prosperity. Still there are others who believe that globalization is an extension of the domination of industrialized countries over the rest of the world. The more radical thinkers have argued that liberalism and globalization are synonymous. And yet there are also those who defend that globalization will result in increasing protectionism. There are also doomsayers hawking the vision of a bleak future where globalization results in economic, cultural and political fragmentation and fraction. Beck (2000) on the other hand describes a future where transnational corporations rise to prominence nationhood ceases to be relevant. All these scenarios are but conjectures of the future. The plot is still being written and will be determined by the collective and individual will and actions of those in the present. However, contrary to what many believe, globalization is not a recent phenomena. I