Effects Of Imperialism In South Africa

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Globalisation is little more than a new form of Imperialism. A Corporate Imperialism, in that the extension of a Company’s power and force is through rampant territory and market-share gain, its sole interest the bottom line and, of course, the pursuit of maximum profits. An empire building strategy of Big Business. As Multinational Enterprises enter new, especially ‘emerging economy’, markets to expand their corporate ideology what is the effect on the populations in those countries? South Africa is a prime example of the darker side of Globalisation, a country that is now well integrated into the global economy, following a period of economic sanctions during Apartheid by its significant trading partners at the time: the European Union,…show more content…
South Africa has much mineral wealth (gold, platinum and diamonds) and by Southern African standards is seen as an economic powerhouse. This has led to a massive surge in illegal immigration from neighbouring states, predominantly due to a perception that there is a better life to be had in a country that by local standards is the Land of Milk and Honey. While there are no official records for the mostly undocumented economic migrants, estimates vary between 800,000 and one million illegal foreigners in South Africa at any given time. This is the highest number in the SADC (Southern African Development Community) region, which comprises 15 member states including South Africa. The unemployment rate in South Africa stands at 25% in the second quarter of 2015, which by its very high number, implies competition for scarce employment opportunities for South Africans themselves, let alone illegal immigrants. While economic migration is not particular to South Africa, it is felt more severely in a country where there are more than enough people to fill the entry level, low paid positions that perhaps Europeans would prefer to see foreign nationals doing in their own countries. This over supply of ‘cheap labour’ sees the minimum wage in South Africa being equal to €1.12 (R16.98) per hour. Impossibly low, almost depressingly…show more content…
In broad terms this is having an undesirable impact on the basic constitutional rights afforded to all South Africans (namely: the right to healthcare, education and welfare) as the government struggles to provide for a population that is almost 80% dependent on the state to provide services for these enshrined rights, while there are not even enough doctors or nurses to take care of the
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