AROUND THE WORLD IN 150 YEARS
On October 2, 1872, Phileas Fogg set off from the Reform Club in London to circumnavigate the world in 80 days.
His journey was fictional, but not fanciful. French author Jules Verne was fascinated by the fantastical, but unlike previous books where characters journeyed to the centre of the earth or 20,000 leagues under the sea, Fogg’s voyage showcased how technology – specifically the steam engine – was shrinking the world, bringing people and cultures closer together.
One hundred and fifty years on, being able to travel around the world has changed the world. International travel and trade have created unprecedented wealth while intensifying desperate poverty. Goods are manufactured wherever labour is easiest to exploit. Factories are built where environmental regulations are less strict. The race to secure resources has led countries to meddle in each other’s affairs if their own economic interests are threatened.
Then there’s ourselves. We’ve all become world travellers, able to jet off on a jolly holiday whenever and wherever we like, depending on our budget. But frequent flying has fuelled the climate crisis. Not to mention the pandemic. Lockdowns couldn’t contain a global population that depends on travel to work or visit spread-out families. Our international connectedness and interdependence led to all our lives being put on hold.
Moving around has become fundamental to our lives, whether we’re
