The Growing Influence of Business in Foreign Relations

In an increasingly connected world, the impact of globalization on business has become more and more prominent. Loosely defined as a global economy, it has grown exponentially since the downfall of the Soviet Union, and normally refers to corporations spreading their economic activities throughout the world. From Mattel's toy making in China, to Dell's customer service call centers in India, most major firms today engage in some form of globalization. Yet while an effective way to save on costs, with this recent boom in a global economy comes an increased importance in foreign policy. Good relations with other nations become imperative to the firm's success (and consequently the American economy as a whole), and are now influenced by the economy more than ever. A perfect example is the current conflict with Turkey over the Armenian genocide. Having denied its existence since the killings occurred in 1915, the House of Representatives is currently debating a bill that recognizes the injustices done against the Armenian people. Yet more than half of the supplies flown into Iraq and Afghanistan go through an air base in Turkey, and if the U.S. follows through with its declaration, it will lose its biggest supply base in the Middle East (cnn.com). What may seem right in a moral sense could have drastic implications on the funding for the current wars. Consequently, it is easy to see how the economy can play a major role in political decisions.