The Influence of the Web in Our Lives - Essay Example

The Web…pg The Old World Web- 3000 BCE and 1500 CE Order No. 310340 No. of pages: 5 Writer: 6530 Introduction Humanity has come a very long way since the ancient days when traveling and communication seemed more a very difficult proposition than what it is today in these modern times. It is all thanks to the great advancements made in the field of science and technology. Civilization has made increasingly dramatic progress due to all the advancements achieved in different fields. One such area of advancement which has revolutionized the standard of living is the web. In this essay, we would be tracing the pathway of this phenomenal evolution by investigating how this concept had developed and progressed over time. This essay would also make an analysis of the influence of the web in our lives and the impact it created on the political, social and economic front. Jerry H. Bentley and Herbert F. Ziegler1 (Traditions and Encounters: A Brief Global History, 2003) "Traditions & Encounters: A Brief Global History," gives us a very The Web…pg.2 streamlined bird’s eye view of the progress made by the advancement of web technology and explains how this concept revolutionized and shaped world history. This unique world History text explores the cross- cultural societies in detail and gives us a very coherent and systematic vision of the past ages by enlightening us with the lives of people and all their experiences. Jerry H. Bentley and Herbert F. Ziegler2, (2003) cover material of the world’s leading civilizations spanning over a period of about 5,000 years. A Need for Change Civilizations around the world felt a dire need for change and were trying to bring about these changes in their day- to- day lives. The English wanted to put an end to the early colonization and usher in new concepts into the New World. In sharp contrast to Japan’s merchant class who had very little influence over the activities of the government, England and Holland prospered under the patronage of the royalty, while the commercial classes were looked upon as a bastion to battle against the aristocratic nobles who were rebellious land- owners. When the Ottoman Empire declined, the need for change became even more evident because of the pressure from different quarters. Therefore, there were significant changes that occurred in the military and technological fields. The Web…pg.3 Religious and Agricultural Reforms during the Middle Ages During the middle ages, Europe as well as the whole of the Islamic fraternity witnessed a great religious upheaval during the 13th to the 18th centuries. Due to the Mongol invasion in addition to Black Death, there was a spread of deep religious fervor that tried to put an end to hedonism which was rampant during that time. During the 18th century, the Wahabi movement was established in Saudi Arabia and they claimed that the Ottoman Empire had declined because of its religious tolerance of the minorities. This paved the way for the foundation of the Islamic fundamentalism into a modern world. Agriculture too played a major role in causing a change from an Agricultural to a Bureaucratic Empire. Surplus production has led to specialization in other aspects too including mechanization. Between 1800 and 1900 was a period of great Industrialization in addition to revolution. The power and sovereignty of the state lay in the hands of the masses and not in the hands of the elite aristocrats. This period was the era of great Enlightenment which gave growth to nationalism. The change in lifestyles came about as a result of this industrialization and provided people with more mobility due to diversification of power and energy which in turn gave rise to the branching out of human relations and web networks. Advancement in Communication Technology: The whole of humanity this became dependent on a wide global linkage which was very important not only for their food and The Web…pg. 4 fuel but also to boost their businesses. Such manipulation and interaction required a sort of global network. Gradually, As the human population became more integrated, whole cultures and languages began to fade away as humanity was becoming less diversified. In 1844, the modern aspect of telecommunications established itself by the introduction of the telegraph system. By 1866, they began to lay down a Transatlantic cable giving communication an electronic edge which boosted businesses still further because of the speed of communication and transport of large quantities of goods. This resulted in the spreading of much bigger networks of railroads and roadways with much lesser costs and lesser time. The first nation-wide network was established by the British, but U.S became the leader in this arena by the year 1870. The Old World Web became well established by the year 100 AD when the population was about 150 million. The Modern world during the 1500’s had a population of 450 million and by the 1900’s there were 1.6 billion, which boomed further with about 6 billion. With urbanization, natural grasslands were replaced with modern high – rise cities. The ideas of John Locke (1632 – 1704) which encompassed the sovereignty of the masses were found attractive and resulted in the widening of the web. Great philosophers pursued the concept of Enlightenment where liberty formed the basis of law. Through urbanization and mechanization, Globalization was brought about due to the fact that people could not live inside the vacuum for long because they became The Web…pg 5 interdependent on each other for raw materials and other goods were necessary to carry on their trade and commerce well to satisfy the large amount of consumers all over the world. Industrialization brought about major changes in the attitudes of people because they came to accept the commercial boom they were experiencing. By the 19th century U.S was considered the biggest industrial power to reckon with in terms of capitalism, commercialism and advancement in Science and technology. Conclusion The huge network that had evolved and developed over the centuries was a boon to whole the world because it led to globalization on a large scale by linking the different countries together with a huge and better network of roadways, railways and waterways which made it much easier to shift large amount of goods from one place to another in a more cheaper manner and within a shorter frame of time. Nations were brought much closer together through the boom of trade and commerce brought about by the great industrial revolution. In his book ‘Globalization: A Very Short Introduction’ Manfred B Steger3 refers to globalization as a ‘multifaceted process encompassing global, regional, and local aspects of social life.’ Read More