Contradictory trends of globalization in the current context of the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Introduction. The current globalization, influenced by the crisis of neoliberal doctrine, has generated such processes as neo-mercantilism, protectionism, and unilateralism. These phenomena have proliferated in one form or another in the management of the current pandemic crisis, generating serious obstacles in establishing a common strategy to combat it globally. Objectives. The analysis and revelation of the contradictory processes of contemporary globalization, the causes, the interference and the impact it has and will have on the management of the Covid-19 pandemic at national, supranational and global level. Material and methods. In carrying out the study, various bibliographic sources were consulted and studied, edited and published in the local and international space with economic, philosophical, sociological, political, cultural, anthropological, bioethical, medical content, etc. Scientific methods such as: structural-systemic, analytical, phenomenological, historical, synergistic, bioethical, statistical, etc. were applied. Results. The current COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted and accentuated those contradictory trends in globalization that have become more and more pronounced until its onset. The causes of these processes are multiple with various economic, geo-political, civilizational reverberations. The unilateralism manifested in various forms by the great global actors, have generated such phenomena in the management of the COVID-19 pandemic as the national selfishness in the use of medical resources, the transformation of the production of a vaccine against COVID-19 into a fierce competition between the great powers, with little global cooperation and coordination. Conclusions: The current evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic has relaunched a series of phenomena and processes, which were already felt in the before pandemic trends of globalization, but its magnitude and drama have exacerbated these trends that contradict the fundamental principle of globalization-multilateralism.