History of Globalism

Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke has a nice overview of the history of globalism. Long in terms of an article, but I guess really short when you consider the topic.

The most interesting nugget of knowledge?

Two thousand years ago, the Romans unified their far-flung empire through an extensive transportation network and a common language, legal system, and currency. One historian recently observed that "a citizen of the empire traveling from Britain to the Euphrates in the mid-second century CE would have found in virtually every town along the journey foods, goods, landscapes, buildings, institutions, laws, entertainment, and sacred elements not dissimilar to those in his own community.

Yeah, but did they have a Starbucks in each one?

via The Federal Reserve Board via Makiw Blog