WW Chapter 15: Cultural Transformations

European imperialism altered the world in many ways, most of which were absorbed so thoroughly it's difficult to untangle them. One of the more enduring and overt legacies was the spread of Christianity. Even in secular or non-Christian majority nations, Christianity's soft power — the popularity of Christmas as a cultural tradition rooted in secular values — can be felt.

In Latin America, religious syncretism blended indigenous and Christian traditions, allowing native populations to maintain their true faith while avoiding persecution. South Asian Hindus and Muslims coalesced the most virtuous aspects of both religions to form Sikkhism. And across continents, enlightened thinkers pooled their learnings about mathematics, biology, and the cosmos to give birth to modern science.

Western soft power — its popular culture, artistic traditions, educational structures, and even fashion — is more potent now than ever before. Globalization has given rise to a global class whose differences are rapidly diminishing.