According to alternative globalization supporters, the current hegemonic globalization system is harmful because it places the needs of the market over the needs of the individual. In her article about the interactions about environmental globalization, Vandana Shiva suggests that the system can be corrected when individuals reclaim both their rights and their environment, mostly by protesting against the government.
In the case of India, protests against the government and acts of civil disobedience have proved effective. In response to the 1995 fast in Delhi, the Indian government passed legislation that recognized that tribal people have the right to self rule. Thanks to this law, decisions made within this community could now reflect the interests of the farmers instead of the interests of the state, or more accurately the interests of the corporations. Moreover, Indians have now been able to declare their local bio-diversity as a community resource, that can’t be used without permission.
These victories are surprising considering the long tormented history between rural Indian farmers and the Indian government. Even before the era of globalization, the corrupt Indian government often didn’t care for farmers, even though they were producing the food that fueled the entire nation. Since globalization reinforces this trend, many would suspect that it would become more difficult for farmers to voice their opinions in recent times.
Considering these cultural factors, one would begin to wonder if it would be more useful to combat globalization using a global approach. After all, the Indian government seems to be highly receptive to globalization. Various media sources often discuss how economic liberalization has led to an immense growth in the Indian economy. If the Indian government felt global pressure, they might respond to farmer demands more quickly. And, they might make more expansive laws.
Of course, this approach runs into other problems. As Walden Bello notes, alternative globalization supporters have struggled to come up with an global agenda against environmental globalization because the North and the South seem to have different goals. But, it might still be important to consider if alternative globalization supporters can carry out a plan against environmental/economic globalization in India in a global fashion. I would definitely be interested in seeing the results of such a plan. And, I would hypothesize that we would get better results than we do from the bottom down approach.
