Abstract This paper examines the transformations in political structures that took place in the first part of the 20thcentury in China and Europe, in particular the area of Austro-Hungarian Empire, which was territorially-reconstructed after World War I. The paper points out that China was an Empire for two thousand years and Austro-Hungary was Europe's oldest great power. The paper argues that nationalism was the leading cause of the changes that took place. While imperial China stayed territorially more or less the same, its political structure changed significantly. The Austro-Hungarian Empire on the other hand ceased to exist, and the Empire collapsed, much like most European Empires at the time, giving birth to new nations and various forms of governments. Noting the general trend of change in both China and Europe, the paper concludes that, as empires crumbled, they were replaced by several forms of governments ranging from democracies to totalitarian regimes.
From the Paper "There were many consequences of World War I, including the ten million casualties in the armies (Esler, 2004). Also, this war significantly changed the map of Europe. The Austro-Hungarian Empire collapsed and in its place several new nations were born. The Slavic nationalists were somewhat appeased by the treaty of Versailles. Yugoslavia was formed, unifying Southern Slavs, with its core in Serbia. Czechoslovakia too was a Slavic country formed with the break up of Austro-Hungary (Sontag, 1971). The Russian Empire crumbled and was replaced with a communist revolution and regime. The treaty of Versailles also significantly weakened Germany. It was stripped of its colonies, disarmed and forced to pay reparations. Parts of it were given to Poland and the Czech Republic."
A look at the rise and fall of communism in the 20thcentury through a review of the book "Lenin's Tomb: The Last Days of the Soviet Empire" by David Remnick.
2,900 words (approx. 11.6 pages), 10 sources, 2002, $ 106.95
Abstract This paper analyzes communism in the 20thcentury while using David Remnick's book Lenin's Tomb: The Last Days of the Soviet Empire. The paper discusses the rise and fall of communism and the various countries that were affected by it while concentrating mainly on the Soviet Union.
Abstract In this article, the writer notes that most historians consider totalitarianism to be a uniquely 20thcentury phenomenon that gained ascendancy during the period between the two World Wars when several such regimes led by Hitler, Mussolini, Franco and Stalin reigned supreme. This paper reflects upon the totalitarianism of Hitler's Nazism and Stalin's Communism and examines the conditions that contributed to the popularity of totalitarianism in inter-war Europe. The writer also analyzes why the phenomenon was a specifically 20thcentury development. The writer concludes that with the decisive defeat of Germany in the Second World War and the ultimate eclipse of Communism in the Soviet Union in the 1980s, it seems that the rise of totalitarianism was a temporary phenomenon that could not survive the end of the 20thcentury.
Outline:
Why Totalitarianism Became Popular in the Post WW I Period
Stalin's Communism
Hitler's Nazism: the Ultimate Totalitarian Ideology
Why Totalitarianism was a Specifically 20thCentury Phenomenon?
Conclusion
From the Paper "The post-World War I period was one such time in recent history. The First World War had caused untold destruction in the countries where it was fought and the reparations imposed on Germany by the victorious Allied powers as well as the one-side Versailles Treaty further exacerbated the situation. All these factors led to severe social, political and economic crises in Europe. When the liberal democratic governments in most of the European countries failed to effectively tackle the severe economic and social problems such as the Great Depression of the 1930s, a belief that the existing social and political structure was unworkable gained ground and the concept of alternate forms of government started to attract a receptive audience."
Abstract In 1903 W. E. B. DuBois said that race would be the most important issue of the 20thcentury. Some have suggested that this was prescient, but viewing how the 20thcentury unfolded, it may have been optimistic of him. This paper examines how the 'race problem' has unfolded in 20thcentury America, from the the Jim Crow Laws, the segregated South and the Ku Klux Klan. The paper looks at segregation in education, sport and other areas and questions why it took so long for America to pass the Civil Rights Act. Finally, the paper looks at the progress made in America in the latter part of the century.
From the Paper "It would be easy to despair over what has and has not happened in the last century. To us, as Americans, it seems like a very long time since the Emancipation Proclamation. It seems that in over 200 years we should have accomplished more. But the sad truth is that laws and the citizens who are supposed to follow those laws don?t always run in tandem. In fact our country has a long and honored tradition of defying laws if we feel them to be unjust, starting before the Revolutionary war when Colonists climbed onto a ship in Boston Harbor and dumped tea in the salty water rather than be denied the freedom to import their tea from whomever they chose. While it seems irrational now, in the early 1950?s, many Southerners thought that their way of handling race relations was appropriate, and they resented what they viewed as federal intrusion. The governor standing on the steps of the university, with an axe handle in his hands suggesting that he would fight armed federal soldiers for what he believed in, felt as justified in his action as the Colonists did when they tossed tea into the harbor."
Tags: Woodrow, Wilson, Medgar, Evers, Malcolm, X, Martin, Luther, King
Abstract The paper discusses how the late 19th and early 20thcenturies enjoyed a prolific variety of artistic and cultural movements that forever changed the faces of visual arts, literature and music. The paper describes how the early 20thcentury in particular seemed to be a time ripe for intellectual and creative innovation. The paper mentions Pablo Picasso, Ernest Hemingway and Josephine Baker as a part of this amazing community of artists. The paper illustrates how Paris of the early 20thcentury experienced an epidemic of creativity that spilled over and infected countries around the world and started the ripples that would eventually build up to crashing waves of major artistic movements.
From the Paper "Paris reacted to the end of the war with absolute jubilance. It seems like a logical consequence that after facing half a decade of fear, violence, death and disease the city would explode into an atmosphere that nurtured anything that smacked of life. Drinking, drugs, sex, and the Running of the Bulls lured many up-and-coming and some already established artists to the city (Seigal 18). An unprecedented mingling of great minds and talents created such an artistically charged atmosphere left even the dullest among them inspired and eager to create. The city became an artist's Mecca, drawing in talents of all caliber and envy from those who couldn't make it."
Abstract This paper discusses the revolutions in India, Mexico, and Russia at the beginning of the 20thcentury. The paper presents a brief history of the British occupation of India, leading up to the unrest around the time of World War I. The paper describes the Mexican Revolution as one of the great social upheavals of the early 20thcentury and explores the economic difficulties of the country. The paper analyzes the Russian Revolution of 1917, claiming that it was a result of a strain on the political system due to Russia becoming more industrialized.
From the Paper "India came under British rule in 1757 with the ?defeat of the Nawab of Bengal at Plassey, and by 1818 the British controlled nearly all of India south of the Sutlej River and had reduced to vassalage their most powerful Indian enemies, the state of Mysore and the Marathas. Only Sind and Punjab remained completely independent (Unknown).? While Great Britain controlled the agricultural interests of India and created a negative impact on the exportation of cotton goods, they were instrumental in improving irrigation and transportation."
A discussion regarding David Welch's argument that propaganda "had an essential, and not always dishonorable, role in the conduct of affairs in the 20thcentury."
Abstract This paper reviews and discusses the role that propaganda played in the 20thcentury. The paper discusses David Welch's opinion of the impact and influence that propaganda had on the 20thcentury, and argues against some of his arguments. The paper is written from a personal perspective.
From the Paper "When Welch writes that "propaganda is most effective when it reinforces already held ideas and beliefs," I think he's right. The problem with that is that, though, is that the recipient of the propaganda has to be willing to receive it. If one is unwilling to believe the propaganda, it won't be effective. I think that's why so many people don't vote anymore - they're too cynical of the process and information they receive from those who want to hold office. For use on political activists on each end of the political spectrum, propaganda can be quite effective, but the disseminator of the propaganda isn't really influencing their opinions."
Abstract This paper discusses how Canadian women went through a shift in their labor market position over the course of the 20thcentury, towards less exclusion and more entitlement to waged work. The paper shows how the division of labor has changed through the 20thcentury towards greater female equality in the workplace, entitlement and security. It then discusses how, in spite of the changes, women still appear to work for less income than men while also continuing with childcare duties.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
World War I
World War II
A Society Described as One Society
Reflection and Discussion
Conclusion
From the Paper "One begins to wonder too how typical working class girls were, as none of the materials seem to refer to women who went to university, took business courses, taught school, served as nurses in the World Wars or, for that matter, completed medical school in the later 19th century. A reader could get the idea that such women did not exist in Canada till the 1950s or later. One also begins to think of wives and mothers who were widows after World War I and how they managed - their work in raising children on small pensions, apparently, not something in which we should be interested, today. What do the authors see as women's paid work and why is it so very important compared to other women's achievements that perhaps do not have to do with the boring topic of class formation or industrial labour. A reader who was not curious would be given nothing with which to imagine the kinds of societies in which women lived through the early 20th century. Canada had no 'safety net' till after 1945, and this is very important in terms of how one tries to see the world to which women were born. (See Porter 2003) The custom of seeing men employed, who would then support women and children, came from something other than wishing to 'imprison' women in the home, as they were responsible for dependents where deep poverty was possible. If a man lost his income, there could be serious deprivation for several people who depended on him in the absence of state relief."
Abstract An 11-page paper explaining Korean cultural reactions to political and economic hardship through the course of the 20thcentury. As a country and culture long positioned between aggressive powers, Korean civilization is used to self-direction, incorporating some influences and moving away competing forces of influence.
Abstract This paper examines how the United States and Europe saw a number of changes during the 20thcentury. It compares the two in terms of science and technology, religion, politics and economics, leisure time, the roles of women, art, music and literature, and fashion and debates whether it can be seen as a time of Renaissance.
Outline
Introduction
Science and Technology
Religion, Politics, and Economics
Leisure Time
Roles of Women
Music, Art, Literature, and Fashion
Conclusion
From the Paper "In the 1960s, the United States began to lose some of its power, due to incidences such as the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Vietnam War. However, Europe had recovered from World War II, and "slowly began to put its footprints on the world arena. Germany still suffering from the shame of Nazism, plunged itself into an economic revolution, and slowly became a first class economic power in the early 1970s. Under the leadership of Charles De Gaulle, France quickly established itself a niche in Europe by serving the central point for economic integration (Asmar, 1999)."
Abstract This paper argues that President John F. Kennedy was the most influential person of the 20thcentury because he signed the Limited Test Ban Treaty of 1963 which prohibited nuclear weapons tests or any other nuclear explosion in the atmosphere, in outer space, and under water - making the world safer for everyone.
From the Paper "In a portion of the speech, Kennedy cited the achievements of the Russian people in science and space, in economic and industrial growth, in culture and in acts of courage. He pointed out that no nation in the history of battle suffered more than the Soviet Union suffered during the course of W.W. II, and noted that at least 20 million lives were lost in that war."
Abstract This paper looks at imperialism in the 20thcentury. It takes a look at both the pro-imperialism and anti-imperialism points of view. Included are the pro-imperialism ideologies of Teddy Roosevelt and Adolph Hitler and the anti-imperialism arguments of Frantz Fanon and Mahandas Gandhi,as well as others. The political ideas of expansionism and protectionism are explored.
From the Paper "As the 20th century unfolded, the struggle for and against imperialism continued escalate and became a dominant issue on the world political stage. While political figures in countries as disparate as Nazi Germany and the United States supported and justified imperialism, those who were subjects of it willingly put their lives on the line to oppose it and, hopefully, bring it to an end. For the most part, the pro-imperialist, based their arguments on economic need and/or racism. Such is true in the cases of Jules Ferry, Theodore Roosevelt, and Adolph Hitler. On the other hand, those who stood against imperialism based their arguments on human rights and self-determination. Just before the dawn of the 20th century, both Ferry of France and Roosevelt of the United States led the charge for expansionism by their respective countries."
Abstract This paper discusses the economic and social conditions in Canada during the 19th and 20thcenturies that impacted and altered the definitions of Reform and Orthodox Jewry in that country.
From the Paper "The definitions of Reform and Orthodox Judaism is difficult to discern even in the most transparent circumstances, as in the emergence of Reform Judaism as a means for the Jewish community to better connect with the gentile communities within the surrounding regions in Europe. However, the immigration of Judaism to Canada in the 19th and 20th centuries created conditions in which all Judaism was to some degree altered significantly by the social, economic, and political circumstances in which the events occurred, therefore suggesting that no engagement in traditional Jewish traditions could be perceived as typically Orthodox in nature; conversely, reform was so pervasive in all forms of Judaism that it no longer could be considered to be in keeping with the Reform movement as a whole."
A discussion of race and immigration in late 19th and early 20thcentury America, focussing on the case of "United States v. Bhagat Singh Thind," and the 1924 Immigration Act.
Abstract This paper examines how, during the late 19th and early 20thcenturies, a national debate regarding the immigration of several ethnic groups to the United States led to two major legal decisions, Thind v. United States (1923) which attempted to clarify the "Meaning of White," and the Immigration Act of 1924. Thind, a native inhabitant of India, was found ineligible for American citizenship because his physical appearance was "distinctively different" from what was defined as being white. The writer explains that this and many other racially-biased opinions were further propagated and supported by the Immigration Act of 1924. The paper concludes that, although the act was revised in 1952, it nonetheless strengthened purely racially-based viewpoints on people from different cultures and on immigration into the United States.
From the Paper "In essence, the racial/immigration debate in American society in the early days of the 20th century centered on one very simple question--what exactly is an American? With the first question, part of the answer appears to revolve around labor and employment, for in 1908, Samuel Gompers, one of the founders and original leaders of the AFL (American Federation of Labor) points out that white Americans were losing thousands of jobs to Asians, especially the Chinese and those whom he calls "Mongolian." Gomper's main argument is that "Mongolians" have made it nearly impossible for white Americans to obtain jobs involving menial labor, such as working in a factory or some other type of industry that manufactures household goods and clothing."
Abstract The paper discusses how it has become commonplace to refer to the 20thcentury as "The American Century." This paper argues that the reasons for this designation lie in the fact that during this century, the United States dominated global, political and economic relations to an extraordinary degree. As the paper shows, the institutions of the new global economy in the early 21st century - which are largely the successors of the institutions established by the United States in the 20thcentury - are likely to continue to perpetuate the power of the United States.
