All concepts
Globalization
The intensification of the world-wide social, political, economic and cultural relationships
caused by communication and transportation developments.
From the year 100- the global trade and globalization emerged because of the shift from
land routes to sea routes.
Eurocentrism
The whole of views and perspectives in which the economic political cultural and moral
dominance of Europe is taken for granted.
Ignoring or undervaluing what Asians or Africans do within their own society or seeing the
histories of non-European societies simply in European terms, or as part of "the expansion
of Europe" and its civilizing influence.
Examples;
The focus in Dutch high school history books about the Holocaust and the effects of the
Germans in Europe, while neglecting the effects on the other parts of the world, mostly
Africa and Asia.
Calling the invasion of the Americas a ‘discovery’ and telling history from that point on. The
native Americans were neglected and overseen.
Encounters: (Cultural, Economic and Political)
Ethnocentrism
A term applied to the cultural or ethnic bias—whether conscious or unconscious—in which
an individual view the world from the perspective of his or her own group, establishing the
in-group as archetypal and rating all other groups with reference to this ideal
Imperialism
a policy of extending a country's power and influence through colonization, use of military
force, or other means.
Colonialism
Colonialism is the gradual establishment, exploitation, maintenance, acquisition and
expansion of (often overseas) territories by a sovereign power from another territory. It is a
set of unequal relationships between the colonist and the indigenous population. The
colony is often used as a cash cow for the sovereign power
Colonization
The gradual settlement of people.
Modernization
the transformation from a traditional, rural, agrarian society to a secular, urban, industrial
society.
,the term modernization as used in these essays does not mean copying the West, but it may
be driven in some instances by a desire to avoid the West, especially Western military
power.
Nationalism
The pursuit of International recognition as an independent state with the goal to control the
state in order to secure high consumption, high production, despite a nation not having a
common history or culture.
It looks different in the colonies than in Europe
Orientalism
The imitation or depiction of aspects in the Eastern world. These depictions are usually done
by writers, designers, and artists from the Western world.
Simplifying the easy. Judging the East and seeing the West as superior. A misrepresentation
of the ‘orient’. Historicizing Asia.
Oriental
The Orient is a term for the East, traditionally comprising anything that belongs to the
Eastern world, in relation to Europe. The term oriental is often used to describe objects from
the Orient, however it is considered an outdated and often offensive term by some,
especially when used to refer to people of East Asian and South East Asian descent.
Colombian exchange
Triangular trade
The trade in which Africa supplied labor, the Americas land and minerals, and Europeans the
technology and miltary power to hold the system together.
Columbian exchange
This term refers to the exchange of pathogens, animals and food (agriculture produce)
between the ‘new world’ (the Americas) and the ‘old world’ (Europe)
This exchange was the aftermath of Columbus’ voyages.
Mercantilism
Mercantilism saw the world’s wealth as fixed: any one country’s wealth came at the
expense of other countries. The theory further assumed that overseas possessions existed
only to enrich European motherlands because it measured imperial power according to the
hoard of treasure in the crown’s coffers. To bulk up the treasury, motherlands were
supposed to export more goods than they imported and thereby sustain trade surpluses.
Characteristics of mercantilism
1) Bullionism the economic health by a nation could be measured by the amount of
precious metal (gold or silver) which it possessed.
- ‘hard’ money was the source of prosperity prestige and strength for a nation.
- Bullionism dictated a ‘favorable balance of trade’ (export more than you import,
so a trade surplus) there were high tariffs on imported and manufactured goods
and low tariffs on imported raw materials.
, 2) Each nation must try to achieve economic self-sufficiency. Those founding new
industries should be rewarded by the state.
3) Thriving agriculture should be carefully encouraged. There would be less need to
import food and prosperous farmers could provide a base for taxation.
4) Sea power was necessary to control foreign markets. There would be less need to
use the ships of other nations to carry your trade goods, and your own fleet adds to
the power and prestige of the nation
5) Impose internal taxes of all kinds
6) Colonies may provide captive markets for manufactured goods & sources of raw
materials
7) Trade is a “zero-sum” game. A nation can gain in international trade only at the
expense of other nations.
8) A large population was needed to provide a domestic labor force to people the
colonies.
9) Luxury items should be avoided. They took money out of the economy
unnecessarily.
10) State action was needed to regulate and enforce all of these economic policies.
There came state-sponsored monopolies.
Who benefited most from mercantilism?
Monarchs and their close relations
Merchant capitalist
Joint-stock companies (BEIC/VOC)
Government officials
Secondary empire building
Territorial expansion built on the military hardware of industrial Europe. An example of this
is the Kingdom of Buganda, where the ruler traded ivory and slaves for guns. These guns,
combined with a strong political system, gave Buganda the capability of spreading out and
having a population of up to two million people.
Defensive modernization
When Non-Westerners borrowed Western ways to defend themselves against an external
threat, whilst preserving their own culture. They for instance adopted the Western military
technology in order to defend themselves against the Westerners, which is one way of
defensive modernisation. The Inca’s are an example of this. In order to preserve their own
culture they adopted European military techniques, European arms and armour and started
breeding European horses. They also become Christian.
Westernization
The adoption of the practices and culture of western Europe by societies and countries in
other parts of the world, whether through compulsion or influence.
Trading post empire
Towns used as a bases for intercity competition in warfare as well as commerce. These
militarized trade diasporas are rarely aspired to territorial control beyond the strong points.
Example; the trading post empires on the coast of Africa occupied by the Portuguese.