Britain and Globalization
An important aspect of globalization is colonization or, “creation by the colonial power of an administration in the area that has been colonized to run its internal affairs (Ritzer)”, is a main component to globalization. While colonizing had such negative impacts on a few countries, by colonizing, countries caught up with the rest of the world, or in some cases, surpassed the rest of the world.
Britain’s expanding history comes with strong dominance, in which Britain expanded by having colonies in the Americas, India, Africa, and Australia. Until a shift of power began after The Great War, Britain was all dominating in many aspects.
One of the most important British colonies, America, completely changed the appearance and function of the land. What was once wide open land hardly tamed by its native people, became a productive and colonized region. When Britain colonized America, the British introduced new technologies, new ideologies, and new concepts regarding life, to the region and the Native Americans. While the British brought over so many new and exciting tools to the Native Americans, the colonies pushed them away from where they had settled.
By colonizing, Britain gained new ways of gathering natural resources, which allowed the colonies to flourish on the foreign land. As the empire grew, they were able to spread it’s dominance to certain regions in Africa. Britain expanded to the east as well, making a presence in India, and Australia.
Benefits of having the British colonies in Africa, included a way of gathering slaves for the ever prominent slave trade. This extended until the slave trade ended in the early nineteenth century. Natural resources found within Africa included oil, diamonds, valuable metals, and minerals (Custers). India offered silk, cotton, and an employable workforce to provide labor. This lasted up until the textile mills in Britain became popular (British Colonizing India). Australia was important to stop the overcrowding prisons, and to provide an eastern naval base for Britain (Australian History).
Britain colonized America for economic purposes, which also lead to citizens leaving Britain to avoid religious prosecution. America was different from other British colonies in many aspects, especially because they were the first to revolt against the sanctions placed upon them. America was the first Britain colony to be successful in ending the British presence within the region. E
Even after America was successful with the revolution, Britain still had a strong presence in the other colonies. By having such strong colonization, up until Britain’s downfall as a world power, globalization was possible. It happened through strong assertion in global regions, which allowed the British to spread throughout many different regions; much like what imperialism has done. Without actions, such as colonization and decolonization, parts of the world would not be as we recognize them today, which is why Britain colonization was imperative throughout different regions of the world.
While colonization is one form of globalization; spreading technologies, ideologies, and cultures were a way of representing globalization as well. Throughout the world, imperialism has accomplished the same, even though it was through completely different means.
Through globalization, democracy also had an opportunity to spread. America’s power is slowly emerging, as Britain’s power gracefully declines, between the Great War and World War II.
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