(a) 'The Government can play a major role in making a fair Globalisation. 'Examine the statement.

(i) Fair globalisation would create opportunities for all, and also ensure that the benefits of globalisation are shared better. The government can play a major role in making this possible.

(ii) Government policies must protect the interests, not only of the rich and the powerful, but all the people in the country.

(ii) Labour laws are properly implemented and the workers get their rights.

(iii) Government policies can support small producers to improve their performance till the time they become strong enough to compete.

(iii) If necessary, the government can use trade and investment barriers.

(iv) It can negotiate at the WTO for ‘fairer rules’.

(v) It can also align with other developing countries with similar interests to fight against the domination of developed countries in the WTO.

(vi) In the past few years massive campaigns and representation by people’s organisations have influenced important decisions relating to trade and investments at the WTO.

(b) ‘Analyse the impact of Globalisation in India.

(i) Large MNCs in the garment industry in Europe and America order their products from Indian exporters. These large MNCs with worldwide network look for the cheapest goods in order to maximise their profits.

(ii) To get these large orders, Indian garment exporters try hard to cut their own costs. As cost of raw materials cannot be reduced, exporters try to cut labour costs.

(iii) Where earlier a factory used to employ workers on a permanent basis, now they employ workers only on a temporary basis so that they do not have to pay workers for the whole year.

(iv) Workers also have to put in very long working hours and work night shifts on a regular basis during the peak season. Wages are low and workers are forced to work overtime to make both ends meet.

(v) While this competition among the garment exporters has allowed the MNCs to make large profits, workers are denied their fair share of benefits brought about by globalisation.

(vi) Today most workers are employed in the unorganised sector. Moreover, increasingly conditions of work in the organised sector have come to resemble the unorganised sector. Workers in the organised sector no longer get the protection and benefits that they enjoyed earlier.

(vii) Local companies who are in collaboration with MNCs have also benefitted with newer technologies.

(viii) Small manufacturers face stiff competitions and most of them do not get a chance to stand up against them.