Single global system flow chart

"Over the past three centuries, world history has been defined by an inevitable march towards a single global system, characterised by modern institutions like democracy and capitalism." Comment critically, giving evidence for your position

Introduction

Define 'single global market'

everyone under one political and economic model

such as capitalism & democracy

Paragraph 1

NO - the divide between the 'west' and the 'rest'

the 'rest' were limited during their colonisation

China, Opium

India, East India Company, had to trade with Britain

still exploited - sweatshops

Bangladesh, Taiwan

Paragraph 2

NO - cultural differences

Ghost Dance Movement

in the USA

Native Americans rebelled against western ideas

traditions seen as backwards

Sati, abolished in 1829

Purdah

Paragraph 3

NO - world wars

the world had to pick sides

wars by proxy - Taiwan & Vietnam

Cold War - USA & USSR were fighting for influence

Congo

First Prime Minister - Patrice Lumumba

On their independence day (June) 1960, he gave a speech disapproving of colonial rule and declaring the Congo an independent government

The West viewed him as a dangerous and likely to side with the USSR

he was deposed and assassinated as part of a plot drawn up by the US

Paragraph 4

YES - the end of the Cold War

Communism ended

The USA was now the world hegemon

There was one dominant ideology

Bandung conference, 1955

Asian - African Conference

gathered to discuss the role of the Third World in the Cold War, concluded not to get involved

Paragraph 5

YES & NO - trade

yes - EU - common currency, trade internally

no - exclusionary, high tariffs for outside countries

makes manufacturing outside less apealing

no - big companies can hold all the power

Nestle in America

prevent small African farmers from selling their coffee direct to the customer, have to sell it cheap to nestle to make a profit on

Exception - Good African Coffee Company

Based in Uganda, roasting and packing in Kampala

buy from Uganda farmers at premium prices

allows profit to stay within Uganda

sell in UK (Waitrose) and online in the US

Paragraph 6

YES - cultural unity

Human rights

Helsinki Accords, 1975

Helsinki Watch, to monitor if they were being kept

Universal declaration of Human Rights

set a universal standard

Conclusion

historically, no single global system

opposing forces, global disagreements

recently, closer to unity

end of Cold War - one main ideology

but not fully

trade bloc are exclusionary

Brandt Line, 1960s