ANT100Y1 Chapter Notes -World-Systems Theory, Cash Crop, Capital Accumulation
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Chapter 11: The World System and Colonialism
Capitalist world economy: the single world system, which emerged in the 16th cen, committed to
production for sale, with object of maximizing profits, rather than supplying domestic needs
Capital – wealth / resources invested in business, with the intent of producing a profit
The World System Theory:
o Core – more powerful nations, largest capital accumulation, sophisticated technologies,
control over finance (US Germany Japan)
o Semiperiphery – intermediate, exports to core and periphery nations, source of cheap labour
(Brazil, India, China)
o Periphery – least powerful nations, less mechanized industries, exports raw materials and
agri commodities, source of cheap labour (Bangladesh, Haiti etc.)
Monocrop production – 17th cen plantation economy based on a single cash crop
o Sugar
Industrial Revolution:
o 18th cen
o transformation from traditional – modern societies thru industrialization of economy
o required capital for investment
o trade and commerce
o invested in machines and engines
o capital/scientific innovation
o began with cotton, iron, and pottery
o increase in production
o began in England
o expertise in navigation facilitated importing/exporting
o growth of Protestantism among middle class encouraged a work ethic
o poor working conditions in factories and cities, crowding, unsanitary, insufficient
water/sewage system, disease and death
Karl Marx – saw socioeconomic division b/t 2 opposed classes:
o Bourgeoisie (capitalists) – owners of factories, mines, farms etc. dominated key institutions
o proletariat (property-less workers) had to sell their labour to survive
o classes – powerful collective forces that could mobilize human energies to influence course
of history
Imperialism:
o 19th cen, Europe imperialism in Africa, Asia and Oceania
o policy of extending the rule of a country or empire over foreign nations and of taking and
holding foreign colonies
o after 1850 – transport aided in colonization of land sin north and south America and Australia
o 1st colonialism in Americans and Caribbean
o 2nd phase – Europe competed for colonies b/t 1875-1914
Colonialism:
o Political social economic and cultural domination of a territory and its people by a foreign
power for an extended time
o European age of discovery
British colonialism – 2 phases, peak at 1914 – the empire covered 1/5th of worlds surface, ruled ¼ of its
population! After WWII – most colonies getting their independence back
French colonialism: 2 phases, by 1914 ruled over 60 million people; both direct and indirect rule
1914 – European empires ruled more than 85% of the world
after WWII many colonies gained freedom
former colonies divided into settler, nonsettler, and mixed
settler – Australia and Canada
nonsettler – India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Indonesia, Nigeria etc. had substantial
native populations and few European settlers
mixed – South Africa, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Algeria, both sizable European and native populations
intervention philosopher developing nations
Neoliberalism: revival of Adam Smiths classic economic liberalism – the idea that govs should not
regulate private enterprise and that free market forces should rule – a currently dominant intervention
philosophy
Keynesian economies: challenged liberalism – full employment, govs /banks should intervene to
increase employment, gov should promote the common good
Neoliberalism
o Open (tariff free) international trade and investment, lower costs thru laying off workers,
lower wagers, improving productivity
1st world – democratic west
second world – communism – former soviet union, (past) socialist countries of E Europe and Asia
third world – least developed
Communism:
o Political movement and doctrine seeking to overthrow capitalism and to establish a form of
communism such as that which prevailed in the Soviet Union from 1917-1991
Only 5 communist states remain
China, Cuba, Laos, North Korea, Vietnam
o All were Authoritarian – promoting obedience to authority
o Many were totalitarian – banning rival parties demanding total submission
o Communist authority monopolized power in every state
o Relations w/in party were strictly disciplined
o Cultivated a sense of belonging to an international movement