Globalization: A Short History

by Jürgen Osterhammel, Dona Geyer (Translator), Niels P. Petersson

"Globalization" has become a popular buzzword for explaining today's world. The expression achieved terminological stardom in the 1990s and was soon embraced by the general public and integrated into numerous languages.

But is this much-discussed phenomenon really an invention of modern times? In this work, Jürgen Osterhammel and Niels Petersson make the case that globalization is not so new, after all. Arguing that the world did not turn "global" overnight, the book traces the emergence of globalization over the past seven or eight centuries. In fact, the authors write, the phenomenon can be traced back to early modern large-scale trading, for example, the silk trade between China and the Mediterranean region, the shipping routes between the Arabian Peninsula and India, and the more frequently traveled caravan routes of the Near East and North Africa--all conduits for people, goods, coins, artwork, and ideas.

Osterhammel and Petersson argue that the period from 1750 to 1880--an era characterized by the development of free trade and the long-distance impact of the industrial revolution--represented an important phase in the globalization phenomenon. Moreover, they demonstrate how globalization in the mid-twentieth century opened up the prospect of global destruction though nuclear war and ecological catastrophe. In the end, the authors write, today's globalization is part of a long-running transformation and has not ushered in a "global age" radically different from anything that came before.

This book will appeal to historians, economists, and anyone in the social sciences who is interested in the historical emergence of globalization.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Economics, Politics, World History, The World, Academic

200 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Jürgen Osterhammel is professor emeritus of modern and contemporary history at the University of Konstanz.

Reviews

[Marc Lamot · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating 2.5 stars. Fairly condensed treatment of the globalization theme from a historical point of view. Osterhammel and Petersson analyze the different views on globalization and propose their own periodization system. In doing so, they sketch in detail how globalization really got going, especially from 1750 onwards, and broke through in full force in the 19th century. Not so surprising when you know that Jurgen Osterhammel is currently the specialist of the 19th century. It is impressive what the authors all get crammed into this booklet, although I fear that it may be a bit too dry for a layman. The book was published in 2003, which means it is starting to become slightly dated. More in my History account on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show....

[Sense of History]

For years there has been a heated debate among historians about the stages of globalization in the past, and especially about the moment of the take-off of true globalization (that is: the most recent one). Historians have an obnoxious tendency to constantly question existing theories about history, and certainly every time someone exclaims that something really new has happened in our time (“historic!”) to put that into a more correct perspective. To be clear: this may be obnoxious and sometimes even petty, it is certainly not nonsensical. For example, the claim that the current globalization was not the first one and that it did not suddenly start in 1990, with the end of the Cold War, surely is relevant.

This book by Jürgen Osterhammel and Niels Petersson fits in with that. They argue that globalization really got going as early as 1750, together with the Industrial Revolution, the global world trade and the European domination of the world. They admit, of course, that the militarization of Europe (in their opinion, mainly under the influence of the Turkish threat) and the expansion of the Europeans' sphere of activity in the Atlantic area were decisive preliminary steps. But only from 1750, and actually especially in the 19th century, can you speak of a real globalization, with not only political and economic but also socio-cultural aspects. And - not surprisingly - they expressly link this to the much contested process of 'modernity': “”Globalization» is closely related to «modernization». Structure-forming long-distance relationships already existed in pre-modern times. But it was the cultural creativity of European modernity – keywords would be rationality, organization, industry, communication technology – that made possible interdependencies of a new scope and intensity. Conversely, the development of European modernity took place in a global context from the very beginning.”

With that they stir in a very sensitive and turbulent game, because the link globalization-modernity has been questioned by many others - historians and non-historians. Osterhammel and Petersson's booklet is too concise to give a satisfactory answer to this thorny question. Moreover, in the meantime, other historians have arisen who view the periodization of globalisation differently, see for example Peter N. Stearns Globalization in World History (2017). And then we are not even talking about the question of how exactly the Great Divergence, the (temporary) domination of the world by Western superpowers, can be explained. This booklet certainly is meritorious, but the last word on the growth of globalization has not yet been said. Rating 2.5 stars.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A somewhat repetitive, but eminently clear and concise collection of the authors' views on the what "globalization" actually is and especially what it is not. Those who find Eurocentric versions of 'globalization' to be offensive will probably find this book somewhat controversial, but I found their thesis to be as well supported as it could be in 200 pages that strives to cover 500 years and more of history. I'm told that Osterhammel recently came out with a 900 page version of his views in German that is currently being translated some overly ambitious and masochistic academic press. I can only thank him profusely for not coming out with it earlier so it was impossible for my professor to assign it.

[Luis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una reflexión sobre en qué consiste el término, difícil de definir, de globalización. Mediante una tesis, la de que la globalización no nace en el siglo XX, o más bien, que ya había globalización en los siglos anteriores aunque no la denominemos de la misma manera, los autores analizan fenómenos históricos como los descubrimientos, las colonizaciones, la expansión del conocimiento, el mercado global y los medios de comunicación como raíces de este proceso contemporáneo. Asimismo, plantean sus beneficios y problemas, reflexionando sobre cómo cambia las sociedades.

Este libro de historia, de carácter breve y didáctico, analiza los últimos cinco siglos explicando las relaciones internacionales de esos periodos y buscando sus efectos globales. Su título bien lo dice, no es un estudio contemporáneo del concepto y de la actualidad solo habla de manera muy superficial. Es bastante ameno, no entra en complejidades arduas y la idea que sostiene resulta ser verdadera, si bien la globalización tal y como se entiende hoy es un proceso de una magnitud muy superior.

[Andreas Haraldstad · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent overview of the history of globalization. The most important point made in the book is that globalization is not only a modern phenomenon. There are periods of increasing globalizationa and deglobalization, also in previous periods. The book makes the classical arguments for globalization in medieval times, for example during the Pax Mongolica where goods were transported between East and West more effectively than ever before. However, the book rightly places the breakthrough of globalization with the European overseas expansion of the 16th century. Gradually, more areas of the world are dragged into a global economic network, with the Caribbean plantation economy as the greatest/most horrifying example. It then discusses how the 19th century is the first "golden age of globalization" where a truly global capitalist economy is created based on free trade and the gold standard. This collapses in 1913 and a period of deglobalization follows before the world once again is woven tighter together in the Bretton Woods postwar era until the 1970s. Lastly, in more contemporary times, especially after the 1990s we come to the periods where also other disciplines than history really starts to talk of globalization with the neo-lioberalism, huge international corporations and the growth of internet communications. The book is written in 2003, so it does not include the last 15+ years of development (where I would argue the advent of social medias, expansive internet coverage and the further growth in trade has created a whole new face of globalization).

All in all, I would recommend this book for everyone interested in globalization. The book is not especially long and it is easy to read even without any background knowledge. However, this is both a strength and a weakness. The book doesn't really cover anything new or raise any controversial points or ideas. It is mostly a generic narrative of modern history. I also feel like it is somewhat outdated as the last 17 years gives a perspective this book lacks. Still, it is a decent book, and well worth a read.

[Andres Felipe Contreras Buitrago · Rating 2 out of 5]

No me gusto mucho el libro, esperaba otra cosa más.

No obstante rescató del mismo su búsqueda por entender la globalización desde antes de la edad moderna.

Hay muchas cosas que para algunos que conocen varias cosas de historia, lo hace repetitivo.

El lenguaje con que está escrito no ayuda mucho en su lectura.

[anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

never again

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting...all these globalization books are starting to blend together in my mind, but this was diverting at least because the periodization differs from most of the other books. More talk of the nation-state too. Like the diaspora book I just read, Osterhammel (and Petersson...how come he gets left out on Goodreads?) argues that even though you would think increasing globalization would be weakening the nation-state, it tends to have the opposite effect. Also there's the standard "globalization and a global world, it's not so new!" line, which seems like it is in every globalization book. Unlike some others, though, this book does discuss the way globalization has an ebb and flow over time, and also examines the way homogenizing forces tend to lead to fragmentation...almost like every globalization has an equal and opposite reaction.
And it's short. If you want a quick primer on the topic, especially as it relates to history, this might serve.

[Yunis · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is short, written before 2003, and covers the history of global connection for History of over 1000 years. so with this presumption, the book is trying to draw a broader image. That being said, we have to ask if the book gives a short of globalization. The answer is yes. The book does a good job tackling the issues in way that one could understand the historical significance of globalization in the context of how the authors define it.

[Kaitlyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good if you have to read it

[Kris Tierney · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very repetitive. Some chapters were informational.

[Trey Whitted · Rating 2 out of 5]

Don’t care

[Stephen Lorenz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pflichtlektüre...

[Nils · Rating 3 out of 5]

Globalization is the subject of vast polemics, lining up globalization enthusiasts, who argue that globalization has brought a new era of growth and prosperity, against globalization opponents, who regard globalization as a synonym for the hegemony of transnational corporations bent on undermining democracy and labor rights in the West, and the terms of trade and environmental conditions in the developing world. The great advantage of Jürgen Osterhammel and Neils P. Petersen’s Globalization: A Short History is that in 150 short pages it provides both a succinct definition of globalization and a helpful account of the prehistory of today’s globalization, usefully circumventing such tired ethical debates.

The authors argue that there are four elements that make up the phenomenon of globalization. The first is the erosion of state’s external sovereignty, its domestic monopoly of force, and its ability to govern. Corporations, NGOs, and private actors have all increased their independence from territorially-based governmental authority. The second element is “cultural hybridization,” driven by communication technology and worldwide marketing of the Western culture industry. Some at first thought cultural globalization would spell “homogenization” and the decline of local cultural traditions, but instead there arose movements defending local uniqueness, individuality and identity. (More recently, these two movements have been interpreted as part of a single phenomenon sometimes called “glocalization” whereby mass culture is disseminated from the core toward the periphery, where it gets assimilated into novel meanings.) The third element is “space-time compression,” a technically-driven phenomenon tied to rapidly falling costs and time associated with transportation and communication. Several familiar technological transitions are invoked here: telegraph → telephone → Internet; sail ships → steam ships → airplanes; and underpinning these, changes in energetics: muscle → steam → oil. The final element of globalization is “deterritorialization,” a term indicating the decreased role that location, distance, and borders play in social relationships. With computer technology as the leading driver, social organizations have been “liberated” from the constraints of space (e.g. you can be a member of a “community” that has no physical manifestation) and politics and organizations are decreasingly organized in hierarchical, bureaucratic ways, but instead as loosely structured horizontal networks. According to this analysis, the crucial power gradient is no longer within organizations, but between those who are connected and those who are not.

Based on this definition of globalization, the book lays out a historical overview of four main historical phases of globalization: the establishment, between Columbus’s voyage to the New World and about 1750 of worldwide mercantile empires centered on Europe; a second, “industrial” phase, led by Great Britain (through about 1880); a phase of crisis over how to consolidate globalization, ultimate resulting in the two World Wars; and lastly the bifurcated globalization of the Cold War era.

The authors conclude by examining what is new about the process of globalization since the collapse of the Soviet bloc. They identify five basic elements. First is the way human rights, culture, and environmental issues are increasingly seen as integral to international security. This change has been accompanied by the rise of a new class of international actors that operate above, below, or beside state actors, including not only respectable organizations such as the WTO, Amnesty International or the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, but also illicit counterparts such as Al Qaeda. The second phenomenon has been the dismantling of both welfare states and developmental states. Usually seen as a consequence of globalization, the reversal of statism has also in itself accelerated globalization by opening up new investment opportunities for international capital. Third has been the intensification of international trade and finance: deregulation of financial services in London and New York has spurred the rapid evolution of financial platforms, including global trading and derivative markets. Moreover, many centrally managed, globally distributed companies have reorganized such that their national status is indeterminate—McKinsey, Nissan, Virgin, and CSFB being headline examples. Fourth, the Internet has emerged as both the most potent metaphor for, and a leading functional driver of, global integration and connectedness. Finally, as rapidly as aboveboard integration has taken place, illicit integration has taken place even faster.

[Claire Vu]

Very very dense read. If you already have some background knowledge prior to reading the book, then it will be a great summary of globalization. Otherwise, you may find the amount of historical facts and events overwhelming.

[Benemint · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is short and easy to read. A good analysis, too.

[Mikaela · Rating 2 out of 5]

Liberal propaganda.

[Luca Gatto · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un utile libro sulla storia della globalizzazione, per indagare i passaggi e momenti fondamentali di questo fenomeno.