Final Discussion Assignment

What will you take from this class? In thinking about your response, you may want to address the following questions:
What did you find most interesting? Least interesting?
What did you learn that you feel will help you in other courses, your career, or your life in general?

Please post your response by Sunday, December 11.

Have a Happy Holiday!

Globilization and Change - Stephanie Reynolds

After reading Chapter 13, I really believe that technology has really become another form of exploitation replacing colonialism. While the Western world advanced in technology, many places in the East did develop as quickly and are suffering for it too. In the opening portion of the chapter, many poorly developed places were mentioned, such as rural Asia and the poor families living in rural South America. These under developed places do not gave much technology, while results in the horrible living conditions for the people. The wealthier families, who lived along the coast of South America, had more access to technology and; therefore, did not suffer as poorer families did. Although the innovations concerned with technology were intended to improve society or make peoples’ lives easier, they really caused a wide gap to form between the wealthy and the poor. With many nations beginning to explore the new world and settling distant lands as colonies, came new technology and ways of life as well. For example, the Spanish conquistadors brought unprecedented military technology to Mexico, and they used this technology to destroy the Aztec civilization.

Some similarities exist between colonialism and the global market economy seen today. For one, both structures started out pretty much the same way with older nations exploring a new land and settling it. The Spanish and English both settled several colonies within North America, which could be considered the very beginning of a global market economy. As a colony grew and spread out, the colonists met new people also, such as the Native Americans, who could establish a sort of trading/market system. Fast forward a few hundred years, and there are no longer colonies, but many towns and cities built up in North America. All of these settled places have expanded their trade/market system remarkably. Pretty soon ships will cross the oceans with goods from these cities and towns and a global market economy between long distance nations form as well.

A difference between colonialism and a global market economy though includes the intention of each structure. I think that nations which want to establish a colony do so for their own benefit, but at the expense of the natives. These colonists take land and valuable resources away from the natives in order for the colonists to settle in the new places, which causes the natives to suffer. A global market economy tends to benefit many nations and peoples at once. Each nation can produce its own special products and trade with another nation who needs that product, and usually for a profit. In return, the second nation gets what it needs, but also gives money or its own specialized product to the first nation.

Chapters 12/13: Colonialism

Colonialism was huge force from the 15th to 20th century. It was a common motive for expansion used by the Europeans. They jusified their motives for expansion by wanting to bring the natives in Africa and whereever else they ventured into the light. To the ethnocentric Europeans, anyone that did not believe in their God was said by them to be in the darkness. The Europeans would take over their country and bring them into the light, and make them believe in their God. They would send the natives all over the world to work for monoculutural plantations which were agricultural plantations the specialized, "in the large-scale production of a single crop to be sold on the market," (285). Throughout the centuries colonialism was repressed immensely, but was replaced by other tactics that are used by the "global market economy".

In the postcolonial era it was blatent that, "all peoples were affected by Western expansion and their cultures altered by," (299) colonialism. Many countries gained their independence, but when this occured all the help that was given by the powerful countries was gone. This left the smaller and weaker countries to fend for themselves.

When the powerful countries saw the third world countries suffer they believed that they needed to take initiative and change them. In hopes to make the countries weathly the powerful countries practiced the modernization theory. This theory thought that, "some nations are poor because of their traditional cultures, " (309) and by practicing the ways of the wealthy countries they would become just as wealthy. The modernization theory was one of the tactics used that replacted colonialism.

Between colonialism and the "global market economy" there are similarities between the two and there are also differences. A modern day example that would demonstrate how colonialism and the "global market economy" are alike could be how a multinational corporation works. A multinational corporation, "owns business enterprises in more than one nation," (371). They are very powerful businesses that are known globally. Let's say the MNC is a European country and the small local business is the undeveloped country. The MNC sees that it could make a positive change for society if it was in the impoverished community. When the MNC is put in the country the local business realizes that it can not compete with such a force and goes out of business and the people that worked for the local business end up working in the horrible sweatshop conditions in the MNC. Just like the smaller country gives into the bigger country and ends up doing all the dirty work for them.

A difference in colonialism and the growning "global market economy" would the technological differences. During the colonial era information took weeks or months to get where it needed to go. By ship things took awhile to get to the destination and hand written letters took a lot longer to write then Skyping someone or texting them. The undeveloped countries did not have the guns to rebel against the European forces. The majority of the countries had to give in, and be sent places to work. The current technological advances that have taken over globally is bringing people together, but is also creating issues. Many people wish to go back to their traditional ways, but other countries welcome the new technology. When people resist change violence occurs, which would ultimately have been put down quickly in the colonial era because the Europeans were the only ones who had weapondry. Now undeveloped countries are very violent with terroist attacks and suicide bombings, all of them trying to make a point.

There are other things that affect our "global market economy". There is over population, pollution, and violence. We just need to respect countries wishes, if they do not want change do not change anything.

quiz 11

I thought that there was not going to be a quiz 10 or 11. Am I wrong?!

American Dream

The American dream is an ideal, that anyone seeking a better life can come to America to achieve it. Back when the country was first formed people first came from Europe, they were leaving countries with an oppressive government. Seeking fair equality with the possibility at having a nice life. If they worked hard enough they have chance at owning land and having to do almost nothing for life. Today people come to the United States seeking a better life style. They seek a home that is not made of garbage, or they are also seeking a steady food supply instead of having to either hunt, steal, or go starving. Women from most Arabic nations come to the United States seeking better treatment. Here in the US they don't have to hide their face and even getting an education. For them an education is their American dream. Each Immigrant has their own American Dream based on own how their home country failed to treat them like a human being.

This week's assignments:

Read  chapters 12 and 13.

Discussion question:
Some would argue that colonialism has been replaced by other forms of exploitation, perhaps as equally insidious. Discuss some similarities and differences between underlying features (processes and structural aspects) of colonialism and the "global market economy"?

Respond to at least 2 of your classmates.


The quiz (Chapter 13 quiz) is available on Moodle.