Globalization can be defined as the global economy coming together in many ways to create unique products, services, and other things. But what exactly does this mean? The initial thought would be that globalization is good. However, I believe that globalization is the main cause of the widening gap between rich and poor and the shrinking of the middle class. Globalization simply enables the cycle of rich, developed countries exploiting poor countries for jobs and resources. Globalization has both positive and negative effects on everyone, however, unfortunately the bad has outweighed the good. Sidney Mintz, an anthropologist, who has studied sugar in the modern globalized marketplace, discusses globalization in the article we reviewed this semester. Mintz's analysis of the effects sugar has had on the modern economy and the impact global trade has had on national economies in changing social norms and behaviors is a key factor in why I believe this was a first in history that something has actually been globalized. Sugar was one of the first products to be successfully available globally, opening the door to other products such as cotton, bread, corn and other spices. Mintz states: “The trace that sugar has left in modern history involves masses of people and resources, thrown into productive combination by social, economic and political forces…” (p.211). serve the whole world. Many people are fired from large companies because small businesses in rural areas of the world cannot compete with the production of these products. This contributes to the ongoing cycle of poverty and widens the gap between rich and poor. Those who have remained unemployed have no means to... middle of paper... are overshadowed due to globalization. Although we all enjoy the benefits that globalization has given way, we cannot ignore the negative effects it has had on the world. It's easy to see how companies can benefit in some way from a global market, but to me it's much more important that jobs aren't lost to globalization. Many different factors contribute to the exploitation of developing countries and have caused them many economic problems. Despite the fact that free trade increases opportunities for international trade, it also increases the risk of failure for small businesses in underdeveloped countries that cannot compete internationally. I cannot say for sure whether globalization itself is completely good or completely bad, however I believe it has caused great losses to the poor and middle class.