Unit 9: Globalization

The global eradication of smallpox, officially completed in 1980, stands as one of the greatest triumphs of modern medicine. In 1967, when the World Health Organization (WHO) launched its Intensified Smallpox Eradication Programme, the disease was still endemic in more than thirty countries, infecting millions and killing hundreds of thousands annually. Through the international coordination of vaccine distribution, rapid containment of outbreaks, and public health campaigns, the chain of transmission was permanently broken. This achievement demonstrated how international cooperation and medical innovation could eradicate a disease that had plagued humanity for millennia.

The campaign described in the passage best illustrates which of the following trends of the late twentieth century?

"We, the People of Color, gathered together at this First National People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit, to protest the environmental destruction and degradation of our lands and communities, do hereby adopt these Principles of Environmental Justice...

1. Environmental Justice affirms the sacredness of Mother Earth, ecological unity and the interdependence of all species, and the right to be free from ecological destruction.
2. Environmental Justice demands that public policy be based on mutual respect and justice for all peoples, free from any form of discrimination or bias...
5. Environmental Justice affirms the fundamental right to political, economic, cultural and environmental self-determination of all peoples."
— Principles of Environmental Justice, Washington, D.C., 1991

The document excerpted above is best understood in the context of which of the following late twentieth-century developments?

“We, the mothers of the disappeared, demand to know the whereabouts of our children who have been taken from their homes by state security forces. We appeal to international bodies to investigate these violations of basic human dignity. Our silent marches in the public square are a call for justice, truth, and the restoration of fundamental rights that have been systematically stripped away by the military government.”

—Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo, petition to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, 1979

The actions of the organization described in the passage most directly reflect which of the following twentieth-century developments?

The following is an excerpt from the Freedom Charter, a document adopted by South African anti-apartheid organizations in 1955:

"We, the People of South Africa, declare for all our country and the world to know:
that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, black and white, and that no government can justly claim authority unless it is based on the will of all the people;
that our people have been robbed of their birthright to land, liberty and peace by a form of government founded on injustice and inequality..."

Based on the passage, the demands expressed in the Freedom Charter were most directly a response to which of the following historical developments in South Africa?

The following is an excerpt from a budget speech delivered by Indian Finance Minister Manmohan Singh in 1991:

"The system of political and bureaucratic controls over economic life has outlived its usefulness. Our industrial policy must now focus on dismantling the regulatory hurdles that have stifled entrepreneurial spirit and limited our integration with the global economy. By opening our doors to foreign investment and reducing tariff barriers, we are not surrendering our economic sovereignty, but rather equipping our nation to compete in the global marketplace."

The economic policies proposed in the passage best reflect which of the following global trends in the late twentieth century?

Program of the Egyptian Feminist Union, Cairo, 1923:

* Political equality for women, including the right to vote and eligibility for parliament.
* Equal access to education at all levels, including higher education.
* Reform of the personal status laws, particularly regarding polygamy and divorce, to ensure justice for women.
* The abolition of state-regulated prostitution.

The demands in the program are best understood in the context of which of the following global developments in the twentieth century?

"The opening of our borders to trade and investment is not merely a policy choice; it is an economic necessity in the modern age. By integrating our economy with those of our northern neighbors, Mexico will transition from a closed, state-guided market to a competitive player on the global stage. This agreement will attract foreign direct investment, create manufacturing jobs in our northern states, and lower prices for consumers. We must embrace the realities of global interdependence if we are to achieve sustainable growth."
— Jaime Serra Puche, Mexican Secretary of Commerce and Industrial Development, speech on the proposed North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), 1992

The economic policies advocated in the passage represent a transition away from which of the following earlier twentieth-century economic approaches?

“By the end of the twentieth century, the global disease landscape had bifurcated. In high-income countries, the widespread availability of polio vaccines, antibiotics, and advanced cardiovascular therapies meant that most individuals survived childhood and middle age, only to face chronic, degenerative conditions associated with aging, such as Alzheimer's disease. Meanwhile, in low-income regions, despite the existence of these medical technologies, limited public health infrastructure, persistent poverty, and international patent protections prevented widespread access, leaving millions still vulnerable to preventable infectious diseases.”

Based on the passage and your knowledge of world history, which of the following best explains the unequal distribution of medical technological advancements in the late twentieth century?

"We, the Members of the United Nations... Solemnly proclaim our united determination to work urgently for the establishment of a New International Economic Order based on equity, sovereign equality, interdependence, common interest and cooperation among all States, irrespective of their economic and social systems which shall correct inequalities and redress existing injustices, make it possible to eliminate the widening gap between the developed and the developing countries and ensure steadily accelerating economic and social development and peace and justice for present and future generations..."

— United Nations General Assembly, Declaration on the Establishment of a New International Economic Order, 1974

Which of the following twentieth-century developments most directly prompted the call for reform expressed in the excerpt?

"The Internet is the fastest-growing tool of communication ever... It is creating a new network of global knowledge and exchange, but it also risks polarizing the world into the connected and the unconnected. Information technology is reshaping the global economy, allowing services like software development and data processing to be outsourced across borders, transforming cities like Bangalore into global tech hubs."

— United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Human Development Report, 1999

Which of the following best explains how the developments described in the passage affected the global economy in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries?

"The French language is a fundamental element of the personality and heritage of France. . . . It shall be the language of instruction, work, trade, and public services. . . . The use of French shall be mandatory in the designation, offer, presentation, instructions for use, and description of the scope and warranty of goods, products, and services, as well as in all written, spoken, or audiovisual advertising."
— Excerpt from the French Toubon Law, 1994

The legislation excerpted above is best understood as a response to which of the following developments in the late twentieth century?

The following is an excerpt from a speech by British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to the Conservative Party Conference in October 1980:

"Our first task was to begin to restore the balance between the state and the individual... We have made a start on reducing state ownership. We have privatized several major enterprises and intend to do the same with others. We believe that the state should not run businesses that can be run more efficiently by private enterprise, and that wealth is created by the effort of individuals, not by government planning."

Which of the following global economic trends in the late twentieth century is most directly reflected in the passage?

The following is an excerpt from the Beijing Declaration, adopted by representatives of 189 governments at the Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995:

"We, the Governments participating in the Fourth World Conference on Women... recognize that the status of women has advanced in some important respects in the past decade, but that progress has been uneven, inequalities between women and men have persisted and major obstacles remain... [and we] are convinced that women's empowerment and their full participation on the basis of equality in all spheres of society, including participation in the decision-making process and access to power, are fundamental for the achievement of equality, development and peace."

The declaration's emphasis on women's empowerment and political participation most directly reflects which of the following international trends after 1900?

The growth of export processing zones (EPZs) in the late twentieth century represents a key element of the new international division of labor. In these zones, developing countries provide land, infrastructure, and cheap labor, while multinational corporations bring technology, capital, and access to global markets. Governments offer tax holidays, freedom from import and export duties, and relaxed labor regulations to attract foreign investment. This strategy has allowed several developing nations to transition from agricultural economies to manufacturing hubs, though it has also sparked debates over labor exploitation and national economic sovereignty.

—World Resources Institute, report on global industrialization, 1994

Which of the following best explains how the economic strategy described in the passage differed from the dominant economic policies of many developing nations in the mid-twentieth century?

"We, the Foreign Ministers of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand...

Do hereby declare the establishment of an Association for Regional Co-operation among the countries of South-East Asia to be known as the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN)....

[The Association's aims include] to accelerate the economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the region through joint endeavors... [and] to promote regional peace and stability through abiding respect for justice and the rule of law..."
— Bangkok Declaration, 1967

The establishment of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), as described in the passage, best illustrates which of the following trends in the late twentieth century?

“Article 1: Except for cases permitted by law, the entry, production, distribution, use, and repair of satellite receiving equipment... are prohibited...

Article 5: The Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance and the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting are responsible for utilizing their maximum potential and resources to present appropriate cultural programming to the public and to counter the cultural invasion of foreign networks.”

—Law Banning the Use of Satellite Receiving Equipment, Islamic Republic of Iran, 1995

The legislation described in the passage is best understood as a response to which of the following aspects of globalization in the late twentieth century?

In 2003, the local council (panchayat) of Plachimada in southern India refused to renew the operating license of a major multinational beverage corporation’s bottling plant, issuing the following statement:

"The massive extraction of groundwater by the company has caused a severe drinking water shortage in the village and surrounding areas. Our agricultural lands have become dry and barren, and the traditional livelihoods of our farmers have been disrupted. The local community holds a sovereign right over its natural resources, which must not be sacrificed for corporate profit."

Which of the following best explains how the actions of the local council in the passage represent a response to globalization after 1900?

The global popularity of Turkish television dramas (*diziler*) in the Middle East, North Africa, and South America in the early twenty-first century has challenged traditional models of cultural globalization. Rather than consuming American or European television programs, millions of viewers in these regions have tuned in daily to watch dramas produced in Turkey that depict modern lifestyles alongside traditional family dynamics and social values. These shows have sparked tourism to Turkey, increased demand for Turkish consumer products, and influenced local debates on gender roles and modernization. The widespread consumption of these dramas demonstrates that global cultural networks are increasingly multi-directional rather than centered exclusively on Western societies.

The cultural trends described in the passage best support which of the following claims about globalization in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries?

"Our long-term strategy must transition from exporting finished vehicles from Japan to establishing fully integrated manufacturing hubs within our major consumer markets. By establishing design centers and assembly plants in North America and Western Europe, we can customize vehicles to local consumer preferences, insulate our operations from currency fluctuations, and circumvent trade barriers. We will coordinate a global supply chain where parts are sourced from multiple countries and assembled locally, turning our company into a truly global enterprise."

—Corporate prospectus of a Japanese automobile manufacturer, 1989

The business strategy described in the passage is most directly an example of which of the following developments in the global economy after 1900?

“In the latter half of the twentieth century, the containment of classic infectious killers like pneumonia, tuberculosis, and gastroenteritis shifted the demographic profile of middle- and high-income nations. With the widespread adoption of public sanitation, antibiotics, and immunization programs, human life expectancy rose significantly. However, this demographic shift unveiled a new epidemiological regime dominated by chronic, non-communicable conditions. Diseases of lifestyle and aging—such as ischemic heart disease, stroke, and various forms of cancer—became the leading causes of mortality. These conditions, unlike their infectious predecessors, require long-term management rather than short-term cures, reflecting both the triumph of modern medicine in extending life and the limits of technology in eradicating the biological wear of aging.”

Based on the passage and your knowledge of world history, which of the following best describes the historical relationship between technological progress and global disease patterns in the twentieth century?