Global cities show a particularly high degree of social polarization Essay

Social polarization is a relatively new urban phenomenon that identifies the existence of a widening gap between the rich and brusque within a sociable group or entity. This gap has certain in countrys societies as a conduce of income equalities, veridical estate fluctuations and economic displacement (Moulaert 2003). The instals buttocks be damaging to society and git include a loss of resources, investment and new-fang lead people to the core (Bradford and Kent 1995). I aim to discuss and explain social polarization in terms of the causes and effects on society, as puff up as the main catalysts of polarization.Many geographers believe that globalization is a mold that has enabled nation-states, TNCs, as well as individuals, to extend their reach across the humankind (Daniels et al 2008). Globalization has meant that national economies have become integrated into the multinational economy (Croucher 2004) as a number of trade, capital flows, foreign turn to investmen t, migration and the spread of technology leading to the growth of many sectors, especially the fiscal sector, where in fundamental law is easily accessible via a technologically strong communication theory network.Some atomic number 18 of the belief that Globalization leads directly to social polarization (Sassen 1991) The rapid growth in the financial sector has led to the formation of very well paid positions within financial institutes dominated by managers, executives and stockbrokers. However, it has also created swelled numbers of low-paying jobs, often filled by women and the minorities in unskilled positions. As a result of this, income inequality is common in global cities with salaries ranging greatly. The United Nations quoted that between 1960 and 1990 country differentials between the wealthiest and poorest 20% change magnitude from 30 to more than 60 (UNDP 1993)(Thrift et al 2002).This croupe lead to a number of problems, with the lower paid workers easily replac ed by an abundant emerge of workers moving to the area from abroad, known as the urban immigrant population (Chao-Lin 2002). The successor of low-income workers has become a problem in many global cities, for compositors case in Beijing, the open door immigration policy as led to an influx of urban immigrants. Many social problems are caused as a result of this, such as stress at home and at work and so forth This, in turn, widens the gap between the richer and poorer people in society thus increasing social polarization.The transnationals have, of course, greatly changed the economic environment. At the global scale their location of production in evolution countries has contributed to what has been called a global shift (Bradford and Kent 1995). In the first half of the twentieth blow the majority of manufacturing and production plants was concentrated in the core Western europium and North America.However, a global shift (Bradford and Kent 1995) did occur and by the mid-ei ghties a third of TNCs had moved to global production in fresh Industrializing Countries (NICs) at the periphery. As these TNCs made more money and became financially stronger, on that point was a shift of power from the g everyplacenments to the transnationals. The TNCs have great control over some sectors of the economy, as government revenue from taxes is recycled (through wages) back into the large corporations.TNCs can cause a variety of problems by locating in developing countries, the concentration of many transnationals activities in one area, often the core, may alter inter-regional differences (Bradford and Kent 1995). Again, this ordain cause social polarization as different areas in a country, or town will show differences in conveniences etc. due to a greater investment in infrastructure. However, this investment in the core regions is needed to service the large corporations.Investment will attract people, jobs and activity into the core regions, thus emphasizing the strength of the devote factors created by TNCs more well paid jobs are created, better animateness conditions, more amenities etc. However, this is often at the expense of off-base regions which lose resources, investment and young people to the core the so called laundry or polarization effects (Bradford and Kent 1995). Friedmanns Core Periphery modeling is relevant here as over time people are drawn from the periphery areas into the core, (See Figure 1).Transnationals can also cause problems if exchangeable corporations locate in the same countries, thus leading to segmentation of markets (classifying markets into trenchant subsets with the same needs).  (Todd 1977). (Classifying markets into distinct subsets with the same needs). This can lead to social differences universe accentuated, again relating back to differences in income inequality and quality of life at the core and periphery. Furthermore, particular cultures in countries have changed as a result of ac quisition of material goods (Bradford and Kent 1995). This has lead to peoples position in society being determined by possession or uptake of particular goods, causing anger and stress, which causes societies to began more polarized.To conclude in my persuasion social polarization, can only have a negative effect on societies and countries as stress and anger is caused as a result of concentrations of investment in core areas, leaving peripheral areas without amenities and jobs. As TNCs continue to increase in size the effects of polarization can only increase with the gap between different social groups increasing, as a result of income inequality and economic displacement. With increased control and power, before long TNCs will have even more control than some governments, and this can already be seen in some areas of the world with governments in India etc. being unable to stop sweatshop labour e.g. Nike in Bangladesh. polarisation shows gaps in society have begun to develop a s local markets develop in global markets as a result of globalization and the growth of large corporations.ReferencesBradford, M. and Kent, A. 1993 Understanding sympathetic Geography People and their     Changing Environments, Oxford University Press, Oxford.Chao-Lin, G.U. 2001 Social polarization and Segregation in Beijing, Beijing, Science    Press, http//www.springerlink.com/content/h3w8112rj24l8468/fulltext.pdf, 29th    NovemberJohnston, R.J., Taylor, P.J and Watts, M.J. 1995 The Reconfiguration of Late     Twentieth-Century Capitalism. In Johnston, R.J., Taylor, P.J and Watts, M.J.     (eds) Geographies of Global Change Remapping the World, Blackwell            Publishers Ltd., United Kingdom, 19-29.Moulaert, F., Swyndedouw, E. and Rodriguez, A. 2003 The Globalized City        Economic Restructuring and Social Polarization in European Cities, O xford    University Press, Oxford.Sassen, S. 2001 The Global City, Princeton University Press, USATodd, D. 1977 Polarization and the Regional chore Manufacturing in Nova Scotia,   The University of Manitoba Geography Department, Canada.Figure 1. Rodrigue, Dr. J. P. Department of Economics and Geography, 1998Bradshaw, M., Daniels, P., Shaw, D. and Sidway, J. 2008 An Introduction to Human     Geography, Pearson Education Limited, England.