๐ Class 10 History Notes – Chapter 3
๐ The Making of a Global World
๐น The Pre-Modern World
- Globalisation = An economic system emerging in the last 50 years.
- But its roots are ancient – trade, migration, movement of capital, knowledge & culture.
- As early as 3000 BCE → Indus Valley civilisation had coastal trade with West Asia.
- Travellers, traders, priests, pilgrims → moved for knowledge, opportunities, spirituality, or to escape persecution.
๐งต Silk Routes Link the World
- Silk routes = Networks of overland & sea trade routes.
- Connected Asia, Europe & Northern Africa.
- From India → textiles, spices.
- From Europe → gold & silver.
- Result = Vibrant cultural & economic exchange.
๐ Food Travels: Spaghetti & Potato
- Food = cultural exchange.
- Noodles from China → became spaghetti in Europe.
- 5 centuries ago → Indians didn’t know potatoes, maize, chillies, tomatoes, soya, groundnuts.
- These came from America’s natives (American Indians).
⚔️ Conquest, Disease & Trade
- Indian Ocean trade was active even before Europeans.
- Europeans redirected flows towards Europe.
- Portuguese & Spanish conquest of America = turning point.
- Most deadly weapon = germs (smallpox), not guns.
- Until 18th century → India & China richest, but later Europe became the world trade centre.
๐ The Nineteenth Century (1815–1914)
Economists identify 3 major flows:
- ๐ Trade in goods (cloth, wheat, etc.).
- ๐จ๐ฉ๐ฆ Labour migration in search of jobs.
- ๐ฐ Movement of capital (investments across countries).
๐พ A World Economy Takes Shape
- Britain’s population growth → pressure on food supply.
- Corn Laws = restrictions on imported corn → raised prices.
- British agriculture suffered → workers migrated to cities & overseas.
- By mid-19th century → fall in food prices + industrial growth = higher incomes.
- To meet demand →
- Lands cleared in Eastern Europe, Russia, America, Australia.
- Railways built to connect farms.
- Labourers migrated from Europe → America & Australia.
- By 1890 → Global agricultural economy formed.
- In India → Canal irrigation in West Punjab → semi-deserts converted to fertile land.
- Cotton & wheat grown for British textile mills & exports.
✨ Summary:
- The making of the global world is centuries old.
- It was shaped by trade, migration, conquest, food exchange, and industrialisation.
- By the late 19th century, the world became an integrated economy linked through trade, labour, and capital flows.
๐น Role of Technology
- ๐ Important inventions: Railways, Steamships, Telegraph → transformed 19th-century world.
- ๐ Technology was shaped by social, political & economic factors, not just inventions.
- ๐ฆ Colonisation encouraged faster transport: railways, lighter wagons, bigger ships.
- ๐ Before 1870s, animals were shipped live from America → later meat became affordable for common Europeans.
๐น Late Nineteenth-Century Colonialism
- ๐ Trade & markets expanded but had a dark side → loss of freedom & livelihoods.
- ๐ Berlin Conference (1885) → European powers carved up Africa.
- ๐ฌ๐ง Britain & France expanded colonies, ๐ฉ๐ช Germany & ๐ง๐ช Belgium joined, ๐บ๐ธ USA also became colonial power in late 1890s.
๐น Rinderpest (Cattle Plague) ๐
- ๐ฆ 1890s: A cattle plague spread in Africa → destroyed cattle & livelihoods.
- ๐ฑ Africa had abundant land but shortage of wage labour.
- ๐ Inheritance laws changed → only one family member could inherit land.
- ๐ 1880s: Rinderpest came via infected cattle from Asia → ruined African economy.
๐น Indentured Labour Migration from India
- ๐ท♂️ Workers were hired under contracts → mostly from UP, Bihar, Central India & Tamil Nadu.
- ๐ด Main destinations: Caribbean (Trinidad, Guyana, Surinam), Mauritius, Fiji, Assam tea plantations.
- ๐ชข Known as “new system of slavery”.
- ๐ญ In Trinidad → Muharram turned into carnival Hosay.
- ✊ By 1900s, Indian leaders opposed indenture → abolished in 1921.
๐น Indian Entrepreneurs Abroad
- ๐ฐ Shikaripuri Shroffs & Nattukottai Chettiars financed export agriculture.
- ๐ฆ They used both own funds & loans from European banks.
๐น Indian Trade, Colonialism & Global System
- ๐ Indian cotton exported → later declined due to British tariffs.
- ๐ฌ๐ง Britain flooded Indian market with textiles.
- ๐ India’s wealth helped Britain cover deficits & pay “Home Charges” (remittances, pensions, debt payments).
๐น The Inter-War Economy (1914–1945)
⚔️ First World War (1914–1918)
- Allies: Britain, France, Russia (+USA) ๐ Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey.
- ๐ฃ First modern industrial war → used tanks, machine guns, aircraft, chemical weapons.
- ๐ญ Industries shifted to war goods.
- ๐บ๐ธ USA became global creditor by lending money to Britain.
๐ง Post-War Recovery
- ๐ฌ๐ง Britain struggled → lost dominance in Indian & world markets.
- ๐ฏ๐ต Japan & ๐ฎ๐ณ India industries grew.
- ๐ Britain burdened with heavy debts.
๐น Rise of Mass Production & Consumption (1920s)
- ๐ Henry Ford → mass production of cars (T-Model Ford).
- ๐ญ Fordism spread to US & Europe → large-scale production.
- ๐ Demand for refrigerators, washing machines etc. boomed.
- ๐ต US became largest overseas lender by 1923.
✨ Exam Tip: Connect technology → colonialism → global trade → wars → economic shifts.
๐ The Great Depression & Rebuilding World Economy
๐ The Great Depression (1929–Mid 1930s)
- Period of global economic crisis – production, employment, income & trade fell sharply.
- Agriculture hit hardest → overproduction led to price fall.
- Many countries had taken loans from the US, which were later withdrawn.
- US banking collapse → thousands of banks went bankrupt.
- US & world economies badly affected.
India and the Great Depression
- Indian trade hit immediately.
- Agricultural prices fell sharply, but colonial govt. did not reduce revenue.
- India became exporter of precious metals (esp. gold).
- Rural unrest grew → Mahatma Gandhi launched Civil Disobedience Movement (1931).
⚔️ Rebuilding a World Economy: Post-War Era
- World War II (1939–1945) fought between:
- Axis Powers → Germany, Japan, Italy.
- Allies → Britain, France, Soviet Union, US.
- War caused huge economic & social devastation.
- Post-war shaped by:
- US emerged as leading global power.
- Soviet Union became powerful rival.
๐️ Post-War Settlement & Bretton Woods Institutions
- Lessons from inter-war period:
- Mass production needs mass consumption.
- Strong international economic links required.
- Bretton Woods Conference (1944):
- IMF (International Monetary Fund): manage surpluses/deficits.
- World Bank (IBRD): finance reconstruction.
- Both started operations in 1947.
๐ Early Post-War Years
- Bretton Woods system → rapid trade & income growth in Western nations & Japan.
- Technology & enterprises spread globally.
๐ Decolonisation & Independence
- After WWII, many regions still under colonial rule.
- IMF & World Bank shifted focus to developing nations (1950s onwards).
- Developing nations formed G-77 group, demanding NIEO (New International Economic Order):
- Control over resources.
- Fairer prices for raw materials.
- Better access to developed markets.
- More development aid.
๐ End of Bretton Woods & Beginning of Globalisation
- US weakened (costly foreign involvements, 1960s).
- 1970s → global financial changes & rising unemployment.
- MNCs shifted production to low-wage Asian countries.
- China became major investment hub.
- India, China & Brazil emerged as fast-growing economies.
✅ Exam Key Takeaways:
- Great Depression → economic collapse worldwide, hit India badly.
- Post-War era → US & USSR became global powers.
- Bretton Woods → IMF & World Bank established.
- Developing countries → pushed for NIEO.
1970s onwards → Globalisation began, shifting economic power to Asia.
