The twentieth century was an enthralling time for social, political, economic and technological activity that metaphorically 'made the world smaller as a result of the acceptance of global systems. It contained the rise and fall of political powers, economic system battles and a sharp rise in the development of technology. Some regard the twentieth century as 'an age of extremes' (Hobsbawm 1995) and a 'second industrial revolution' (Landes 1969: 4) that took grip on the world as a whole. This paper looks at the changes that took place in the twentieth century in regards to changing political practices, economic development, social trends and the creation of new technologies and how these instances drew in the notion that the world has become smaller as a result.
Probably the most striking and world involving changes which started late in the nineteenth century was the change in industrial methods. Britain is widely accepted as one of the founding economies of the industrial revolution which brought about large heavy industries such as glass and steel manufacture. Then early half of the twentieth century, the focus shifted dramatically. J.B Priestly in his book English Journey (Priestly 1937) contains descriptions of the change in industry in England. In his book Priestly took a drive out of London via the Great West Road and observed some striking changes. He explained 'Years of West Riding have fixed forever my idea of what a proper factory looks like: a grim, blackened rectangle with a tall chimney ay one corner' holding steadfast the idea that late nineteenth century buildings where ugly and heavy duty. As he drove he encountered many of the new factories that had been built 'These decorative little buildings, all glass and concrete and chromium plate, seem to my barbaric mind to be merely playing at being factories'. Priestly regarded these factories to be somewhat 'fake' and not industry focussed, but then continued on to make understanding of them. 'At night they look as exciting as Blackpool. But while these new industries look so much prettier than the old, which i remember all too well, they all look far less substantial. Potato crisps, scent, tooth pastes, bathing costumes, fire extinguishers; those are the concerns behind these pleasing facades' (Priestly 1937: 3-5). In the thirties, Britain was undergoing many changes, with the focus changing away from ugly heavy industrial industries to lighter more socially complimenting 'consumer' industries. The embracing nature of car use is addressed in his book as well as the construction of roads to cater for the technological advances. The USA however developed much differently to that of Britain
By the late 1930's, industrialised nations such as Britain where effectively using new technologies to found the world economy we know today 'Many colonies and other regions were now being organised commercially to supply the industrial countries with raw materials and industrial products' (Shaw, D 2001 Human Geography Issues for the 21st Century p.78) Some would regard this as the catalyst of what was to become capitalism. The USA had its industrial revolution later than that of Britain and similar countries but did not follow the same trend of development than that of Britain. The USA is a prime example of an economy which had 'leapfrogged' its industries to the modern age, in other words instead of mirroring the slow but substantial industry development like Britain did (inventing coal, textile, metals then onto inventing consumer based industries later) The USA took a hold of the all these industries at one time and used them to amazing effect. Hobsbawm regarded the twentieth century as the 'Age of Extremes' and rightly so. With the onset of both world wars and a world spread economic depression this half was coined by Hobsbawm as 'The Age of Catastrophe'. With Capitalism becoming ever increasingly popular in industrialised countries, Karl Marx became sceptical at the nature of capitalism and how it could do more harm than good. Such problems included and unfair class system and it money seeking goal system 'the reproduction of daily life depends upon the production of commodities produced through a system of circulation that has profit seeking as it direct and socially accepted goal (Harvey 1985) Industrialised nations drew upon these issues and attempted to 'Organise Capitalism' which involved resolving political and economic issues
Probably the most significant industrial change to significantly 'organise' the economic system of capitalism was the ideal of mass production. It without a doubt sped up economic output made possible the consumer society we have today. F.W Taylor (1856-1915) was concerned with time-and-motion studies and was then practically implemented by Henry Ford (1863-1947) in his Dearborn, Michigan plant where Model T Ford motor cars where produced en-masse. This method was later grasped worldwide and was regarded as Fordism. As well the USA took steps to organise Capitalism by 'establishing a series of institutions like the World Bank, The IMF and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade' (Shaw, D 2001 Human Geography Issues for the 21st Century p.80) which the whole world eventually will have affairs in. As well as global economic reform, social reconstruction was now a burning inter-war national issue for many countries.
While thriving industrialised nations where enjoying capitalist development, some western European nations took a different path of reformation, under the ideas of Karl Marx, they developed their forms of capitalist opposing governments. The humiliated and economically collapsed Germany sought a new type of government in the form of a mass movement. Kershaw regarded Nazism 'By far the most influential Fascist movement after 1933' (Kershaw 1993). Nazism was Germanys answer to the problems which where gripping the country in the interwar period. Nazism promised social reform in the form of uniting the nation under one leader and opposing the ideals that capitalism holds, 'The Nazi's where moved by a dislike of facets of capitalist modernity, such as commercialism, materialism and individualism' (Shaw 2001). With Nazism being one form of Fascism it was not centred just in Germany. Italy, under the government of Mussolini endured its own denomination of right wing fascism but was wholly similar to Nazism. After eventually defeating the axis powers, the Soviets took a different light to Marx teachings and developed Communism which was not only popular in the newly claimed Eastern Bloc countries but would be embraced later on in China, Korea and South Eastern Asia. Although Nazism had elements of capitalism within it, (as private enterprise was allowed to an extent) Communism 'regarded itself, and was regarded as a threat to the whole idea of capitalism' (Nove 1987) as the structure was focussed solely on the development on the state and everything was owned but the state, in all it was the polar opposite of Capitalism. While Communism was growing other social issues where trying to be resolved
With the end of the Second World War and the destruction it caused, there was a global housing shortage. It seems that Hobsbawm’s 'Golden Age' wasn't so golden but this was just the beginning. In Britain’s case the 1950's and 1960's saw the rapid construction of social housing to make up for the deficit, these where cheap affordable and densely packed to accommodate as many as possible. The new high rise flat blocks which are common site in most British towns and cities and where desirable and a leap forward from the old terrace designs pre-war, 'In Western Europe especially this was an era of bold experiments, in new town and city development, slum clearance and ambitious social housing schemes, regional planning and extensive control over land use' (Hall 1996)
Politically, the 50's and 60's's saw the world economy starting to take shape of the system we know today. Although Soviet Russia was currently undergoing communist rule and spreading its influence on its newly claimed states, elsewhere in the world it seemed the capitalist economies where starting to lose their hard fought colonies. With the ideologies of WWII fresh in their minds, colonies learnt that by practising Nationalism they could in essence 'rise up' against their sovereigns, 'National liberation movements began to demand independence for their countries...Starting with the independence of India in 1947...Many new independent states appeared on the map of Africa' (Shaw 2001)With many of the newly independent nations experiencing a low or declining level of development and political stability and with advances in air and ship technology, trans-national migration was now a reality for most to seek a better future. Many of the migrant routes where between the former colonies and their respective imperial powers, usually because of similar languages and culture. The world was now embracing Wallerstein’s 'World-systems analysis' (1974) which explained that the imperial states are dependent on their former colonies for raw goods and trade and in return the colonies receive aid and development.
By the late 70's communisms grip on its nations where starting to loosen, the break-up of the Soviet Union was imminent. Communisms structure was not as economically viable as it was once thought which resulted in the Soviet states starting to break up, gain independence and embrace capitalism. As the world economy was blurring the lines of international trade with the increasing number of trans-national companies and the strength of the international stock market, economic output was at a high. Technological advances in the seventies where most beneficial to the economy at this time. Early models of computers where performing modest administration tasks but where wholly efficient in developing the economy further. Further advances in telephony where making international communication seamless and now common uses of air travel where flying businesspeople around the world. This overall shift in the type of economy was described by Lash and Urry as 'Disorganised Capitalism' (1987) as the focus was changed from primary industries such as mining and secondary (manufacturing) industries to that of services.
Perhaps the most fundamental and uniting aspect of new technology towards the end of the 20th century was the development of the Internet. With most technological advancements, its beginnings lied in the military but by 1996 the use of the Internet was customary (Coffman & Odlyzko 1998). The Internet could be regarded as a Global Village (McLuhan 1964) which enabled easy transfer of information and changed the way people around the world share ideas culture and social memes.
With the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989, the pinnacle of Hobsbawm's 'Golden Age' had been met. It signified the end of communism in Eastern Europe and the freedom of its people. Capitalism, as it may seem, had smited its main foe and emerged triumphant in the world economy, but as we know it was no walk in the park. The values that capitalism fought for in world war two led to the creation of its biggest enemy of all, Communism. We could come to the conclusion that Capitalism made more enemies than friends in its beginning. The worldwide acceptance of Capitalism was really only a small part of the big picture. The 20th century saw the rise and fall of many superpowers, most notably Nazis the Soviet Union and the disbandment of the British colonies. Technological advances made travel, work and play a space age reality. It could be seen then that the world embraced global systems more than ever throughout the twentieth century. The move to new industries that became prominent throughout the twentieth century and the new economic and political movements where all spread and implemented by mutual understandings between countries. The spread of use of Communism was appealing and an apparent remedy to the depression felt by the Soviets Germans Italians and more wheras Capitalism was a means to increase efficiency in industry and develop economies further into the future for the prosperous economies of Britain and the US. With there being a regional political divide towards the end of the twentieth century, the world was made smaller and unified under the system of technology. With its unbound nature and ever increasing ease of use, anyone and everyone started to use it and the mix of interests, culture, and economic ideals that we know today, began.
References
Coffman, K. G; Odlyzko, A. M. (1998-10-02) (PDF). The size and growth rate of the Internet. AT&T Labs
Hall, P. (1996) Cities of Tomorrow, Blackwell, Oxford.
Harvey, D. (1985) The Urbanization of Capital: Studies in the History of the Theory of Capitalist Urbanization,
Blackwell, Oxford.
Hobsbawm, E. (1995) The Age of Extremes: The Short Twentieth, 1914-1991, Abacus, London
Landes D.S (1969) The Unbound Prometheus, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
Lash, S & Urry, J. (1987) The End of Organized Capitalism, Polity Press, Cambridge
McLuhan M. (1964) Understanding Media: The extensions of man, McGraw-Hill, Canada
Priestly, J.B. (1937) English Journey, William Heinemann, London
Shaw, D. 2001 Human Geography Issues for the 21st Century, Pearson Education, Harlow
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