According to Merriam Webster dictionary, globalization is "the development of an increasingly integrated global economy marked especially by free trade, free flow of capital, and the tapping of cheaper foreign labor markets". This sort of development is usually, throughout history, the result of imperialism. Stronger, more developed nations move in and take over the systems of a weaker, less technologically advance people group and set up their own systems, government, society, and economy usually to the stronger country's own monetary or global benefit.
This cultural imperialism causes drastic changes to the culture and nature of the people who are being subdued. It not only serves to take the native culture out of power and authority, but it also gives the imperialist nation a means of gaining capital at the imperialized nation's expense, whether this expense be trade, customs, language, religion, family, or even lives.
Throughout history imperialism has thrived as a practice of the Western powers. Britain took control over India, a people group who had been expanding, trading, and thriving for centuries previous. Spain conquered the South American and Mexican regions and even southern portions of North America, taking over the livelihoods and enslaving the natives whom had dwelled in the areas for centuries as well, practicing many different forms of music, dance, hunting, healing, and craftsmanship. This practice has endured up until today as the United States is a leading global power that is currently in the Middle East trying to set up a democracy.


This video is an interesting perspective of students on cultural imperialism.


Several films and other types of media throughout history have served as depictions of this sort of cultural domination. From the 1995 children's Disney film Pocahontas in which the British army comes to the north eastern area of North America and attempts to gain control over the natives in order to ultimately build on the land, expand their borders, and call it their home. In this clip from the movie, the native American woman Pocahontas criticizes the British way of thinking and demonstrates the beauty and color of her own "savage" people.



In this montage of films that portrays the white race moving in on a culture and taking over, the media generated illustration of imperialism is demonstrated. The people group takes over of imposes, someone of the opposite races fall in love, an emotional attachment is born in which a new drive to protect the subjects is created, and finally a war results.


Although it is known that many white imperialists took wives of the people that they were imposing on, I am critical of the romantic nature of such a relationship. But, it makes for a good Hollywood film.