For over a decade, the removal of the Soviet-Western axis has promoted references to Globalization as a set of mainly economic conditions which tends to be described as a new and unprecedented, superior phenomenon. However, an examination of Globalization reveals room for criticism in the reality of an unconstrained, American-led capitalist world economy. Furthermore, and as is discussed towards this paper's end, it remains questionable whether or not Globalization has been realized, or can even stand to be achieved. The strongest idea continuing through this paper relates to neo-liberal models of economic planning as these can create patterns in societies which do not always produce economic freedom for all of their participants. All the same, changes to permit Globalization have been promoted by Western countries and most of them having earlier experimented with the Welfare State as it borrowed from ideas of socialism. .
Held has written that Globalization is, "neither a singular condition nor a linear process. it is best thought of as a multi-dimensional phenomenon involving diverse domains of activity and interaction including the economic, political, technological, military, legal, cultural and environmental." (1996, 340) Clearly, the changes which Globalization stands to introduce can be sweeping and they are not uniform in that there are bound to be contrasts with regard to how one region or country is affected in relation to another or others. How a population fares in the midst of what can be marked change is shaped by a country's position, or a sub-group's position in the international labour market, by differences in power blocs and all in relation to international legal systems and organizations of power which set their own regulations or policies. .
By no means all states are integrated similarly into the movement that seems to be underway. Worse, the processes making up what is called Globalization do not promise to produce more global integration in the future.
