Words to Know - 11/17/2017
globalization the development of a global, or worldwide, society in which people, money, information, and goods flow fairly freely across national borders
collective learning preserving information, sharing it with another, and passing it to the next generation, a process that has raised the complexity of human societies for all 250,000 years of our history
plague a contagious disease that spreads rapidly and kills many people
Black Death the great epidemic of bubonic plague that killed a large part of
the population of Europe in the mid 14th century
homogenization the process of making things uniform or similar
Silk Road a network of trade routes
that stretched more than 4000 miles across Asia as well as sea routes
trade routes a network of roads along which traders traveled
goods merchandise
import to bring goods (or services)
into a country from abroad for sale
export to send goods (or services) to another country for sale
merchants a person involved in trade, especially one dealing with foreign countries
caravan a group of people, especially traders, traveling together across a desert in Asia or North Africa
governance the action of governing
political clout power or influence in politics
Words to Know - 11/20/17
trade the action of buying and selling goods and services
maritime connected with the sea, especially in relation to seafaring commercial or military activity
profit a financial gain
center of commerce a city with a large amount of trade
interdependence people or countries relying on each other
reciprocity the practice of exchanging things with others for mutual benefit
hospitable friendly and welcoming to strangers
culture the customs, arts, social institutions,
and achievements of a particular group of people
prosperity the state of being successful in
material terms
Words to Know - 12/11/2017
Words to Know - 12/12/2017
unsustainable not able to be maintained at the current rate or level
linguistic relating to language
free trade international trade left to its natural course without tariffs, quotas, or other restrictions
retail the sale of goods to the public in relatively small quantities for use of consumption rather than for resale
tariff a tax on goods that cross country borders
International Monetary Fund an international organization established in 1945 that aims to promote international trade
manufacture the making of articles on a large scale using machinery
domestic consumption the using up of goods and services in the country in which they were made
capitalism an economic and political system in which a country’s trade and industry are controlled by owners for profit, rather than by the state
poverty living on less than $1.25 per day
World Bank an international banking organization established to control the distribution of economic aid among member nations
remittances a payment of money sent by an immigrant to a relative in his or her home country
Words to Know - 12/15/2017
extraction the action of taking something out; in this case, natural resources
production the action of making or manufacturing from components or raw materials
distribution the action of supplying goods to stores and other businesses that sell to consumers
consumption the purchase and use of goods and services by the public
disposal the action of throwing away or getting rid of something
finite having limits
corporation company
toxic poisonous
food chain a hierarchical series of organisms each dependent on the next as a source of food
consumer a person who purchases goods and services for personal use
planned obsolescence a policy of producing consumer goods that rapidly become obsolete and so require replacing, achieved by frequent changes in design, termination of the supply of spare parts, and the use of nondurable materials (perceived obsolescence is when someone thinks s/he needs a new product even though the existing one still works)
media the main means of mass communication (broadcasting, publishing, and the Internet)
leisure time time when one is not working or occupied
landfill a place to dispose of refuse and other waste material by burying it and covering it over with soil
incineration the destruction of something, especially waste material, by burning
fair trade trade in which fair prices are paid to producers in developing countries
Words to Know
initiative a proposal made by one nation to others in an attempt to improve relations
forum a meeting where ideas and views on a particular issue can be exchanged
Words to Know
individualism a social theory favoring freedom of action for individuals over collective or state control
agriculture the practice of farming, including the cultivation of soil for the growing of crops and the rearing of animals to provide food and other products
industrialized industries are developed on a wide scale
Industrial Revolution the rapid development of industry that occurred in Britain in the late 18th and 19th centuries, brought about by the introduction of machinery
virtuous cycle a recurring cycle of events, the result of each one being to increase the beneficial effect of the next
pandemic (of a disease) prevalent over a whole country or the world
affluent having a great deal of money
democracy a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives
dissident a person who opposes official policy, especially that of an authoritarian state
progressive favoring or implementing social reform or new, liberal ideas
constitution a body of fundamental principles according to which a state is acknowledged to be governed
polarization driven into two sharply contrasting groups of opinions or beliefs