History 4 Essays
Globalization and Its Discontents
Have studied world history by country, but do countries matter anymore?
Southern California: Collectively 6th richest country in world
EU under threat now but collectively was 2nd largest economy to that of the US in 2006
Banks, corporations, even underground drug dealers may be more important in global economy than nation-states?
How does government fiscal policy work?
Learning Goal A
Understand the origins and forces that shaped the modern world from 1400 and the emerging factors that contribute to a multipolar world order:
China maybe most powerful country in the world in 1500
Much of class is about how Europe, the U.S., and Japan surpassed China economically and politically
Now? China a powerful economy, but politically ?
How Do You Measure Wealth?
GDP – GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT =the market value of all final goods and services produced within a country in a given period. GDP per capita is often considered an indicator of a country's standard of living GDP = private consumption + gross investment + government spending + (exports − imports), or GDP = C + I + G +(X - M )
PER CAPITA GDP=GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT PER PERSON= GDP/POPULATION
4
Estimated GDP Per Capita Purchase Power Parity, 2006
| >$30,000 | $10,000-29,999 | $5,000-9,999 | $2,000-4,999 | <$2,000 |
| Luxembourg $71,400 | Taiwan $29,500 | Thailand $9,200 | Serbia $4,400 | Senegal $1,800 |
| United Arab Emirates $49,700 | Spain $27,400 | Romania $9,100 | Angola $4,400 | Haiti $1,800 |
| Norway $46,300 | Israel $26,200 | Brazil $8,800 | Egypt $4,200 | N. Korea $1,800 |
| Ireland $44,509 | S. Korea $24,500 | Iran $8,700 | Syria $4,100 | Cote d’Ivoire $1,600 |
| U.S. $44,000 | Kuwait $23,100 | Dom.Rep. $8,400 | Cuba $4,000 | Rwanda $1,600 |
| Canada $35,000 | Czech $21,900 | Ukraine $7,800 | Indonesia $3,900 | Nigeria $1,500 |
| Australia $33,300 | Portugal $19,800 | China $7,700 | India $3,800 | Gaza $1,500 |
| Japan $33,100 | Hungary $17,600 | Algeria $7,600 | Vietnam $3,100 | West Bank $1,500 |
| Netherlands $32,100 | Argentina $15,200 | Peru $6,600 | Iraq $2,900 | Tajikistan $1,300 |
| Germany $31,900 | Oman $14,400 | Jordan $5,100 | Cambodia $2,700 | Burkina Faso $1,300 |
| U.K.(England) $31,800 | Poland $14,300 | Philippines $5,000 | Ghana $2,700 | Mali $1,300 |
| Singapore $31,400 | Saudi Arabia $13,600 | Pakistan $2,600 | Benin $1,100 | |
| France $31,100 | Croatia $13,400 | Sudan $2,400 | Afghanistan $800 | |
| Italy $30,200 | Russia $12,200 | Bangladesh $2,300 | Congo (D.R.) $700 | |
| Mexico $10,700 | Zimbabwe $2,100 | Somalia $600 |
Richest Countries in the World 2011
Southern California
Greater LA, Orange, San Bernardino, and Riverside Counties produce more output than Russia
Throw in San Diego County, Southern California Produces more output than most of world
Poorest Countries in the World, 2011
Globalization and Crime: What Makes a City Dangerous?
Can History Explain Why Some Countries are Rich and Others Poor? - 2
Legacy of Wars
World War I, exacerbated by Cold War Conflicts
Instability in Middle East
Israel/Palestine
Iraq
Iran
World War II
Japan received over 2 billion dollars from the US to rebuild after war
Both Germany and Japan prevented from spending money on armies
Cold War
U.S. backed countries got better foreign aid and advice
Marshall Funds, Europe
Soviet priorities emphasized more weapons than aid
North, South Korea
East, West Germany
Religious Fundamentalism and Ethnic Tensions
Especially significant in Africa and the Middle East
Civil strife not so good for economic development
Natural Resources Not that Important
France, Germany, Japan lack natural resources
Nigeria and other impoverished countries in Africa extraordinarily rich in natural resources
Can History Explain Why Some Countries are Rich and Others Poor?
To some extent, the development of underdevelopment
Colonial powers reshape economies and production in colonies to benefit themselves
Colonial rule left legacies that made countries unstable—especially in Africa and Latin America
Ruled through wealthy colonial elites, who own most land
Pulled so much wealth out of colonies that it impoverished illiterate poor
Often emphasized and exacerbated ethnic tensions to rule more effectively
Emphasis on cash crops like Coffee and sugar impoverished whole countries except elites (later drugs become powerful cash crops) – retarded industrialization
Where are We Going?
Industrial Revolution—late 18th century
Mechanization of textile industry
Steam engine: use of machines to make things instead of crafting them by hand
Second Industrial Revolution—late 19th Century
Assembly line—turn people into machines
Era of mass production
Third Industrial Revolution? – Now?
New materials, new processes
Much lower input of labor, especially with robotics—cost of labor as a proportion of production cost will go down
Key demand for labor will be in collaborative manufacturing services available on-line
“The Days of huge factories full of lots of people are not there anymore”—Colin Smith, Director of Engineering and technology for Rolls Royce
Digitization of manufacturing—everything in factory will be run by smarter software—Does this make more training and education crucial?
If so, why is America cutting back on education and training so savagely?
Will this bring production back to rich countries where demand for new goods is highest???????:?
Learning Goal B
Understand the recurring themes in the development of diverse cultures and societies since 1500, including the socio-economic, political, cultural and environmental impact of colonialism, industrialism, nationalism, and globalization
How Do We Understand India?
Colonialism – British dominate country for most of its modern history
With industrialization, need to persuade people they want to buy goods and services – Advertising, media a part of this
Capitalism – Those who run companies search for those who will work for the lowest wages?
What does it tell us that the lowest wages might be in the U.S.? But do those willing to work for the lowest wages in the U.S. have the same skills as those working for low wages in India handling call centers?
Global Population
Population and Economic Development
Don’t think about population much, but it is critical: China has second largest world economy, but per capita GDP still among that of poorest countries: Should China have a one-child policy-what kinds of odd demographic effects produced by policy—aging and male population
India prospering, but large size of population dragging down its economy and the well-being of ordinary people
What is the difference between the ways in which countries, religions, dictatorships, democracy make decisions on population?
How do these decisions affect men, women, and children?
W
UYGHURS PROTESTING CHINESE ETHNIC CLEANSING
Environment and Technology
Much of Chinese History about controlling flood waters
How does population growth and the demands of industrial society affect the environment?
What is the relationship between environment and technology?
Why/are we so inept in dealing with environmental crises?
Hurricane Katrina
BP Oil Spill
Bringing It All Together
Learning Goal C: Critically engage with source material, including original records, eyewitness accounts, memoirs, newsppaers, surveys, statistics, film, and scientific treatises
When our products are global, our History needs to be global as well