A brief history of globalisation
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When Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba in 2018 announced it had chosen the ancient city of Xi’an as the site for its new regional headquarters, the symbolic value wasn’t lost on the company: it had brought globalisation to its ancient birthplace, the start of the old Silk Road. It named its new offices aptly: ‘Silk Road Headquarters’. The city where globalisation had started more than 2,000 years ago would also have a stake in globalisation’s future.
Alibaba shouldn’t be alone in looking back. As we are entering a new, digital-driven era of globalisation – we call it ‘Globalisation 4.0’ – it is worthwhile that we do the same. When did globalisation start? What were its major phases? And where is it headed tomorrow?
So, when did international trade start and how did it lead to globalisation?
Silk roads (1st century BC-5th century AD, and 13th-14th centuries AD)
People have been trading goods for almost as long as they’ve been around. But as of the 1st century BC, a remarkable phenome...
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