Americanization
The term Americanization was first introduced in the early 1900’s, when assimilation was believed necessary to turn immigrants in the USA into Americans. The process of Americanization in this context usually involved learning English as well as American culture, customs, and dress.
Today, Americanization refers to the American influence on the culture of other countries around the world. This influence can be seen in many areas, including fashion, entertainment, technology, and government. There are some that see Americanization and Globalization as one and the same. Globalization seems most visible when connected to Americanization – for example, the presence of American fast-food restaurants in countries across the globe, and the casual ‘jeans-and-a-t-shirt’ style of dress in the USA adopted by many cultures. |
It might be said that globalization has benefited the dominant nations of the world more than any other. The position of these economies allows them to influence their lifestyle and politics on less powerful nations. The United States and Americanization is a perfect example of this, as the growth of the American economy is undeniably linked to Americanization of less dominant countries and their resources, including foreign peoples as a labor force. The United States has had a strong military presence in many countries around the world at one point or another, aiding to the growth of Americanization.
Canada has been so immersed in American culture, that most Canadians are oblivious to it. But when one steps back and looks at Canadian culture, American influence is undeniable. Canada is overrun with American industries - McDonalds, Wal-Marts, Apple - the list is huge. A startling example is the introduction of Black Friday in Canada. This "shop-'til-you-drop" weekend, immediately after American thanksgiving, involves impressive deals in stores throughout the United States, and is often the beginning of Christmas shopping. Throughout the last decade Black-Friday has slowly made its way across the border, and in 2014 the weekend became a full-blown Canadian affair. This single example of Americanization in Canada clearly shows that the influence of its southern neighbour cannot be denied.
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