2. Dave Zirin: World Cup
Key Terms and Concepts
FIFA / IOC
neoliberalism
austerity
security
favelas and displacement
social movement tactics
democracy / self-governance
construction industry
environmental impact
3. Marks: Origins of the Modern World
Introduction, Chapters 1, 2, and 3
5. Introduction
What do we mean by Eurocentrism?
● Idea that Europe is naturally superior
● View of history that centers Europe
(pages 8-9)
6. Introduction
What do we mean by Eurocentrism?
● Idea that Europe is naturally superior
● View of history that centers Europe
(pages 8-9)
How does Origins of the Modern World challenge
Eurocentrism?
8. Introduction
What is the goal of the book?
to show how the current world system got put in
place - the historical, economic, political, social
forces that produced modern globalization
11. Chapter 1
What does Marks mean by biological old
regime? (pages 22-24)
What were the results of the agricultural
revolution (and why does Marks say some
authors disagree with calling it a “revolution”)?
(pages 24-26)
12. Chapter 1
What does it mean to describe the world pre-
1800s as polycentric?
And what, according to Marks, changed the
polycentric nature of the globe?
13. Chapter 1
What does it mean to describe the world pre-
1800s as polycentric?
And what, according to Marks, changed the
polycentric nature of the globe?
18th century European imperialism, resulting
in a few centers (core) which colonized
much of the globe (periphery). (page 35)
14. Chapter 1
Marks discusses the bubonic plague and its
impact on Europe (pages 36-38).
What do we learn about this plague, and
how does it illustrate the concept of
conjuncture?
15. Chapter 2
What were the nature and scope of Chinese
trade in the 15th century?
What brought China’s sea voyages to an
end?
16. Chapter 2
What were the nature and scope of Chinese
trade in the 15th century?
What brought China’s sea voyages to an
end?
Internal political battle resolved by focusing
on protecting China from Mongols in the
North, extending the Great Wall (page 48).
18. Chapter 2
What does dar al-Islam describe? (page 53)
the “home of Islam”: places where Islam is
practiced and educated people spoke or
wrote Arabic, the language of the Quran.
19. Chapter 2
How was the spread of Islam significant for
world history at this time?
20. Chapter 2
How was the spread of Islam significant for
world history at this time?
It helped create common culture and
language, and cut Europe off from the Indian
Ocean, leading in part to Europe’s “dark
ages.”
21. Chapter 2
What was a common source of wealth in Africa,
and how did this wind up being significant?
What was a common source of wealth in
Europe during this time?
22. Chapter 2
What was the nature and significance of
warfare in Europe in the period of 1000 to
1500? (pages 57-60)
23. Chapter 2
What was the nature and significance of
warfare in Europe in the period of 1000 to
1500? (pages 57-60)
● Wars were constant
● Warfare drove European states to a
common form
24. Chapter 2
What was the nature and significance of
warfare in Europe in the period of 1000 to
1500? (pages 57-60)
● Wars were constant
● Warfare drove European states to a
common form
○ territorial-based
○ towns and cities to generate wealth
○ population large enough to sustain armies
25. Chapter 2
What did Portugal introduce to sea-trade that
changed it forever? (page 62)
26. Chapter 3
From 1500 to 1800, empires flourished across
the globe.
● What does the term sovereignty mean?
● How did empires administer their rule?
27. Chapter 3
“Pre-contact” empires of the Americas
● Aztec (page 72)
● Inca (page 73)
Spanish Empire (pages 74-82)
● What killed off most of the people
conquered by Spanish empire?
● Why did the Spanish empire not maintain
and build its wealth?
28. Chapter 3
How did the European slave trade allow the
sugar economy to develop and spread?
(pages 82-84)
29. Chapter 3
Nation-state system
● emerges out this time period
● related to demands and effects of warfare
○ wars result in consolidation - fewer states
○ infrastructure for tax collection
○ assemblies for negotiating with wealthy landowners
○ concept of “national debt”
30. Chapter 3
Nation-state system
● emerges out this time period
● related to demands and effects of warfare
○ wars result in consolidation - fewer states
○ infrastructure for tax collection
○ assemblies for negotiating with wealthy landowners
○ concept of “national debt”
● England & France emerge as power centers
from these connected process of warfare
and state-building
(pages 84-88)
31. French Revolution
The Declaration of the Rights of Man and
Citizens (1789) states, "The source of all
sovereignty resides
essentially in the nation."
What does nation mean
here and what is the
significance of this?
32. New Political Formations
The French Revolution helps establish the
modern notion of the nation-state, which
connects three things:
the state (government)
the nation (citizenry)
the land (territory)
And they are connected in a Constitutional
framework.
33. Chapter 3
Mercantalism
● Economic theory/policy related to emerging
state system
● Focused on collection of precious metals as
wealth
● Protectionism: trade restrictions to restrict
flow of metals out (to pay for foreign goods)
(pages 88-89)
