The March Of Globalism
Lessons from Uzbekistan: Protecting Tradition in a Globalizing World
Central Asia, savage and exotic, saw empires rise and crumble, with cities forged by bloodshed and conquest. Persianate nomads, Steppe warriors, Turkic raiders, and the Golden Horde vied for dominance over this cradle of globalization along the Silk Road. My recent travels in Uzbekistan took me to birthplace of modern international trade, the ancient city of Samarkand. The distinctive architectural grandeur of the Timurid Renaissance gives the city a timeless character. Here medieval civilizations first crossed paths and cultural secrets were exchanged. You can feel the weight of its history, an empire built by a ruthless enlightened man has crumbled into a humble landlocked nation. Now, this nation, forged at a historical crossroad, seeks to push back against the forces of globalization and reassert its identity.
The Uzbek story begins before the Bronze Age Collapse and unfolds in Sogdiana, shaped by Alexander’s Hellenism. His path of conquest reached ancient Samarkand, where he wed his Bactrian bride, Roxana, a daughter of the lands that would become Uzbekistan. The following eras saw a sharp decline in global trade, revitalized centuries later by the Silk Road under the Golden Horde’s influence and sustained by the Timurids. Nowadays, we live in a world defined by global economic interdependence, where globalization, driven by the neoliberal economic model, has become inevitable.
“Globalization refers to the expansion and intensification of social relations and consciousness across world-time and world-space. It is a multi-dimensional phenomenon involving economics, politics, culture, ideology, environment, and technology.”
- Manfred B. Steger
Steger’s definition captures the broad range of phenomena associated with an interconnected world; however, misunderstandings arise when this concept is conflated with globalism. Steger notes an “analytical distinction between globalization—a set of social processes of intensifying global interdependence—and globalisms—ideologies that endow the concept of globalization with particular values and meanings.” The American Model, underpinned by neoliberal principles, has been the driving force behind the United States’ imperial ambitions, exported as a form of soft power.
No nation on this planet has all the resources required to be truly self-sufficient while maintaining current levels of technology. This includes the USA, which, despite its vast resources, imports approximately 80% of its rare earth minerals. Economies are so interlinked that even international pariahs have substantial trade dependencies. Nations could benefit from the stability provided by strategic autarkic investments in specific industrial sectors (as frequently advocated for by this author), but modern technology can only be sustained through international trade.
Steger argues that globalization is an organic process that inevitably gives rise to ‘globalisms,’ which fill an ideological gap to facilitate and interpret the process of globalization. In medieval times, religious universalism facilitated this process, sometimes violently, as Timur the Conqueror declared himself the Sword of Islam and left a more cohesive society in the wake of his destruction. Our Uzbek story begins here.
Samarkand and the Timurid Renassiance
Amir Timur rose to power in 1370 through an intoxicating personal mythology, a claimed genealogical lineage with Genghis Khan, and ruthless strategic cunning combined with tactical brilliance. He declared himself ruler of the Chagatai Khanate and rapidly expanded his territory into an empire. He was also known as Tamerlane, a name derived from "Timur the Lame," due to his right leg being crippled by an arrow. These derogatory remarks stemmed from ressentiment; despite his limp, Timur relentlessly pursued military campaigns, rarely returning to his throne in Samarkand except during winter. Timur established a royal dynasty that gave rise to a second empire, the Mughal, founded by his great-grandson Babur.
...the dangerousness of his situation must grow to tremendous proportions, that his power of invention and dissembling must struggle up beneath protracted oppression and compulsion, that his will to live must be enhanced to an unconditional will to power and to over- power, and that danger, severity, violence, danger in the street as well as in the heart, inequality of rights, concealment, stoicism, the art of experiment, devilry of all kinds, in short the opposite of all the herd thinks desirable, are necessary for the elevation of the type man.
-Friedrich Nietzsche, The Will to Power, §957.
Timur, the founder of the Timurid Empire, merits consideration as one of Nietzsche’s “higher men” for his extraordinary will to power, expressed through vast conquests that reshaped Central Asia, Persia, and beyond to the Mediterranean. As a Sunni Muslim, he pragmatically leveraged Islam while respecting local Sufi traditions to consolidate power. The Timurid Empire’s cultural achievements, blending Turkic, Persian, and Islamic influences, fostered a vibrant renaissance under his successors, shaping the region’s artistic and intellectual legacy. This cosmopolitan legacy could be viewed as a form of 'globalism' for its era, enabling Timurid culture to spread across the Islamic world. It reflects the higher man's ability to forge new cultural values through dominance and creation, interconnecting the territories of his empire.
His conquests were marked by extreme brutality: rebellious provinces faced civilian massacres, with severed heads stacked into grim towers. Yet, despite these gruesome displays to enforce obedience, Timur was no barbarian. An enlightened ruler, he spared artists and intellectuals, employing them in his flourishing capital, Samarkand. There, they built a city of grandeur and advanced the frontiers of knowledge. The Timurid Renaissance thrived, continuing Islamic intellectual traditions by integrating Greek philosophy. Greek texts, lost in the West, were preserved and translated by Timur’s scholars, including heretical Nestorian exiles. Philosophical discovery was enriched by texts brought from the conquest of Baghdad. These works, particularly in astronomy and logic, influenced Timur’s grandson, Ulugh Beg, whose observations and research at his Samarkand observatory reached Europe via the Ottomans, contributing to Copernicus’s development of the heliocentric model.
The richness and abundance of this great capital and its district is such as is indeed a wonder to behold: and it is for this reason that it bears the name of Samarkand: for this name would be more exactly written Semiz-kent, two words which signify “Rich-Town”, for Semiz in Turkish is fat or rich and Kent means city or township: in time these two words having been corrupted into Samarkand
-Ruy Gonzalez de Glavijo, Embassy to Tamerlane, 1403-1406.
Timur took a keen interest in Samarkand’s architecture, guiding artisans to craft intricate tilework and grand structures. The blue-tiled domes of the Timurid style became central to Uzbek architecture and inspired the iconic dome of the Taj Mahal. Samarkand’s magnificence, shaped by Timur’s personal touch, drew interest from across the medieval world. It swiftly emerged as the grand bazaar of the Silk Road. Traders flocked from across the globe to this nexus and lodestone of a new era of global trade. European merchants haggled with Chinese silk traders, while the tantalizing aromas of exotic spices from the East wafted through the air, sparking the curiosity of culinary minds. Europeans brought furs, wool, and linens; their metallurgy and Venetian glass were highly prized. The intricacy of their clockmaking captivated traders and spread across Asia. They traded for Persian carpets and Indian gems, bringing home Timurid manuscripts adorned with intricate calligraphy and geometric designs, which influenced Renaissance artisans in their decorative arts.
The Silk Road’s trade routes prospered and created interdependent economies, not unlike our contemporary world. European economies became dependent on luxury goods like silk, spices, and precious metals from Asia, which fueled demand for long-distance trade and shaped early global economic networks. Similarly, modern globalization relies on interconnected supply chains for technology, energy, and consumer goods, with cities like Samarkand now adapting to this system by catering to tourism. The Samarkand Bazaar now sells goods for tourists, including pottery, textiles, and various bric-à-brac. Smaller bazaars serve locals, who still prefer to buy fresh meat, and supermarkets in the vicinity of a bazaar are not foolish enough to compete, omitting meat departments entirely.
The might used by Timur to forge a new culture and connect the world for the first time since is required now to achieve the opposite, and reduce the interconnections that gnaw away at our cultures. In our era where the reigning ideology of globalism erodes local traditions and homogenize identities, we must wield that same fierce resolve to protect and revive the unique tapestries of our heritage.
Tashkent Forging Its Own Destiny
City-states often emerge from the collapse of larger empires, as seen with the Italian city-states that flourished after the fall of the Roman Empire. The political fragmentation of the 5th century enabled cities like Venice, Florence, and Genoa to thrive by leveraging trade and local governance, becoming significant political powers during the medieval period. Similarly, Tashkent, situated at the crossroads of four great powers, declared its independence as a city-state in rebellion.
Tashkent experienced a period of political instability, with rulership frequently changing among foreign powers. The Mongol Dzungars imposed a particularly oppressive regime, causing many residents to flee the city and seek refuge in Russia. The defeat of the Dzungars by the Chinese created a power vacuum, leading to internal conflict. Tashkent was administratively divided into four districts, each governed by a hakim (mayor). One of these hakims, Yunus Khoja, sought to consolidate power by raising an army. With its support, he conquered the other districts, unifying the city under his new monarchy.
Yunus Khoja established a tribal feudal monarchy and immediately began rebuilding the city. The city walls were raised to a height of 7.9 meters (26 feet) and equipped with parapets designed to hold cannons. Russian copper was imported to manufacture cannons locally. The city’s enhanced defenses enabled a successful military campaign to subjugate nomadic tribes, bringing long-awaited peace to the city. For the first time, local administration was conducted in the Uzbek language. Yunus Khoja introduced new coinage, sought advice from prominent merchants and artisans, and established a “council of elders” to convey the population’s concerns. The city soon became unique in Central Asia, fostering the urban settlement of nomadic populations while pursuing bourgeois development within a military-feudal structure tailored to their needs.
Unfortunately, the Tashkent State fell under the dominion of the Kokand Khanate after Yunus Khoja’s small army was routed in 1808. He died a year later of tuberculosis, likely contracted on the battlefield. The Tashkent City-State was a short-lived 25-year experiment but an effective one that might have persisted had Yunus Khoja settled more nomadic groups to bolster his conscription numbers, as he increasingly relied on the smaller sedentary population.
The Tashkent City-State exemplifies the successes that arise from self-determination while also serving as a cautionary tale. It marked a significant moment when the Uzbek people asserted their ethnic identity over a major economic hub. For the first time in Tashkent’s history, government documents were written in Uzbek, rejecting Persian and Russian as the preferred languages. However, it also highlights the vulnerability of smaller states, as larger powers absorb self-determined entities, driven by the organic forces of globalization that compel nations to consolidate power and expand their territorial reach.
Uzbekistan Today
“Culture, handicrafts and tourism are rapidly becoming inseparable partners. Local crafts are important elements of culture, and people travel to see and experience other cultures, traditions and ways of living. Crafts products form an important element of the purchases made by tourists, providing an important economic input to the local economy.”
Uzbekistan, like many other nations, recognizes that traditions have become commodified. However, during my travels, I observed that these tourist-oriented handicrafts also benefit local communities. The Ministry of Culture has invested significant effort in preserving traditional crafts and ensuring their techniques are passed on to future generations as a vital part of the economy. The goods they produce are not just overpriced souvenirs sold in tourist traps, but can be found all over the city. Traditional clothing being subsidized by these initiatives renders them highly affordable for locals.
The government encourages citizens to wear traditional chapans on Fridays, an initiative that has gained traction among young women (a similar trend can be observed in Vietnam). Female college students have enthusiastically embraced this practice, and it is common to see women showcasing stylish chapans designed with a modern flair. However, many young men consider chapans outdated and seek to distance themselves from their elders, who often wear them daily. Overall, the initiative has been successful, boosting the popularity of traditional clothing among the youth.
The Uzbek government has effectively countered the decline of tradition by subsidizing the cultural economy in a way that benefits the local population. In a future article, we will revisit Uzbek government policies, comparing them with other governments’ approaches to preserving and revitalizing traditional crafts and practices.
Final Thoughts While Returning Home
To walk through an ever-changing world, where past and present unfurl simultaneously amid ancient ruins, Potemkin reconstructions, and tourist traps, all interwoven with vibrant local life, is to experience Uzbekistan. This enigmatic country is home to diverse ethnic groups, such as Tajiks, who settled there during the ancient days of nomadic migrations. In Samarkand, Tajiks speak a dialect distinct from that of their ethnic kin in Tajikistan and share a closer cultural affinity with Uzbeks. Here, Russian serves as a common language, yet the people have resisted Russification. It is a far cry from the glory of Timurid Empire, but here you can find a nation of proud people.
I discovered a part of the world that is under-appreciated and rarely studied in Western cultures. This region offers a wealth of lessons, with a cultural lore as captivating as that of Ancient Rome. Here, the forces of globalization are both resisted and selectively embraced, as evidenced by the influx of Chinese electric vehicles and ambitious construction projects. The new architecture blends a distinctive character with echoes of historical styles. Proud of their traditions, this nation steadfastly resist the uniformity of the modern world. The Uzbeks resist globalism while accepting the inevitabilities of globalization.
Explore Central Asia if you get the chance.
Omnia mea mecum porto
Worked Cited
Marozzi, Justin. 2006. Tamerlane: Sword of Islam, Conqueror of the World. Da Capo Press.
Nietzsche, Friedrich. The Will to Power. Translated by Walter Kaufmann and R. J. Hollingdale, Vintage Books, 1968.
“Protection and Promotion of Cultural Heritage in the Republic of Uzbekistan.” Political Reflection Magazine, 20 Jan. 2022, politicalreflectionmagazine.com/2022/01/20/protection-and-promotion-of-cultural-heritage-in-the-republic-of-uzbekistan/.
Sokolov, Y (1965). Ташкент, ташкентцы и Россия [Tashkent, People of Tashkent and Russia] (in Russian). Tashkent: publishing house "Uzbekistan".
Subsidizing the cultural traditions makes sense to me.
Wow, i had no idea.