Globalization
Since the heart of mankind started beating, human civilization has been constantly evolving. The spiritual, cultural, religious, economic, and technological development brought along another process- globalization. Globalization means not only blending of different cultures, but also suggests strong economic interrelations and interdependence. In the articles on globalization by Robert Wright and Robert J. Samuelson it is presented as a slow, inevitable, and in a way controversial process, which has many positive as well as negative aspects.
When exactly did globalization start is difficult to determine. Many historical phenomena and technological inventions contributed to the globalization of the world such as the discovery of America in 1492, Gutenberg’s printing press in the 15th century, and the rise of the Internet at the end of the 20th. This slow process not only improved human welfare through increasing commercial relations and communication, but also broadened people’s horizons and showed them a new outlook upon life. In the Ancient World it was the Roman Empire that embodied globalization. Not only did the Roman emperor gather subjects from many different ethnic groups, but also at that time began the construction of roads which connected all the parts of the Empire with Rome, thus creating and maintaining the exchange of goods and ideas throughout the empire.
Nowadays, one of the symbols of globalization is America. The USA gathers a multicultural, multiethnic and multi-religious population which has acquired a more cosmopolitan and a more tolerant outlook upon life. Moreover, it embodies the global financial system which unites all the parts of the world in a functioning economic body.
But on the other hand, these increased cultural and economic connections mean that “both players can lose as well as win” (Wright 2). Both articles present plenty of examples to illustrate this point of view. In "Two Years Later, a Thousand Years Ago" Robert Wright refers to the collapse of the eastern Mediterranean civilizations at the end of the Bronze Age. The interrelations between these ancient cultures contributed to their fall around 1200 BC. Another example is the tragedy of September 11th. The collapse of the Twins hit the heart of the global world and taught us a valuable lesson that strengthening the interrelations between the different parts of the world can be rather precarious, because it involves the collision of the powers of the modern world. Furthermore, globalization involves people in a dangerous net of interdependence, which resulted in one of the world’s greatest tragedies. Robert Samuelson also describes the controversy of globalization: “The bad news is that globalization could go reverse, damaging counties that depend on trade and international investments.” Samuelson uses a very recent example that the different views on the war in Iraq brought economic and political estrangement between USA and some of the European powers such as France and Germany.
Globalization, as the strife of mankind to strengthen the interrelations between different people, religious groups, and even nations, has left a remarkable trace in our past and present. It has brought along many improvements, but at the same time has caused many problems.