What is globalization?

In the later decades of the twentieth century, people were experiencing a huge number of changes. Companies were doing business in other countries. New travel and communication technologies made it easier and faster to share information, communicate with more people, and visit other places. Communication was getting deeper, too. Some individuals even had closer relationships with people thousands of miles away than with their own neighbors. How could you describe all these changes? If you guessed “a hot mess,” you’re close enough, but experts and journalists call it globalization.

Globalization refers to how the world has become more connected economically, politically, socially, and culturally over time. Globalization began connecting the world back in the era of agrarian societies. People were connecting through growing empires and trade networks. During the Columbian Exchange, globalization moved faster and included more people. People, plants, goods, diseases, and ideas were shared around the world. The lives of humans everywhere changed. The Columbian Exchange had positive and negative effects. Some parts of the world benefitted from new foods that helped them live longer. In other places, people were forced to be slaves to make money for people somewhere else, a pattern called the dependency cycle.

Some experts say that globalization really began after the Industrial Revolution. In this sense, globalization means being so connected that even local life is affected by what is happening in other parts of the world. Globalization makes us rethink our definition of community. During the Industrial Revolution for example, local and global communities were connected. New transportation and communication technologies increased travel and the sharing of ideas. This is also called collective learning. Meanwhile, imperialist nations took control over other areas of the world. Colonization had many negative effects. Many cultures were destroyed and people were enslaved. Resources were used up. However, one positive effect was the creation of new technologies like the railroad and telegraph, which helped connect people and ideas.

The world wars caused more globalization. World War I, World War II, and the Great Depression were global disasters. However, these disasters caused different parts of the world to work together in a positive way, too. The Nazis lost power because of global teamwork, and new global organizations helped bring peace and financial success to the world. Some of these groups include the United Nations, NATO, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund. You’ll learn about them later in this unit.

Globalization’s effect on communities and economies

Globalization has touched all aspects of human life. In the modern era, migration has created diverse human populations all over the world. America is a perfect example of how migration has shaped the world. It is often called a “melting pot” because so many different cultures exist in the same place. When people move, they bring their language, culture, and food with them. Those customs become part of the existing society, making it more diverse. This diversity should be celebrated.

The world economy today is connected, too. If one nation struggles financially, other nations will also feel it. For example, there was a global recession in 2008. Many people lost money, homes, and jobs. Events in the United States caused the recession, but it still affected banks in Europe and Asia.

We typically see globalization through multinational corporations. These companies make a single product using labor from different countries.

The pros and cons of globalization

Globalization brings together people from around the world. But—and there are some buts—what are the consequences? New technologies allow us to instantly send messages around the world. But not everybody has access to the Internet. Governments can work together to solve problems. But that means some people are affected by laws made in other countries. Millions of people across the world share the same religious beliefs. But sometimes disagreements about religion cause conflict. Economies have become connected through international trade. But, globalization has also increased inequality. In some countries, the rich have gotten richer while the poor have stayed poor. Some nations have become powerful and rich, while others are still trying to overcome the negative effects of colonialism. Perhaps the biggest but of them all is pollution. Many countries use fuels that create pollution to make their products. But pollution travels through the air and water, affecting other countries. Wealthy nations have also dumped their waste in poorer countries.

This unit will show how globalization can be a double-edged sword. With all of the new technologies connecting people in the twenty-first century, it might seem impossible to focus on ourselves. We can’t undo globalization. However, we can still improve the lives of all humans and species. How can we eliminate some of the negatives of globalization, while continuing to benefit from working together and sharing ideas?