Globalisation vs. public ethics: An African perspective

Abstract

The interest of governments all over the world ? in terms of the expected gains of globalisation ? has further stalled the envisaged accelerated global economic growth and development. This has been done by removing all constraints on trade, regardless of social, ecological and moral implications, thereby creating a new culture of oneness which is presently driving the emerging global ethics. Instead of accepting the incontrovertible empirical evidence that economic globalisation will only increase many of the problems facing the world today (especially poorer nations), governments under pressure from transnational cooperation insist on pursuing it further. The article takes an exploratory view of globalisation vs. ethics, and possible policy lessons for Africa. The article further seeks to explore why the globalisation process, with its influential phenomena, has affected the thinking of nation-states, regions and individuals alike.