IELTS Essay # 36 - Some people believe that international trade and communication with other countries is a positive trend, while others think it is harmful to nations and they might lose their identities. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? Give your own opinion and relevant examples.

N.B.: This essay is somewhat similar to a question asked last year in the IELTS Test, about countries inviting foreign companies for trading in their country. You can read the model answer to that question by clicking here.

Essay # 36

Some people believe that international trade and communication with other countries is a positive trend, while others think it is harmful to nations and they might lose their identities. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? Give your own opinion and relevant examples.

Global communication and trade, at the turn of the 21st century, have brought about many effects. On one hand, they’re blurring technological, economic, political, and cultural boundaries, however on the other they’re said to be crushing a country’s individuality. I personally believe in the former opinion more, which shall be reasoned out further in this essay.

Outsourcing is one of the negative impacts of world trade, where a country loses majority of its jobs to workers in foreign; a stark example is the outsourcing of companies from the US to Indian BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) units. Another, is the increasing reliance on foreign brands compared to local equivalents, for example imported chocolate cookies have more consumption rates than the ones produced by local companies. A large blame is to be put on social communications for creating an overhyped necessity for foreign brands in one’s lifestyle. Such factors are considered to be a significant blow to a country’s own economy and morale of its producers thereby giving rise to the statement in the question.

Looking at the pace international trade is increasing tells us a different story though. In contrast to the ill-effects mentioned above, a number of advantages are put forward by people beckoning world trade to boom. International trade is beneficial to world economy. It adds to the money coffers of the world at large. Every country can benefit monetarily if it is able to dispose off its surplus goods after meeting the requirements of the local people. Consequently the wages and lifestyles of the people automatically start climbing. There’s no stopping globalization so as to consider it; a practical approach would be to take on its positive aspects and work in an according direction to prevent this phenomenon from becoming harmful.

Concluding this topic as a positive trend for the world economies, I’d like to say that countries cannot live in isolation. They have to mutually share their prosperity, technical know-how and undertake trade in order to sell their surplus products. The world economy is inter-dependent. Economic progress of a nation would depend upon its ties with other countries.

(351 words)