Passage

It is often forgotten that globalization, is not only about policies on international economic relationships and transactions, but has equally to do with domestic policies of a nation. Policy changes necessitated by meeting the internationally set conditions (by WTO etc.) of free trade and investment flows obviously affect domestic producers and investors. But the basic philosophy underlying globalization emphasizes absolute freedom to markets to determine prices and production and distribution patterns, and view government interventions as processes that create distortions and bring in inefficiency. Thus, public enterprises have to be privatized through disinvestments and sales; sectors and activities hitherto reserved for the public sector have to be opened to the private sector. This logic extends to the social services like education and health. Any restrictions on the adjustments in workforce by way of retrenchment of workers should also be removed and exit should be made easier by removing any restrictions on closures. Employment and wages should be governed by free play of market forces, as any measure to regulate them can discourage investment and also create inefficiency in production. Above all, in line with the overall philosophy of reduction in the role of the state, fiscal reforms should be undertaken to have generally low levels of taxation and government expenditure should be kept to the minimum to abide by the principle of fiscal prudence. All these are policy actions on the domestic front and are not directly related to the core items of the globalization agenda, namely free international flow of goods and finance.
QUESTION

CSAT

Medium

Comprehension

Prelims 2014

According to the passage, the basic philosophy of globalization is to

Select an option to attempt

Explanation

Statement A is incorrect. While the passage discusses giving freedom to producers, it highlights that markets, rather than individual producers, should determine prices and production.

Statement B is incorrect. Although distribution patterns are mentioned, the passage focuses on markets having control over prices, production, and employment rather than just distribution.

Statement C is correct. The passage explicitly states that the basic philosophy of globalization emphasizes absolute freedom to markets to determine prices, production, and employment. It also mentions that government interventions are seen as distortions, and employment and wages should be governed by market forces without regulatory interference.

Statement D is incorrect. The passage acknowledges international trade as part of globalization, but its main emphasis is on the domestic economic policies driven by market forces rather than just import-export freedoms.

Trusted by 2L aspirants

Practice UPSC Prelims PYQs Smarter

Practice Now
  • Track accuracy & weak areas
  • See past trends & repeated themes
Start Practicing Now

Crack UPSC with your
Personal AI Mentor

An AI-powered ecosystem to learn, practice, and evaluate with discipline

SuperKalam is your personal mentor for UPSC preparation, guiding you at every step of the exam journey.

Download the App

Get it on Google PlayDownload on the App Store
Follow us

ⓒ Snapstack Technologies Private Limited