- Manfred B. Steger
‘Globalization and history: is globalization a new phenomenon?’ gives a brief history of globalization. Globalization is commonly thought of as a new phenomenon, but contact between diverse individuals is not new. It began when prehistoric tribes settled and were able to outmuscle wandering nomads because of their agricultural food production. The premodern period saw technological advances that allowed trade and communication to flourish. The early modern period saw the birth of capitalism and interregional markets. The modern period saw industrialization provide massive advances in technology at the expense of the environment. The contemporary era is one of great convergence, with people coming together through deregulated economic and ICT systems.