When first reading the title of Franklin Foer's "How Soccer Explains the World", I predicted that Foer would somehow use the rules and mechanics of soccer to develop a direct connection to globalization. However, my prediction was a little too literal. In "How Soccer Explains the World", Foer explores the trend between politics and one of the most popular sports in the world. I admire Foer's unique examination of globalization (however if he could have tied the actual mechanics of soccer to explaining how the world works, that would have been much cooler). Nonetheless Foer uses anecdotes about the Red Star of Belgrade to the relationship between the Protestant Rangers and the Catholic Celtics.
I would like to examine some other influential aspect of the world that can explain globalization. Those aspects, are goods and crops. The spread and exchange of crops have been active for centuries now. This communication of crops and goods between nations has led to economic expansion and spurred change across the globe.
Take the Columbian Exchange for instance. This system created unprecedented connections for crops between the America, Europe, Africa and Asia. The exchange had an economic impact on parts of Europe in particular, some cities were even recognized as “boom towns”. Additionally the people of Europe were healthier than ever before.
Author of “1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created”, Charles Mann says that “There’s no way the Industrial Revolution could have so occured so quickly and so widely if the world had depended solely on Brazilians tapping rubber trees”. Many revolutionary events in the world have happened because of the open flow of goods and crops.
In the New York Times article, Fresh and Direct From the Garden an Ocean Away, John Tierney
analyzes the text “1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created” by Charles Mann. Tierney points out a key statement made by Charles Mann, where he writes “ The Columbian Exchange...is the reason there are tomatoes in Italy, oranges in the United States, chocolate sin Switzerland, and chili peppers in Thailand..the Columbus Exchange is arguable the most important event since the death of dinosaurs.”. Like Mann, I would argue that it is hard to imagine how the world we live in today came to be without spread of goods and crops.
Tyler: Good Post! I agree that the spreading of crops and other goods has contributed heavily to globalization and the world we live in today. Foer makes interesting points that are correct, but I think when boiled down to the basics, the trading of goods is the main cause for the spreading of ideas and other products (like culture).
ReplyDeleteI like the post and how you explain globalization but would have enjoyed if you compared your points against Foer's and explain why your explanation is better (I tend to agree that it is). Foer looks at soccer's relation to politics. I would enjoy deeper analysis on the political interchange and impact of crop trade.
ReplyDeleteGreat Post Tyler! I was also hoping that Foer would have connected the actual mechanics of soccer to explaining how the world works. I agree with you that trade has contributed largely to globalization. This is evident by the rise of MNCs. Even though trade has made countries better off, there are circumstances that it has made countries worse off. This is due to pollution (specifically in China), loss of companies due to relocation (USA due to NAFTA), and neocolonialism (many African countries).
ReplyDeleteI liked your arguments and the varying sources which you used to bolster them. Your post read a bit like Foer’s book, however: flowing, poetic, cogent, but too much a collection of anecdotes that the reader is expected to use to construct their own theories. Nothing wrong with that, but it may be helpful for the reader if you give us more of a push to understanding your argument.
ReplyDeleteI will admit it was kind of fun building some theories off of the materials you discussed. I’m on the Mock Trial team at UMD, and I felt like I was building a case theory a little bit!