M1 Study Guide

M1S1 Important Notes

1. Globalization can be defined in many different ways but it always has the central theme of
interconnection across the globe.
2. The difference in definition sometimes comes from which particular aspect of globalization is being
focused on. For example, authors in the field of economics will focus more on the interconnection of
economic activities across the globe. People in the field of IT will focus more on the interconnection of
communication across the globe. Authors in the field of politics will focus more on interconnected
governance.
3. Those individual definitions are technically correct, but a more inclusive definition is preferred.
4. For the purpose of this course, Manfred B. Steger’s definition will be used. According to him:
5. “Globalization refers to the expansion and intensification of social relations and consciousness across
world-time and world-space.”
6. Take note, there are other equally inclusive definitions.
7. The term “globalization” was popularized by Theodore Levitt in 1983, but globalization has been
happening long before that.
8. Many authors agree and disagree on when exactly did globalization begin; again, it depends on how
you define it and there are many definitions for globalization.
9. But for the purpose of this course, we will use the history of globalization according to the World
Economic Forum (WEF).
10. Globalization technically began when trade was enhanced by the existence of the Silk Road. People
were not just trading regionally anymore. They were trading globally or at least as far as the Silk Road
could take them. Take note that people have already traded even before the Silk Road was built.
11. This was followed by the spice route. If the Silk Road enhanced trade on land, the spice trade
enhanced trade by sea (although it should be noted that trading of spices by land also took place).
12. The Age of Discovery followed where many European societies aggressively explored and colonized
many territories.
13. A combination of innovations made the world a smaller place, which is the essence of globalization.
For example, silk from China became available in Egypt, hence a “smaller place”. Curry, which
originated in the Indian subcontinent, found its way to North and South America, hence a “smaller
place”. Christianity, a religion that proliferated in Europe made it all the way to the Philippines, “hence
a smaller place”.
14. But the period many scholars refer to as Globalization 1.0 began only during the First Industrial
Revolution. Whatever was possible before this era was further intensified with never-before- seen
innovations. The British Empire, being the center of the Industrial Revolution, was the “leading nation”
of this era.
15. World War I and World War II occurred, which led to a period regarded as de-globalization. This was
referred to as deglobalization because the interconnection that was intensified by the First Industrial
Revolution faded slowly due to the wars.
16. But after World War II, Globalization 2.0 took place thanks to innovations like the car, the
airplane, and other innovations that made the world a “smaller place”. Globalization 2.0 was in
 the middle of the Cold War. The United States and the Soviet Union were the leading nations of this
era.
17. The Soviet Union eventually collapsed. This left the United States as the sole leading nation in
Globalization 3.0.
18. China joined the United States as the leading nations of Globalization 4.0.
19. Many authors agree that globalization has many different aspects but they sometimes use different
categorizations for these aspects. For the purpose of this course, we are using John Levin’s 4 domains
of globalization. These 4 are economic, political, cultural, and information.
20. A key theme to remember about globalization is that it makes the world “a smaller place”. A person in
one continent can do business with another person from another continent. A person can build
friendships with other persons from the other side of the world. The culture of one country can easily
influence the culture of another and vice versa. Entertainment enjoyed in one part of the world can
now be enjoyed by other countries. There are millions of possible examples of making the world a
smaller place. It is making the unreachable reachable, it is making the unaffectable affectable, and so
on.