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Resistance to
Globalization After 1900

Explore how nations, movements, and ideologies pushed back against global integration throughout the twentieth and twenty-first centuries: from economic nationalism to cultural revivalism.

AP World History

What Is Globalization?

Globalization is the increasing interconnection of economies, cultures, and political systems across the world. After 1900, advances in transportation, communication, and trade accelerated this process dramatically.

Economic
Free trade agreements, multinational corporations, and global supply chains
Cultural
Spread of media, language, food, and consumer culture across borders
Political
International organizations like the UN, WTO, IMF, and World Bank

Why Did People Resist?

Globalization created winners and losers. While some regions prospered, others faced economic disruption, cultural erasure, and political dependency. Resistance emerged wherever people felt that global forces threatened their sovereignty, identity, or livelihoods.

Forms of Resistance

Resistance Economic Cultural Political Religious / Ideological Tariffs, nationalization, import substitution Language revival, indigenous movements, anti-Western media Anti-colonial movements, sovereignty assertions Fundamentalism, communism, fascism as alternatives

The Core Framework

When analyzing any act of resistance to globalization on the AP exam, apply a three-part framework:

1
Cause: What global force or institution provoked the resistance? (trade policy, cultural imperialism, foreign intervention)
2
Method: What form did the resistance take? (tariffs, revolution, cultural revival, legislation, protest)
3
Outcome: Did the resistance succeed, partially succeed, or fail? What were the long-term consequences?

Anti-Globalization vs. Alternative Globalization

Anti-Globalization Alternative Globalization
Goal Reject or reverse global integration Reshape globalization on fairer terms
Example North Korea's Juche (self-reliance) Fair Trade movement
Tone Isolationist, protectionist Reformist, inclusive
Outcome Often economic stagnation Gradual policy shifts

Timeline: Major Resistance Movements

1910s
Mexican Revolution
Resistance to foreign-dominated economic policies; land reform and nationalization
1930s
Import Substitution (Latin America)
Nations replaced imported goods with domestic production to reduce dependency
1947
Indian Independence
Gandhi's Swadeshi movement: boycotting British goods, promoting self-sufficiency
1979
Iranian Revolution
Rejection of Western cultural and political influence; Islamic governance
1999
WTO Seattle Protests
Mass demonstrations against free trade policies perceived as exploitative
2016
Brexit
UK voted to leave the EU, citing sovereignty and immigration concerns

How to Analyze Resistance on the AP Exam

1
Identify the global force: Is the stimulus about trade, culture, migration, or political institutions?
2
Categorize the resistance: Is it economic, cultural, political, or ideological? Or a combination?
3
Identify continuity and change: How does this resistance compare to earlier anti-globalization efforts?
4
Evaluate effectiveness: Did the movement achieve its goals? What unintended consequences arose?
5
Connect to broader themes: Link to AP themes like state-building, economic systems, or social structures.

Example: Gandhi's Swadeshi Movement

British Goods Textiles, salt, etc. ✕ Boycott Self-Reliance Indian Independence

Example: The Iranian Revolution (1979)

The 1979 Iranian Revolution combined political, cultural, and religious resistance to globalization. The Shah's regime had embraced rapid Western-style modernization, but many Iranians saw this as a threat to their identity.

Cause
Shah's "White Revolution" imposed Western values; U.S. political influence; growing inequality
Method
Mass protests, religious mobilization under Ayatollah Khomeini, Islamic governance model
Outcome
Theocratic republic; rejection of Western cultural norms; international isolation but sovereignty preserved

Example: Economic Nationalism in Latin America

Pre-1930s Export-dependent economies ISI (1930s-1980s) Import substitution; domestic industry 1990s Neoliberal reforms re-open markets Mexico: Nationalized oil (1938) Cardenas seized foreign oil companies Argentina: Peronism (1946-55) State-led industrialization, labor rights ISI = Import Substitution Industrialization

21st Century: New Waves of Resistance

After 2000, resistance to globalization took new forms shaped by digital technology, environmental concerns, and rising populism. These movements challenge the assumption that globalization is inevitable or universally beneficial.

Populist Nationalism
Brexit (2016), "America First" policies: reasserting national sovereignty over trade and immigration
Environmental
Protests against global supply chains' environmental costs; "degrowth" movements
Digital Sovereignty
China's "Great Firewall," EU data regulations (GDPR): controlling digital globalization

Cultural Resistance to Globalization

Many communities resist the homogenizing effects of global culture by reviving local traditions, protecting indigenous languages, and limiting foreign media influence.

1
Language preservation: Movements to revive Welsh, Hawaiian, Maori, and other endangered languages
2
Media quotas: France requires 40% of broadcast music to be in French; South Korea promotes Korean Wave (Hallyu)
3
Indigenous rights: Zapatista uprising (1994) protested NAFTA's impact on Mexican indigenous communities
4
Religious revivalism: Reassertion of traditional religious values against perceived Western secularism

Continuity and Change Over Time

Intensity of Resistance 1900 1930 1960 1990 2020 Economic Cultural Political Decolonization WTO protests Digital sovereignty

Common Mistakes on the Exam

✕ Treating All Resistance as Identical
Economic protectionism, cultural revival, and political revolution are distinct strategies with different causes and outcomes.
✕ Ignoring Partial Success
Many movements achieved some goals while failing at others. Avoid labeling resistance as simply "successful" or "failed."
✕ Forgetting Agency
Non-Western peoples were not passive victims. They actively shaped, adapted, and selectively adopted global forces on their own terms.

Summary: Resistance Movements Compared

Movement Type Method Outcome
Swadeshi (India) Economic / Cultural Boycott, self-reliance Independence (1947)
ISI (Latin America) Economic Tariffs, nationalization Mixed: growth then debt
Iranian Revolution Political / Religious Revolution, theocracy Sovereignty; isolation
Zapatistas (Mexico) Cultural / Political Armed uprising, advocacy Autonomy; ongoing
Brexit (UK) Political / Economic Referendum, withdrawal Sovereignty; trade costs

Question 1 of 5

Gandhi's Swadeshi movement is best characterized as which form of resistance to globalization?

Question 2 of 5

Import Substitution Industrialization (ISI) in Latin America during the mid-20th century was primarily a response to:

Question 3 of 5

Which of the following best distinguishes "anti-globalization" from "alternative globalization"?

Question 4 of 5

This passage best reflects which type of resistance to globalization?

Question 5 of 5

China's "Great Firewall" and the EU's GDPR regulations are best understood as 21st-century examples of: