8.11B Westernisation

• Largely driven by retail, food and media, 'westernisation' is a soft power challenge to national identity by European and North American TNCs
• The spread of 'western' culture by TNCs is not a form of global political power play, however, their promotion does naturally bring about a cultural change to places 
• • The most successful companies design, advertise and sell aspirations that people believe they want
  • McDonalds - based in 100 countries and serve over 70 million customers a day, spreading the idea of American fast food
  • Disney - accused of portraying a highly sanitised version of the world with its films, TV channels and resorts that are rooted in a false and unachievable 'American Dream'
  • Apple, Google and Microsoft - all tech giants indirectly spread 'western' ideals, culture, news etc. through their global connections
• • Some 'westernisation' is resisted by places; such as when the sales of Valentine's Day cards and associated gifts were targeted by the local government in Pakistan, who were worried about the 'western tradition' of honouring a Christian saint
  • This 'western and Americanisation' of places promotes a distinctive view of the benefits the dominant capitalist model.