Title: What are the negative consequence of Americanization to other countries? - eNotes.com
Headings: What are the negative consequence of Americanization to other countries?
Social Sciences
What are the negative consequence of Americanization to other countries?
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The term "Americanization" refers to the near-hegemony gained by certain aspects of American culture around the world. This has happened for many reasons, but the power of American corporations like McDonald's, Coca-Cola, Nike, and others has been the main factor. In a very famous 1992 essay, Benjamin Barber described this process as the creation of a "McWorld," and claimed that it threatened to create a "commercially homogenous global network" in which "integration" of the global economy would foster "uniformity." The obvious problem with all of this is that these developments threaten to efface regional and local cultural practices. In some instances, people have argued that this is a good thing--the infusion of Western values has promoted more rights for women than were previously available, for example. But even if one accepts that the spread of American mass culture is a good thing, it has to be acknowledged that it has proved destabilizing in many areas. The rise of Islamic extremists in many states, for example, has been interpreted as a backlash to the spread of what they view as decadent and immoral American culture. Americanization has created other problems as well. In many countries lacking sufficient regulations, industries have exploited workforces, cornered markets, and basically stifled local business growth.