Key Concept 6.3: New Conceptualizations of Global Economy, Society, and Culture
I. States responded in a variety of ways to the economic challenges of the twentieth century
A. In the Communist states of the Soviet Union and China, governments controlled their national economies.
- The Five-Year Plans
- The Great Leap Forward
B. At the beginning of the century in the United States and parts of Europe, governments played a minimal role in their national economies. With the onset of the Great Depression, governments began to take a more active role in economic life.
- The New Deal
- The Fascist corporatist economy
C. In newly independent states after World War II, governments often took on a strong role in guiding economic life to promote development.
- Nasser’s promotion of economic development in Egypt
- The encouragement of export-oriented economies in East Asia
D. At the end of the twentieth century, many governments encouraged free market economic policies and promoted economic liberalization.
- The United States beginning with Ronald Reagan
- Britain under Margaret Thatcher
- China under Deng Xiaoping
- Chile under Pinochet
II. States, communities, and individuals became increasingly interdependent, a process facilitated by the growth of institutions of global governance.
A. New international organizations formed to maintain world peace and to facilitate international cooperation.
- The League of Nations
- The United Nations
- The International Criminal Court
B. New economic institutions sought to spread the principles and practices associated with free market economics throughout the world.
- The International Monetary Fund (IMF)
- World Bank
- World Trade Organization (WTO)
C. Humanitarian organizations developed to respond to humanitarian crises throughout the world.
- UNICEF
- The Red Cross
- Amnesty International
- Doctors Without Borders
- World Health Organization (WHO)
D. Regional trade agreements created regional trading blocs designed to promote the movement of capital and goods across national borders.
- The European Union
- NAFTA
- ASEAN
- Mercosur
E. Multinational corporations began to challenge state authority and autonomy.
- Royal Dutch Shell
- Coca-Cola
- Sony
F. Movements throughout the world protested the inequality of environmental and economic consequences of global integration
- Greenpeace
- Green Belt in Kenya
- Earth Day
III. People conceptualized society and culture in new ways; some challenged old assumptions about race, class, gender, and religion, often using new technologies to spread reconfigured traditions.
A. The notion of human rights gained traction throughout the world.
- The U.N. Universal Declaration of Human Rights
- Women’s rights
- The end of the White Australia Policy
B. Increased interactions among diverse peoples sometimes led to the formation of new cultural identities and exclusionary reactions.
- Negritude
- Xenophobia
- Race riots
- Citizenship restrictions
C. Believers developed new forms of spirituality and chose to emphasize particular aspects of practice within existing faiths and apply them to political issues.
- New Age Religions
- Hare Krishna
- Falun Gong
- Fundamentalist movements
- Liberation Theology
IV. Popular and consumer culture became global.
A. Sports were more widely practiced and reflected national and social aspirations.
- World Cup Soccer
- The Olympics
- Cricket
B. Changes in communication and transportation technology enabled the widespread diffusion of music and film.
- Reggae
- Bollywood