Roots Of Globalization
Larry Zeugner
Professor Alan Willis
Hon 302 World Cultures: Social Sciences
2 February 2015
Historical Roots of Globalization Globalization has become a buzz word within the last two decades. The term Globalization has a very broad meaning, and every individual looks at it in a different aspect. Globalization has been defined as the phenomenon of “acceleration and intensification of economic interaction among the people, companies, and governments of different nations (Levin Institute). In the last two decades society and its members have familiarized itself with the term globalization and the aspects affected by globalization. Some of these aspects include the increase of trade and capital around the world, and an increase in the exchange of knowledge. Amartya Sen, a Nobel-Prize winning economist was quoted saying, “Globalization has enriched the world scientifically and culturally, and benefited many people economically as well” (London). Everybody in the present world is now touched by the effects of globalization but that was not always the case. This paper will discuss the origins of globalization and the major landmarks in history that have brought trade of ideas, goods, and eventually technology to a global level. Since the beginning of globalization and global trade there has always been a collection of core nations in competition with each other for economic dominance and access to the world’s resources. Globalization can be linked back before the times of the Enlightenment, when international trade was emerging. Once the world was opened up to these vast networks through world trade, it opened the doors for integration, migration, and the spread of knowledge. Integration was now a large part of society and took on many different forms. One form of integration is consolidation, where smaller political units joined together and created an empire. With creations of such empires, smaller units such as kingdoms, tribal federations, or city
Professor Alan Willis
Hon 302 World Cultures: Social Sciences
2 February 2015
Historical Roots of Globalization Globalization has become a buzz word within the last two decades. The term Globalization has a very broad meaning, and every individual looks at it in a different aspect. Globalization has been defined as the phenomenon of “acceleration and intensification of economic interaction among the people, companies, and governments of different nations (Levin Institute). In the last two decades society and its members have familiarized itself with the term globalization and the aspects affected by globalization. Some of these aspects include the increase of trade and capital around the world, and an increase in the exchange of knowledge. Amartya Sen, a Nobel-Prize winning economist was quoted saying, “Globalization has enriched the world scientifically and culturally, and benefited many people economically as well” (London). Everybody in the present world is now touched by the effects of globalization but that was not always the case. This paper will discuss the origins of globalization and the major landmarks in history that have brought trade of ideas, goods, and eventually technology to a global level. Since the beginning of globalization and global trade there has always been a collection of core nations in competition with each other for economic dominance and access to the world’s resources. Globalization can be linked back before the times of the Enlightenment, when international trade was emerging. Once the world was opened up to these vast networks through world trade, it opened the doors for integration, migration, and the spread of knowledge. Integration was now a large part of society and took on many different forms. One form of integration is consolidation, where smaller political units joined together and created an empire. With creations of such empires, smaller units such as kingdoms, tribal federations, or city
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