Summary – The word “globalization”,which is however characterized by empirical correspondents anything but new, shows since some time a very wide but not univocal use. The a. emphasizes recent uses corresponding to opposite tendencies. In a strictly economic framework we can single out, in particular, the “negative” meaning by Amin and the “positive” one by Bhagwati. According to Amin globalization is synonymous of world capitalistic expansion towards a chaotic world-wide system; according to Bhagwati globalization constitutes a positive phenomenon and moreover it stimulates the transition of non democratic systems to democracy. According to Giddens, Beck, Bauman and Sen globalization is a quite complex and anything but strictly economic phenomenon: its implications are briefly outlined with reference to concepts like democracy and freedom.