History of Globalisation: The Pre-modern World

Defining Globalisation through History

• Modern Interpretation: Globalisation is often defined as an economic system that has emerged primarily within the last $50$ years.

• Historical Context: The making of the global world involves a deep, long-standing history characterized by:

  • Trade: The exchange of goods and services across borders.
  • Migration: The movement of people across geographic boundaries.
  • Labor: Individuals traveling in search of work.
  • Movement of Capital: The flow of financial resources and investments globally.

• Conceptual Goal: To understand the global world of today, one must examine the specific historical phases and the dramatic, visible signs of interconnectedness that have emerged over centuries.

The Nature of Human Interaction in the Pre-modern World

• Inherent Interlinkage: Throughout history, human societies have become increasingly and steadily more interlinked with one another.

• The Agents of Globalisation: Various groups of people traveled vast distances, including:

  • Travellers: Searching for new lands and experiences.
  • Traders: Moving goods for commerce.
  • Priests and Pilgrims: Traveling for spiritual fulfillment or to spread religious doctrine.

• Motivations for Long-Distance Travel:

  • The pursuit of knowledge.
  • Seeking economic or personal opportunity.
  • Spiritual fulfillment.
  • To escape persecution in their homelands.

• Items and Concepts Carried Across Borders: Travelers did not just move themselves; they were carriers of:

  • Material Goods: Tangible products for trade.
  • Money: Currency and means of transaction.
  • Values and Skills: Cultural norms and specialized craftsmanship.
  • Ideas and Inventions: Intellectual property and technological breakthroughs.
  • Biological Agents: Germs and diseases that had profound impacts on local populations.

Evidence of Early Global Trade and Currency

• Indus Valley Links ($3000\,BCE$): Archeological and historical records indicate an active coastal trade link between the Indus Valley civilizations and present-day West Asia as early as $3000\,BCE$.

• The Use of Cowries as Currency:

  • Definition: Cowries are seashells (known in Hindi as 'cowdi') used as a form of currency.
  • Origin and Spread: For more than a millennia, cowries from the Maldives were transported to and used in China and East Africa.
  • Significance: This demonstrates a functioning global currency network connecting the Indian Ocean to East Asia and the African continent long before the modern era.

The History of Disease and Germ Exposure

• Early Origins: The long-distance spread of disease-carrying germs can be traced back to the $7^{th}$ century.

• Establishment of Links: By the $13^{th}$ century, the spread of germs had become an "unmistakable link" in the global network, illustrating that biological exchange was a permanent feature of human interconnectedness.

Archeological Evidence of Oceanic Trade

• The Significance of Memorial Stones: Found along the western coast of India, memorial stones dating from the $9^{th}$ century regularly feature images of ships.

• Specific Artifact - Goa Museum Stone:

  • Date: $10^{th}$ century $CE$.
  • Description: An image of a ship on a memorial stone housed in the Goa Museum.
  • Importance: These artifacts serve as physical evidence of the historical importance of oceanic trade and the maritime capabilities of pre-modern societies.