What term describes the increasing interconnectedness of economies, cultures, and politics around the world since the late 20th century?

• A. Globalization
• B. Globalism
• C. Internationalization
• D. Westernization

Answer: (B)

The idea being tested is the growing interconnectedness of economies, cultures, and politics across the world. The best fit here is globalism, because it captures the sense of the world functioning as a single, interdependent system and reflects the perspective that events in one region can ripple through many others. This term emphasizes not just the process of becoming more connected, but the idea that global networks—trade, finance, communication, international institutions—shape policy, culture, and daily life worldwide.

Globalization is often used to describe the actual process of increased cross-border ties—the channels, exchanges, and rapid flows that make interdependence possible. Globalism, by contrast, leans into the broader system and worldview that views the world as a connected whole and highlights the coherence of this global framework. The other options are narrower: internationalization refers more to expanding activities across borders without necessarily forming the integrated global system, and Westernization centers on the influence of Western ideas and practices rather than the full scope of global interdependence.