What is globalisation?

What do we understand by the word: ‘Globalisation’?

The word Globalisation can be used when describing the process of integrating societies into a world society where political, economic, cultural and social events have become more and more interconnected. The extent of these effects on societies have become more significant and the ‘intensification of worldwide social relations which link distant localities in such a way that local happenings are shaped by events occurring many miles away and vice versa’ (Anthony Giddens, 1990).
In this essay I will attempt to distinguish the characteristics of globalisation by outlining and analysing the key issues and history.


The word globalisation was first entered into a dictionary in 1961 and became a standard term used by academics in the 1980’s, however globalisation is not recent, and the evolution of international societies dates back much further.

The emergence of ancient Greece 500 –100 BC was the first sign an inte...