MYP2 Individuals & Societies

Year-end study guide · Grade 7

Research skills Globalization The Middle Ages Natural environments

UNIT 1

Globalization:
A World Growing Closer
The world today is more connected than at any point in human history. Goods, ideas,
people, and money flow across borders faster than ever before. But this process —
called globalization — did not happen overnight, and it brings both remarkable
opportunities and serious challenges.

THE C ORE I DEA

What exactly is globalization?

Globalization is the ongoing process by which people, governments, and businesses around
the world become increasingly interconnected. It is not just about trade — it is about the
movement of goods, services, information, money, and people across national borders on a
scale that would have been unimaginable a century ago.

Think about your typical day. The device you use to stream music might be designed in
California, manufactured in China, using components made in South Korea and Taiwan, sold by
a company whose software team is partly based in India. The coffee or tea your family drinks
for breakfast probably travelled from Ethiopia, Colombia, or Sri Lanka. The clothes you wear
likely passed through factories in Bangladesh or Vietnam. You are personally embedded in the
global economy whether you realise it or not.

Globalization flows through six main channels: products and services, technology, culture,
information, capital (money), and people. Each of these connections between countries has
deepened significantly over the past few decades.

IS GLOBALIZATION NEW?

No — but it has accelerated dramatically. The world has been growing more interconnected for
centuries. The steam train in the 19th century, commercial aviation in the 20th century, and the
 internet in the 21st century each represented a major leap in how quickly people and goods
could move and communicate. What is new today is the speed — the internet means a video,
an idea, or a news story can travel to the other side of the world in seconds.

THE CAUSES

What drove globalization? Four key processes

Globalization did not just happen by accident — it was driven by specific developments in
technology, communication, economics, and human behaviour. Understanding these causes
helps explain why the world looks the way it does today.

1 Developments in transport
Innovations like high-speed rail, containerised cargo shipping, and commercial aviation made it
possible to move people and goods around the world faster and more cheaply than ever before.
A cargo ship today can transport thousands of containers of goods from China to Europe in
weeks. A journey that once took months by sea now takes hours by air. This dramatic reduction
in travel time and shipping costs made global trade economically practical for millions of
businesses.

2 Communications technology
The internet and mobile technology transformed how people connect across distances. Email,
video calls, social media, and cloud-based work platforms allow people to communicate instantly
and collaborate in real time regardless of where they are located. A company can now manage
offices in twenty countries through a single video call. This communications revolution made
physical distance far less important for business, education, and personal relationships.

3 International trade agreements

Many countries have signed trade agreements that reduce or remove the taxes (tariffs) charged
when goods cross borders. The World Trade Organization (WTO) is an international body that
works to make global trade easier and fairer. These agreements mean that a company in Egypt
can sell goods to customers in Europe or North America without facing punishing import taxes.
This has expanded markets dramatically, encouraging companies to think and operate globally.

4 Labour availability and migration

Workers are no longer confined to the country where they were born. Migrant workers move
across borders to find employment, bringing skills and labour to places that need them. At the
same time, large companies often build factories in countries where labour costs are lower — a
factory that might cost billions to run in a wealthy country may be far cheaper to operate in a
developing one. This movement of labour across borders is a fundamental driver of the global
economy, though it also raises serious questions about workers' rights and fair pay.
THE EFFEC TS

What globalization has done to the world — opportunities and

challenges
Globalization has transformed cultures and economies around the world in profound ways —
some positive, some deeply problematic. Understanding both sides is essential for thinking
critically about this process.

Opportunities — what globalization has enabled

› Millions of people in developing countries have been lifted out of poverty through factory work
and export industries

› Consumers in wealthy countries access a wider range of cheaper goods

› Cultural exchange — music, cuisine, art, and ideas cross borders and enrich local cultures

› Medical and scientific knowledge spreads faster, improving health globally

› People can find work, study, and opportunity beyond their home countries

› International cooperation on shared problems like climate change becomes easier

Challenges — what globalization has also caused

› Jobs in wealthy countries are often moved ("outsourced") to cheaper locations, leaving workers
unemployed

› Exploitation of workers in developing countries — low wages, poor safety, long hours

› Cultural homogenisation — local traditions and languages can be replaced by globally dominant
cultures

› Environmental damage as global production and shipping increase carbon emissions

› Wealth inequality — corporations and shareholders often benefit far more than the workers
producing the goods

› When global economies are interconnected, a crisis in one place (financial crisis, pandemic)
rapidly spreads everywhere

Real-world examples to know

The smartphone supply Fast fashion Food and culture

chain Brands design clothes in McDonald's operates in over
A single smartphone Europe or America, 100 countries. Sushi is eaten
contains components from manufacture them in in Brazil. Egyptian music
 contains components from manufacture them in in Brazil. Egyptian music
dozens of countries — Bangladesh or Vietnam influences European artists.
lithium from Bolivia, chips where labour is cheaper, Culture flows in multiple
designed in the USA, then sell them globally. This directions — sometimes
assembled in China. It model creates jobs but often enriching, sometimes
represents globalization in a at the cost of poor working overwhelming local
single device. conditions. traditions.

The 2008 financial crisis

A financial collapse
beginning in the United
States rapidly spread to
cause recessions in Europe,
Asia, and beyond —
demonstrating how tightly
connected global
economies have become.

KE Y VOCABU L ARY

Words to know for this unit

TERM MEANING

Globalization The process by which people, businesses, and governments

around the world become increasingly interconnected through
trade, communication, and the movement of people

Interconnected Linked together so that changes in one place affect others — a

defining feature of the modern global economy

Migration The movement of people from one place to another, often across
national borders, to find work, safety, or better opportunities

Migrant worker A person who moves to a different country or region to work

World Trade Organization An international organisation that negotiates rules for trade
(WTO) between countries and works to remove trade barriers

Trade agreement A deal between two or more countries that sets the rules for
buying and selling goods across their borders, often reducing
taxes on imports

Outsourcing When a company moves a part of its operation (such as

manufacturing) to another country where costs are lower
Cultural homogenisation The process by which local cultures become more similar as
global (often Western or American) culture spreads through media
and commerce

Capital Money and financial assets that are invested or moved across
borders as part of the global economy

Innovation A new idea, invention, or method that creates change — in the

context of globalization, innovations in transport and
communication drove the process forward