The Making of a Global World Notes in Hindi Class 10 History Chapter-3 Book-India and the Contemporary World-II
0Team Eklavyaअप्रैल 22, 2025
The beginning of globalization
Globalization is often thought of as an economic process that has emerged in the last 50 years, but its history dates back thousands of years. The world's interconnectedness evolved gradually through trade, travel, and cultural exchange.
1. Silk Route: A confluence of trade and culture
In ancient times, the Silk Route was the main route of trade and cultural contact.
Through this route, Chinese silk, Indian spices and South-East Asian textiles reached Europe and North Africa. On the return journey, gold, silver and other precious items came to Asia.
This route not only promoted trade but also played an important role in the spread of religions. Religions like Buddhism, Christianity and Islam spread to many places through the Silk Route.
2. The Journey of Food: Global Influences
Foods such as noodles and spaghetti are the result of cultural exchange.
Noodles reached Europe from China and evolved into spaghetti.
Similarly, foods such as potatoes, corn, and tomatoes came from America to Europe and Asia.
Potatoes particularly transformed the lives of the poor in Europe, but a failed potato harvest in the 1840s led to widespread famine in Ireland.
3. Conquest, disease and trade
In the 16th century, European sailors increased connectivity between the Americas and Asia via sea routes, boosting trade and contact.
The silver and gold brought from America increased the prosperity of Europe.
European conquests were made possible not only by military might but also by the spread of diseases such as smallpox. These diseases caused great harm to the indigenous people of the Americas, who had no immunity to these diseases.
4. Social and economic changes
By the 18th century, European countries began mass-producing cotton and sugar using the labor of African slaves in the Americas. At the same time, India and China were still considered among the richest civilizations in the world.
After the 15th century, China closed its borders, causing Europe to gradually become the center of world trade.
The Nineteenth Century (1815-1914): A Period of Global Change
The nineteenth century was a time of rapid change for the world. The Industrial Revolution, global trade, technological advancement, and colonial expansion reshaped the economy, society, and politics.
1. International flows: trade, labor and capital
Trade was mainly based on the exchange of agricultural products, such as cotton and wheat, and raw materials.
In the labour sector, millions of people migrated to countries like America and Australia in search of employment.
At the same time, capital flowed from major financial centers, such as London, into investments around the world, boosting the global economy.
2. The rise of the world economy
After the Industrial Revolution in Britain, the demand for food and other essential goods increased rapidly.
After the restrictions on corn imports under the Corn Laws were lifted, cheap food items began to be imported into Britain.
As a result, large-scale farming began in countries such as Eastern Europe, America and Australia. Also, there was extensive construction of railways and ports to facilitate this trade.
3. The impact of technological progress
The development of railways and steam ships made trade and transportation easier and faster than ever before.
Refrigeration technology made it possible to export meat from America and Australia to Europe, reducing the price of meat and making it more accessible to the poor.
4. Colonialism and its dark side
The establishment of European colonies in Africa and Asia took away the livelihood of the local people.
In Africa, a cattle plague called rinderpest wiped out 90% of the cattle, leaving people landless and extremely poor.
European colonialism had a profound impact on the social and economic structure of these regions.
5. India and indentured labour
Millions of labourers from India were taken on contract to work in Mauritius, Fiji and Caribbean islands.
These workers adopted the new culture there and enriched it with their traditional ways. For example, the 'Hose' festival and 'Chutney Music' in Trinidad are symbols of these cultural changes.
Though this migration of indentured labourers was stopped in 1921, people of Indian origin still settle in these countries and form part of the cultural heritage there.
6. Indian trade and colonialism
India's export of raw materials, such as cotton, indigo and opium, grew, but India's textile exports declined significantly due to the ban on Indian textiles in Britain.
Britain used the surplus (profits) from Indian trade to cover its other trade deficits, which had a negative impact on India's economy.
The economy between the great wars: crisis and recovery (1914–1939)
The global economy experienced a long period of instability after World War I. It was a time of economic crisis, technological advances, and social change that ultimately prepared the ground for World War II.
1. Wartime conversion
World War I (1914–1918) was a modern industrial war, with widespread use of machine guns, tanks, and chemical weapons.
The war devastated Europe's economy, killed millions of soldiers, and caused a massive drop in production.
After the war, America emerged as the largest creditor country, while Britain fell into heavy debt, which weakened its economic position.
2. Post-war crisis
After the First World War, Britain faced stiff competition from the emerging industries of India and Japan, which weakened its industrial power.
Meanwhile, global prices of agricultural commodities, such as wheat, fell, reducing farmers’ incomes and leaving them burdened with debt.
By 1921, the economic situation in Britain had become so bad that one in five workers was unemployed.
3. Mass production in America
The introduction of mass production, especially Henry Ford's assembly line techniques, made car production cheaper and faster.
In the 1920s, there was a rapid increase in the purchase of durable consumer goods in the US, such as refrigerators, washing machines and radios, often bought on credit (hire-purchase).
The construction sector also boomed during this period, creating larger employment opportunities and boosting consumption.
4. The Great Depression (1929-1933)
The major causes of the Great Depression included falling prices from overproduction of agricultural products, demands for repayment of US debt, and a decline in international trade.
This resulted in a sharp decline in production, trade and employment.
Thousands of banks closed in America and Europe, leaving millions of people unemployed.
The situation of the peasants became even more miserable, with their crops rotting and property confiscated, severely impacting the rural economy.
5. India and the Great Depression
The agricultural sector was hit hard during the Great Depression, with prices of crops such as wheat and jute halving.
Farmers tried to continue farming by taking loans, but due to not getting proper price for the produce, their financial condition worsened further.
In the industrial sector, increases in customs duties due to Nationalist pressure benefited industries to some extent, keeping the position of the urban middle class and landowners relatively stable.
During this period, gold export from India increased, which supported the economy of Britain, but Indian farmers did not get its benefit, due to which there was no improvement in their condition.
Rebuilding the post-war world economy
The Second World War (1939-1945) caused unprecedented devastation. It was challenging to rebuild the world after the death of millions of people and economic ruin. After the war, two superpowers emerged—the United States and the Soviet Union. Efforts began to reorganize the world economy during this period.
1. Bretton Woods Arrangement (1944)
Following the Great Depression and World War II, a number of institutions and policies were established aimed at controlling international trade and capital flows in order to maintain economic stability and full employment.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) was established to ensure the financial stability of countries, while the World Bank was created to aid post-war reconstruction and developing countries.
Under the currency swap system the dollar was pegged to gold, and the exchange rates of other currencies were fixed against the dollar, helping to maintain global economic stability.
2. Initial post-war progress
Between 1950 and 1970, global trade and incomes grew rapidly, leading to widespread improvement in the world economy. Unemployment rates in industrialized countries remained below 5% during this period, indicating steady economic progress.
At the same time, developing countries tried to accelerate their economic development by importing technology and capital, which also reflected efforts to change their economy.
3. Decolonisation and independence
Many colonies in Asia and Africa became independent after the war, but these newly independent countries faced serious challenges such as poverty, lack of resources, and a shaky economy due to colonial exploitation.
For economic stability and development, these countries had to seek help from institutions like the IMF and the World Bank, which were still dominated by colonial powers.
To improve their condition, the developing countries formed Group of 77 (G-77) and raised the demand for a New International Economic Order (NIEO).
4. The end of Bretton Woods and the beginning of globalization
In the 1970s, fixed exchange rates were abolished and floating exchange rates were adopted as the US dollar's strength weakened.
At this time multinational companies began to concentrate production in countries with cheap labor, such as China.
China rapidly emerged as the centre of global manufacturing due to its cheap production costs and low wages, leading to a significant shift in the global economic structure.
5. Impact of globalization
Global trade and capital flows grew rapidly, giving a new direction to the world economy.
Emerging economies such as India, China and Brazil achieved rapid growth rates, resulting in a change in the economic map of the world and increasing the influence of these countries on the global economic stage.
