Several towns have tremendous influence not only within one country but throughout the world. Cities like these are critical to entire regions, with cultural, economic and political impact. Often, they have a rich history, which is why most of the global cities are vital settlements of the most developed world countries: America, Great Britain, China. This essay aims to research one of the most famous capitals of Europe, London, to analyze its belonging to this category of cities.
London is one of the oldest cities in Europe, dating back to the Roman Empire’s days. Throughout its history, the city was the capital of Roman Britain, Britain’s united kingdom, the British Empire (Ehrlich, 2019). In the last two historical periods, the city acquired tremendous significance in world culture, economy, and politics. As the capital of the British Empire, the city was the concentration of a vast number of forces and cultures. From the capital, the administration of settlements located in other parts of the world was carried out. Historically, Britain’s influence on the world was very significant; accordingly, London’s significance among other cities, even European ones, was enormous.
Thus, London has all the historical justification for being a global city. This characteristic was inherent in the city even in the post-war years after World War II when the region’s economy and politics declined (Bosetti and Brown, 2017). First of all, the accumulated history guarantees one of the most critical factors in this context – the cultural one. London attracts many people every year, and a considerable number of them are tourists eager to visit well-known places. Besides, the city is home to many world-famous politicians, scientists, creators, thanks to a massive network of first-class educational institutions. London’s universities regularly rank in the top 10 of the best universities, and the city has over 100,000 international students eager to pursue a famous British education (Bosetti and Brown, 2017). Thus, London attracts many people from all over the world due to its diverse cultural wealth.
However, while some come to get experience or knowledge, many business people visit London to make deals, sign contracts or find investors. The influence and position of the capital in the world economy are also due to the British Empire’s history. The Industrial Revolution, which the British Empire launched, helped significantly boost London’s position (Ehrlich, 2019). Thus, the foundations for the city’s massive influence on the global economy are also laid in its history. London retains its legacy by being one of the world’s largest financial centers on a par with New York (Bosetti and Brown, 2017). The human, market and digital potential of the UK capital are hard to overestimate.
The economic possibilities of London are genuinely endless due to several factors. First of all, the city historically has a colossal network of economic ties that are deeply rooted in history. Secondly, London is one of the leading centers of innovation (The global city, 2020). Finally, the capital is the central city of one of the most influential powers in the region. Even after leaving the European Union, the UK is still a powerful player in the global market, distinguished by the scale of investments. This is manifested at the level of international interactions and the household level through tens of thousands of workers who come to London every year. Like many other global cities, London’s economy is geared towards providing services, thus attracting the best talent and being an advantageous location for headquarters (Brown, 2020). Therefore, this factor is one of the strongest arguments in favor of London is a global city with a significant impact on the entire world economy.
Finally, the political significance of the capital of one of the most famous and influential European states should not be forgotten. Although Great Britain’s territory is relatively small, huge areas were part of Her Majesty’s lands at the moment of the British Empire. The influence of the English crown is still largely preserved in the former colonies. Besides, many factors give Great Britain a unique global position. For example, English is widely used as an international language, and Greenwich Mean Time is one of the world’s central time-of-day systems. Considering these factors, the enormous political influence of such a state’s capital is not surprising.
Besides, London is distinguished by introducing a variety of policies in line with current global trends. For example, the city is actively moving towards supporting cultural and national diversity in various spheres of society. According to the Mayor of London, the city should be a beacon of hope and tolerance, thereby accepting different people (Raco and Kesten, 2018). The current mayor himself is an excellent example of such a policy since he is a Muslim. Consequently, due to the quantity and quality of influence on international politics, London can be considered a global city in this aspect as well.
Thus, Great Britain’s capital has several distinctive qualities that allow it to be given such a status. First of all, the city has a rich history that goes back almost two thousand years. These historical elements have shaped London’s current culture, bringing up many of the greatest personalities who influence the rest of the world. Thanks to the concentration of forces, London has historically been one of the most important centers of the world economy, hosting the headquarters of many of the world’s companies and supporting the global investment market. Finally, London is the capital of one of the most essential and powerful world states, a nuclear power responsible for maintaining peace on the planet and many of the world’s most important decisions. Combining all these factors, it is safe to say that London is a global city in the complete sense of these words.
Reference List
Bosetti N. and Brown J. (2017) Open city: London after Brexit. Web.
Brown, J. (2020) Is the rise of the ‘global city’ coming to an end? Web.
Ehrlich, B. (2019). London. Web.
Raco, M. and Kesten, J. (2018) ‘The politicisation of diversity planning in a global city: Lessons from London’, Urban Studies, 55(4), pp. 891-916.
The global city (2020). Web.