Around the time of the seventeenth and eighteenth century, the world underwent major cultural and political changes. It was during this period that we see the major powers of the world, Western Europe, the Ottoman Empire, China, and West Africa all become vastly interconnected through trade. We see that there is a massive exchange of culture and customs throughout the world. Europe, Asia, and Africa acquires a myriad of new agricultural goods and crops that help their populations feed themselves and find new ways of growing food. Crops such as corn, potatoes, beans, and many others are all introduced to the old world, leading to a reduction of hunger and a higher standard of living. There is also a flourishing trade of arts amongst these regions. We can see the fusion of different types of paintings, architecture, pottery, garments, music, and literature spread all across the world. And of course, there is also the exchange of intellectual ideas and the growth of the understanding of the humanities. Scholars, academics, and religious leaders are all exposed to new ideas and insights from around the world at a rate not yet hitherto seen, and this would lead to an explosion of scientific discovery.
However we also begin to see some of the negative effect of such connections, as competition between these polities incentivize acquiring power and resources through means necessary. The demand for these new cross border goods lead to a massive surge in demand for land and labor. To meet this demand, we see that the large colonial powers intensify their mercantilist industries, which requires much land and labor. The trans Atlantic slave trade reaches its peak at this time as millions of African peoples are forcibly and brutally removed from their homes and forced to work in nightmarish conditions. Across the globe, the continued extermination of the Amerindians continues, as disease and colonial subjugation continue to wipe out millions of these indigenous peoples. From North America, to the Caribbean and Brazil; from East Africa, to India and Indonesia, we see much human devastation. So while the vast global interconnectedness brings about a major positive impact for the world, there are doubtless some huge drawbacks that need to be considered.
Today, we can make some similar comparisons. As the utility of technology exponentially increase, our ability to connect with the world around us becomes much easier. Technology has allowed us to exchange goods, arts and ideas at speeds that would’ve been unimaginable even 50 years ago. We can see the different ways of life from people across the world, and we can experience the many different cultures and customs that may have never been exposed before modern technology. However, just like during the era of colonial trade, that ease of access has come at the expenses of many lives. Millions of people live in poverty and severely substandard living conditions so that many can reap the benefits of cheap, exploitive labor. The environment has also taken much abuses. Carbon emissions are destroying many ecosystems, the oceans are becoming warmer, forests are being destroyed and the air itself becomes just ever slightly less breathable. So it would be imperative that we learn from history, and take the good from global interconnectedness like trade, cultural exchange, and the growth of arts, without the domination and destruction.