19th Century City Growth & Internet's Global Impact

19th Century City: Growth and Transformation

With the start of the first industrial revolution, the city experienced great growth and a remarkable transformation:

• Trams and trains allowed the urban space to be extended on the surface. Improved building techniques and the generalization of lifts allowed buildings to grow in height, with taller structures.
• Population growth necessitated the demolition of city walls and the design of new urban plans.

The extension of the town took place along the tram and rail lines, taking a tentacular form. The transport network was radial.

The city center brought together economic activities, except for industry, which was located on the outskirts.

In the historical center, planned neighborhoods with a grid road layout were developed.

Foreign workers' quarters were located in areas with a messy layout and poor-quality housing.

Location of Multinational Companies

The headquarters of multinational corporations were located in developed countries, demonstrating their dominance. However, the distribution of subsidiaries was less lopsided. Latin American countries lost attractiveness for investment, except for Mexico, with its many maquiladoras. Conflict and instability reduced the presence of multinational enterprises.

Internet: The Network of Networks

Since the eighties of the twentieth century, the union of information technology and telecommunications generated enormous possibilities for real-time information transmission. Initially, each worked on a separate computer. Finally, the Internet became a network of networks that connects computers around the globe. Initially, the use of the Internet was purely military, and also for research and education at universities.

• With the Internet, it is possible to transmit text, data, etc., between computers in real time. You can access an enormous amount of information using telephone networks, electrical lines, or optical fiber.
• The Internet has revolutionized the way people work at companies and institutions engaged in very different activities.

The role of the Internet has been key in the economic globalization process. Stock markets are also global because of the instant information about what happens in the stock markets around the planet.