Archaic Globalisation

Globalisation now our days, has led the world into becoming a global village. Where knowledge and information can be accessed within seconds regardless of the location it is held in. When looking back at the fifteenth century, a limited globalisation is evident. The idea of globalisation was not on a global scale rather restricted to regions like the continents of Africa, Asia and Europe. This essay will prove that the concept of globalisation in fourteen ninety was limited and constricted because of multiple factors. Some points throughout the essay are, the social life during the fifteenth century and the connectivity of the world, trade routes and the legitimacy of globalisation.

Social life during the fifteenth century consisted of people living a life of repetition. Where they would farm, trade and accomplish basic daily objectives. Individuals living in agricultural villages would be born, live and pass away in the same place, they would trade within the community and maybe a couple of times with merchants who pass by. The trade would be done through Barter as villages would not own any currency. City-states would consist of ports and roads which would be routes for trade, done between merchants, city-states and kingdoms. Cities would also provide jobs for the locals and enforce laws through city councils. Both villages and city-states are all connected and provide fealty to kingdoms who rule over the lands in which they are found in. Kingdoms are united through the common languages they speak and the religion they follow. Henri Cordier (1903) states that “Marco Polo was a  member of a family prominent in the long-distance trade of the Mediterranean and Black sea regions”. Travel would be experienced by merchants, individuals partaking in military expeditions and pilgrimages done by pilgrims. Like in the case of Marco Polo it is evident that he travels to the Chinese city of Kinsay, where he explains the fortune that the Chinese city has made through trade. Adding that it had palaces, mansions and bridges made in great organisation. The connectivity of the world was the bare minimum unless there was a need for it like financial through trade, religious and kingdom matters. As travel was the bare minimum and experienced by the very few in society, the concept of globalisation could be considered not existing.

Trade routes in the fifteenth century were mainly located in Asia and the Middle East, followed by Africa and Europe. Where great cities like Baghdad, Constantinople and Macao, were enriched with reading goods. The important aspect about these cities was that they were the gateways for continental trade. Where Baghdad connected Asia with the Middle East and Africa, Constantinople (known as Istanbul after Ottoman conquering) connecting Asia with Europe and Macao being a great Chinese trading hub. For example, the Silk Road where exotic and luxurious goods have been traded from Asia to Europe made multiple cities booming financially because of their strategic location. Also, the idea of making a profit was shaping the world, where traders and merchants will travel to lands that had customers and demand. When looked at the trade route map, it is evident that majority of the trade network was found in Asia, the Middle East and Africa. So Europe didn’t have much to offer to traders and merchants other than the ruling elites of Europe who demanded and wanted the exotic and luxuries goods such as silk and spices. Because of the regional difference, this meant that the trade was also controlled by the dynasties, kingdoms and empires of the time which controlled what came in and out of their lands. Like the Ottoman Empire, who controlled territories in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Europe, they implemented heavy taxes on trade done between Europe and Asia, which also helped acquire a huge fortune.