Global Forces of the Twentieth Century

Global transportation is a defining force of the 20th century.

The 20th century witnessed rapid change on an unprecedented scale. At the beginning of the century, people were using horse-drawn buggies; by the end, world travel is common and communication is nearly instantaneous. Not all the changes are positive, but many aspects of globalization make our world seem smaller than the early part of the 20th century.

World Wars

The 20th century witnessed two of the worst wars in the history of humankind. For the first time, warfare became truly global, scarring Europe and changing how states behave toward each other. These wars fuelled weaponry research, leading to the nuclear bomb and a new age of nuclear deterrence.

Capitalism

Capitalism existed before the beginning of the 20th century, but generally practiced by a few European and North American countries. Throughout the century, capitalism spread as the worldwide model for economic development. After the Cold War, many countries allied to the USSR under command economies started to follow a capitalist system.

Democratization

Democracy was also known before the 20th century, but had a different meaning than today. Only land-owning men, often white, could vote. There was a fear of "rule by the masses." By the end of the century, suffrage extended to women and minority groups. When the Berlin Wall fell, signalling the end of the Cold War, democratic systems arose in more countries.

Technology

One of the obvious transformations of the 20th century is how people communicate and travel, which are both due to technological advances. Communications technology allows the movement of ideas, information and capital across vast distances extremely quickly. Economies and societies now revolve around the notion of instant access to information online, or the ability to send money quickly.

Environmental Problems

A feature of the 20th century is that environmental problems began to affect people more than before. Science advanced to detect and monitor environmental problems, raising people's awareness. Our demand for energy and consumer goods created a need for fossil fuel extraction and industrial development, leading to air, water, biodiversity and climate impacts. More species went extinct in the 20th century than any other.

References

• The Globalization Website. Issues