Lecture #2 - McDomination and Cultural Imperialism

•Reminders:

1. Don’t be late to Challenge Day! 8:40 AM by the gyms.

2. All you need to bring with you is an open mind and willingness to listen to others.

3. Bring your textbook on block day (Thurs 2, 6 & Fri 1)

•Absent on Monday? Need to make up the map test?

4. Make up day is this Thursday at 8:30 AM

What is Imperialism?Imperialism (def): the policy, practice, or advocacy of extending a country’s power and influence through diplomacy or military force.

Six Major Causes:

1. Economic

2. Political

3. Military

4. Cultural

5. Religious

6. Social Darwinism

Causes of ImperialismEconomic

The Industrial Revolution (1860-1914)

•To sustain industrialization, a steady supply of raw materials such as coal, iron, steel, timber, cotton, and oil are necessary.

•Early industrial leaders such as Great Britain, Belgium, and France created or expanded an already-existing imperial system.

•A result of the Industrial Revolution was the mass production of goods. Domestic economies could not absorb the increased supply of goods, therefore, goods were shifted abroad to new markets (another reason for colonies).

Causes of Imperialism

Political

A dominant country would impose its political values, structures, and systems on subordinate countries.

Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries Britain, France and other European nations expanded their political influence to much of the known world, collecting colonies as sources of wealth.

Example: Soviet Union imposing communist governmental values and institutions on Eastern European states from 1945-1989.

Causes of ImperialismMilitary

The last century has seen an unprecedented expansion of American military power abroad. All total, the US has over 730 military bases in over 50 countries outside of the US with forces deployed in nearly 130 nations.

“War on Terror” has only expanded American operations abroad.

Causes of Imperialism

Cultural

Cultural Imperialism (def): The use of political and economic power to promote and spread the values of a foreign culture at the expense of a native culture.

“Olive Trees and the Lexus” metaphor

“Olive trees are important. They represent everything that roots us, anchors us, identifies us and locates us in this world – whether it be belonging to a family, a community, a tribe, a nation, a religion or, most of all, a place called home…

…It [the Lexus] represents an equally fundamental, age-old human drive for sustenance, improvement, prosperity and modernization – as it is played out in today’s globalization system. The Lexus represents all the burgeoning global markets, financial institutions and computer technologies with which we pursue higher living standards today.”

- Thomas Friedman, The Lexus and the Olive Tree

Cultural Imperialism or McDominationThe United States is accused of spreading “American values” throughout the world through:

“Branding” and pop culture

-music and film

-news media

-fast food

-fashion

-technology

• "Yemeni students were out burning the American flag,

chanting 'kill the Americans"' in early March, notes Jack Valenti, CEO of

the Motion Picture Association of America. "As soon as the theaters opened at 7 p.m., bingo, they were all in there.“

McWorld vs. JihadIncreasingly, ‘globalization’ is becoming synonymous with ‘Americanization’ because of the shared values between American capitalism and global corporate growth.

Americanization (def): the act of becoming American in character; assimilating to the customs and institutions of the USA

62 of the world’s 100 largest corporations are American

McWorld vs. Jihad

On an average day in 2007, McDonalds served nearly 52 million globally in over 100 countries.

KFC outlets in Beijing, China increased by 100 stores per year over past half decade. Now over 600 stores just in Beijing.

For most Chinese the first time they ever tried coffee was with the arrival of Starbucks (1999)

McWorld vs. Jihad

“Society as a whole is more and more splitting up into two great hostile camps, into two great classes directly facing each other: Bourgeoisie (wealthy) and Proletariat (poor workers)…” Karl Marx, 1848

•Today, the world is growing increasingly polarized along Western/capitalist (Bourgeoisie) and Eastern/Islamic (Proletariat)

McWorld = materialist consumerism

Jihad = dogmatic traditionalism

Reactions to Cultural Imperialism1. Conformity and absorption (member nations or allies)

2. Resistance (Terrorist organizations or non-conforming unions)

•typically anti-American or anti-Western

•grounded in anti-consumption and conservative ideals

European Union

•Directive 89/552/EEC, 1989

•Mandates that at least 50% of broadcast TV be devoted to programs of European origin

Causes of Imperialism

Religious

Spread of Islam by Arab armies from 7th-13th centuries

Spread of Christianity by Spain, Portugal, Britain and France to Africa and the Americas.

Social Darwinism

Used Charles Darwin’s theories of natural selection. Hierarchy of human life and societies justified imperialism. That more powerful nations were obligated to promote their values to others.