What, Exactly, Globalization Is - Part 1

What is globalization?state nationalism, fragmentation of markets, the
Since the early 1990s, "globalization" means a newreturn of protectionism. Globalization is no longer on
phase in the integration of global economicthe agenda until the Second World War. The Cold
phenomena, financial, ecological and cultural. A carefulWar and the building blocks then freeze the world for
examination shows that this phenomenon is neithernearly half a century. Yet, globalization is already
linear nor irreversible.being put in place. Jacques defined as "the abolition of
"Before the events that took place in the worldthe global area under the influence of a generalization
were not related. Since, they are all dependent onof capitalism, with the dismantling of physical and
each other. "The finding is trivial, except that thoseregulatory (2). According to the OECD, it comprises
who formula Poly-be lived in the second century BC!three stages:o Internationalization, i.e. the
Globalization, the creation of an interdependent world,development of export flows;o The Trans
is not new. Some even make it back to the spreadnationalization, the growing investment flows and
of the human species on the planet...locations abroad;o Globalization, with the
From the Roman Empire, the first globalization wasestablishment of global production networks and
organized around the Mediterranean. But it was notinformation, including ICT (new technologies of
until the great discoveries in the fifteenth century, toinformation and communication).
ensure the connection between the various societiesGlobalized world, this "geohistorique process of
of the earth and the establishment of this "worldgradual expansion of capitalism on a global scale,"
economy" described by the historian Fernando (1).according to the formula of Laurent (3) , is both an
Globalization focuses on the Atlantic peaked in theideology - liberalism - a currency - the dollar - a tool -
nineteenth century: between 1870 and 1914 wascapitalism - a political system - democracy - one
born a global trade comparable in scale to the currentlanguage - English.
sequence. Opening of new shipping routes, with theAt each phase of globalization, the same constant:
opening of the Suez Canal and Panama, doubling therevolution in transport and communication facilities,
world's merchant fleet and expansion of the railwaystrategic role of innovations (firearms in the fifteenth
increased by 6 trade spill in the world of 50 millioncentury, the container after the Second World War,
Europeans who live in new land and attach greatthe Internet since the 1990s), role most of the
colonial empires ... the birth of globalization as weStates, but also private actors, since the capitalist
know it today began a century ago and a half.merchant bourgeoisie conquering the Renaissance to
But the process is not linear: the First World War andcorporations and NGOs today.
the Great Depression of the 1930s are the rise of