Chapter 1 McKay and Bokhorst-Heng

Chapter 1 is a broad analysis of the English language globalizing.  The chapter states that there are two major themes of thought when it comes to globalization.  One is the heterogeny position supports many different types or variations of English.  The homogeny position, "views the spread of English as leading to a homogenization of world culture" and ignoring any of the local appropriations of language.  Furthermore, there is another distinguishing factor between the positions of globalization and the process of globalization.  It is important to see the social history in order to see the social future.  This is where the political side of the issue comes in, where history is so important so that the bad historical events do not repeat themselves and the good events occur more often.
The chapter discusses the colonialism of English.  Historically, during the colonial period it was rejected to speak an indigenous language and because of the European culture dominated expanded its regions, also the language dominated and expanded.  Many countries value English and wish to affiliate themselves or maybe transform themselves into an English speaking country historically because of the British power and boasting of that power.  In that same way, English had power.  If you could speak English, you could communicate with the powerful and therefore had power.
I have always wondered the demographics of world English, and now I finally know!  About 80 countries of the 198 countries in the world speak English.  This number at first seemed unimportant to me, if less than 50% of the countries spoke English that would mean that if I picked someone out of anyone in the world that I would have less than a 50% chance that they would be able to communicate with me.  However, I did not realize the actual amounts of speakers and how native spoken English is a mere 5.4% of the worlds population and native spoken Chinese is 15 percent of the worlds population (however, Chinese has many dialects that are not understood throughout). 
How can this minute percentage be so powerful?
It is shown in media, military, capital, and therefore influences what political leaders think their country should know, and then they influence the school system, and then the school system establishes English as the students second languages and English becomes understood as a lengua franca.