Age of Revolutions Part II: Chapters 6 & 7 Summary & Analysis

Age of Revolutions Part II: Chapters 6 & 7

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Part II: Revolutions Present
6. Globalization in Overdrive: Economics
7. Information Unbound: Technology

In Part II, Zakaria turns his attention to recent, ongoing revolutions. Chapter 6, titled “Globalization in Overdrive,” in fact describes globalization proceeding in fits and starts, with reversals. Advances in technology and in the protocols of international finance (along with occasional arm-twisting diplomacy) drove an expansion of transoceanic commerce in the mid-19th century, but a lengthy economic depression in the last quarter of the century sparked backlash in various forms, including the assassinations of several national leaders. Trade barriers came back in vogue. After World War I, a fresh burst of globalization was cut short by the stock market crash of 1929 and the Great Depression that followed.

Globalization surged again after World War II, and with it came the spread of democratic, free-market liberalism. Since the high-water mark of the 1990s, however, there has been considerable backsliding. Even the United States has begun to embrace trade barriers, partly in reaction to the rise of China as a leading exporter of cheap goods, and partly in reaction to the financial crisis of 2008. Zakaria’s narrative is rich with detail, but the big-picture observation it supports is a simple one: enthusiasm for free trade comes and goes, even though free global trade has consistently made people’s lives better by objective measures.

Chapter 7 considers the blessings and curses of the revolution in information technology. On the plus side of the ledger is the convenience of Wikipedia, Amazon, Netflix, and so on. On the minus side of the ledger are a variety of ills, ranging from social isolation to online groups where people become violently radicalized. Looming over these everyday problems are the specters of technologies, with sophistication and power that make many people fearful. These include artificial intelligence/AI-powered robots and software that might take workers’ jobs, and gene-editing methods that can be used to manipulate the birth characteristics of human beings.

Read an explanation of a key quote (#3) about economic and political consequences of technology.