Globalization as Americanization

(TCU) - Americanization is the process of imposing American ideologies, technologies, products, services and culture onto the rest of the world through the global market. How did this happen? It happened after WWII when the US had military occupation in Europe and Japan. In addition to that, big business companies like Walmart, Apple, IBM, Walt Disney, and McDonalds took off, selling their products and services internationally. America was considered to most powerful country in the world, having been the only country other than talks from Russia to have used nuclear weapons. Everyone's attention was in America and what we were going to do next. People wanted to act, talk, and live like American's because they either respected us or were scared of us, so much to the point that foreign students would study American history, culture and social advancement in their academic curriculum. America's use of hard and soft powers over the generation has led to the decline of Americanization. America's intervention in war where it has no obligation has made other countries look to America as a parent country, turning to us for a more modern way of running government. Another example of America's hard power as in recent politics is using high tariffs against Canada and Mexico in efforts to bring down national debt and stabilize the economy. Trump has also proposed buying Greenland. This overly aggressive way of running our government is turning countries away and allowing them to become more influenced by eastern world traditions from China, Japan and Europe. An example of America's soft power is the use of IGO'S and INGO's that work in the humanities. These could be missionaries building churches and homes around the world. These could be teachers prepared to teach a subject in another country. It could be activists trying to make life better for people locally and globally on the same stage. There is said to be no difference in a group of people meeting at the UN council than a man meeting another man on the street in a face-to-face interaction because they both entail the same meaning as far as the exchanging of ideas, products, services, and culture. When everyone from the UN to the WTO to the G20 are discussing how to do business with Americans is the idea of "globalization as Americanization."