1 / 20

The History of Global Trade

The History of Global Trade. Began 500 years ago: previously, world regions were relatively isolated 2 stages 1500s – 1950s European expansion Global trade networks 1950s - today Development of global market. The History of Global Trade. 1500s – 1950s: European domination

aiko
Download Presentation

The History of Global Trade

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. The History of Global Trade • Began 500 years ago: • previously, world regions were relatively isolated • 2 stages • 1500s – 1950s • European expansion • Global trade networks • 1950s - today • Development of global market

  2. The History of Global Trade 1500s – 1950s: • European domination • many small countries • Extremely outnumbered…how’d they do it • Highly developed military technology • Guns, iron weapons, armor, horses • Vs. stone tools in Africa & the Americas • Advancements in ship design • Naval warfare • Maritime mercantile empires

  3. The History of Global Trade Conquest of the Americas: • 1492 • Columbus some gold, plantations, ranches • 1519 • Spanish land on Mexican coast • 1521 The Aztec empire falls • Wealth of gold and silver • 1532- The Incan empire falls • Peruvian wealth goes to Spain • 1600 • Spanish conquer every major Native American state

  4. The History of Global Trade Spread European: • Technology • Crops and livestock • economic systems • mines, plantations, fur trade, etc. • political systems • dissolved tribes and chiefdoms • religious systems • missionaries, churches not temples • Diseases!!!

  5. The History of Global Trade Old World Diseases: • Malaria, smallpox, syphilis, measles, influenza, etc… • Killed Millions of Native Americans • Estimates as high as 95% of native pop. • Mexico alone ~ 20,000,000 Why so devastating? • Lacked immunities to new pathogens • Created labor shortage • African Slave Trade

  6. The History of Global Trade Sub-Saharan Africa- • 1445 • Portugal begins trade networks in Gold Coast • Gold, Ivory, Slaves • 1488 • Cape of Good Hope, S. Africa • Vital for Asian trade networks • Slave trade becomes a lucrative market • Extermination of American labor force • Greater demand for slaves • Global market integration • Competition with other colonial powers

  7. The History of Global TradeSub-Saharan Africa- The slave trade • Started raiding villages to keep up with demand • At least 10,000,000 Africans sent to the Americas • Slaves for guns program • Psychological manipulation • hunter or the hunted

  8. The History of Global Trade Europe meets their match- - - Asia • Late 15th centuryAsia reached by sea • Asian advantage • naval warfare • Surpassed in population size, development, technology • Economically self-sufficient • Limited interest in trade • Export a lot, import a little • Little impact on economic, political, religious, and social institutions

  9. Era of the industrialist ~1750 and 1850 • The industrial revolution in England: • Protestant work ethic • Growth in population • Increase supply of capital (tied to gold) • Increase in demand for goods (foreign & domestic) • Trade supported by nation-state • Rise of the merchant class • Increase in efficiency • Technological inventions (steam engine) • New/faster communication- railroad, telegraph

  10. Economic Depression (1873-1895) • Revealed level of global economic integration • failure of banks in Germany & Austria • domino effect across the globe • Revealed problems of perpetual growth • needs ready supply of raw materials • needs increased in demand for goods • Ways to invest profits and capital • The Solution? - Imperialism

  11. Imperialism • policy of exerting control or authority over foreign entities • direct territorial conquest, settlement, or… • Indirect influence or control of politics &/or economy • Imperialism • Expanded markets • Increased investment opportunities • Ensured supply of raw materials & markets • Motivated by Gold, Glory, and Gospel • Legitimized by ethnocentrism & ideology of superiority

  12. Age of imperialism • Cecil Rhodes • Quintessential imperialist • Colonized “Rhodesia” • Modern day Zambia & Zimbabwe • Founded De Beers diamond company: • Prior to 1870 diamonds were rare • 1870, many tons discovered in Orange River of S. Africa • At one time controlled ~ 90% of the world’s diamonds • British financiers threatened by new supply • formed De Beers Consolidated Mine to limit supply

  13. Age of imperialism • Merger = artificial scarcity • Kept prices high • repercussions for Sierra Leone • Supply only half the equation • keeping demand high • engagement rings “created” by De Beers • “A diamond is forever”(1947) • effective advertising • De Beers currently controls ~ 60%

  14. Rise of the Corporation:Beginning of Neo-colonialism • Pre-1950s • European colonial powers monopolized markets • 1950-today • End of colonialism & political barriers to trade • Before WWII- ~60 countries, currently ~200 independent nations • International finance • source of lending for developing countries • limitations on use of loans • Neocolonialism: • dominance of strong nations over weak • not direct political control • economic & cultural influence

  15. corporate profits • Stable political climate • Stable global currency • Few or no government restrictions • Few restraints on int’l trade • Freedom to employ people at the lowest possible wage • No/few benefits (healthcare, retirement, etc.) • Unrestricted access to natural resources

  16. Corporate Libertarianism • Free markets • unrestrained by governments • The government provides infrastructure • advance commerce • enforce the rule of law • property rights and contracts • Privatization • functions & assets move • from governments to private sector

  17. Ideology of corporate libertarianism • Economic globalization • Free flow of goods & money anywhere in world • Achieved by removing trade barriers • spurs competition • increases economic efficiency • creates jobs • lowers consumer prices • increases customer choice • increases economic growth

  18. Corporations • 1886 - 14th amendment • Supreme Court ruled private corporation as a natural person. • Rights of Natural Person • rights as individuals • Can use wealth to dominate public thought & discourse • Lobby government in their interests • Lobby for legislation that favors the accumulation of wealth • Can conflict with interests of the consumers • Often conflicts with interests of the laborers

  19. Corporations • Lobby • to reduce liability for injury/death • (700,000 deaths 1888-1908) • against min wage laws • against limiting # of hours a person could work • against minimum age requirements for workers • Driven by profit • enormous economic & political power • Non-democratic institutions (anonymity of investors) • No constituency, only accountable to shareholders

  20. Constructing the laborer? • Privatization of land • abolish communal ownership • Land could now be owned • Take away the means of production • land, raw materials, tools, even knowledge • Institute taxes • Create debt • Create fear • Create consumerism

More Related