1.2 How globalisation was made possible

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• Middelbare school
• havo, vwo
• Leerjaar 3

1.2 How globalisation was made possible

Learning objectives

After studying this section, you will be able to:

• Describe what is meant by the term ‘shrinking world’
  
• Explain which three main developments made globalisation possible

Finish the sentence:
Many geographers argue that globalisation really began at the time of the...

1. Hunters and gatherers
2. Industrial Revolution
3. Early empires
4. Age of discovery

Which term fits best to the photograph?

1. Cultural heterogenisation
2. Cultural homogenisation
3. Interconnectedness
4. Global culture

A shrinking world?

The absolute distance is the same.

The relative distance gets shorter:

• Faster modes of transport;
• Faster ways of communication.

The process of relative distances becoming smaller is called:

Time-space convergence

How much further do you think relative distances will shrink in the future?

Learn new words by looking at the different parts of the word

When you read or talk, you often run into new words. Phrases like ‘time-space convergence’ might seem a little intimidating the first time you read or hear them. It’s probably not an English phrase you have accidently heard in a pop song or film, but when you look at its different parts it might become easier to understand and remember: the noun ‘convergence’ originates from the verb ‘converge’. When things converge, it means they move closer to one another. In this case, ‘time’ and ‘space’ converge. As these two converge, less time is needed to travel a certain distance. In other words: the relative distances become smaller.

Transportation technology

Transportation technology = All the tools and machines that are used in the movement of people and goods.

• Throughout time, transport has become faster, easier and cheaper. 
• Thus, it’s easier for people to move across the world and more attractive for companies to sell and get supplies from all over the world.

A revolutionary development

Containerisation = a system of standardised transport:

• Containers of a standard size are used to transport goods. 
• Around 90% of the transport of goods worldwide now takes place in containers carried by ships.

Modern shipping lanes.

Map of the port of Rotterdam

Port of Rotterdam

The Port of Rotterdam is the largest harbour in Europe (measured by the number of containers that are transported through the port each year). For decades, Rotterdam even had the largest port in the entire world. However, since the early 2000s, it was overtaken by several Asian ports. As of 2017, the Port of Rotterdam is the eleventh busiest port in the world.

The Dutch government refers to the Port of Rotterdam as a mainport. A mainport is a transport node that plays a key role in international transport. The Port of Rotterdam is such an important international transport node, because it has an open connection to the sea and gives access to a very populous and wealthy hinterland. From the Port of Rotterdam, products can quickly and easily be transported across all of northwestern Europe. The port has excellent road, rail and river connections.

Information and communication technology (ICT)

ICT = All the tools and machines that are used to exchange information.

• Horse-drawn mail coach before the Industrial Revolution;
• Later came the invention of the telegraph and the telephone;
• Internet has completely changed the game: you are always literally ‘just a press of a button’ away from the other side of the world.

ICT has become faster, easier and cheaper throughout the years.

This makes intercontinental communication attractive for companies: The headquarters are in one country and the branches are in other countries.

Free trade

Political choice to make the international flow of goods easier, faster and cheaper:

• In the past > trade barriers, like import taxes, quota or laws, to limit influence from abroad. 
  
• Today > most countries have open borders for global trade (free trade).

Advantages and disadvantages of free trade

(international trade that can occur without any barriers)

What do we call the system of standardised transport?

1. Globalisation
2. Time-space convergence
3. Containerisation
4. Free trade

What do we call the process of relative distances becoming smaller?

1. Time-space Divergence
2. Time-space convergence
3. Free trade
4. Intermodal transportation

Which term is shown in the picture?

1. Trade barrier
2. Free trade
3. Intermodal transportation
4. Time-space convergence

Essence

Countries are so interconnected nowadays, it feels as if the world has shrunk over time. Relative distances have become shorter: time-space convergence. This can be explained by developments in transportation technology and ICT. Both have generally become faster, easier and cheaper. These technological developments have made trading over long distances more attractive. Together with the rise of free trade, this has resulted in an ongoing increase in the worldwide exchange of people, products and information.

3VT: Look at the planner in Teams to see what you have to do!

What is meant by the term ‘shrinking world’?

Which three main developments made globalisation possible?

Look at the planner in Teams to see what you have to do!

How do you feel about understanding the topic of globalisation so far?

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