The political and social upheaval that occurred in Europe during the last half of the nineteenth-century led to the collapse of power distribution, and this collapse led to the bloodiest wars in human history.
Leading up to the World Wars, the face of government changed drastically. There was a bitter divide between conservatives and liberals in many nations; one group wished to restore European society to the way it was prior to the French Revolution, while the other strove for progress. This political tension led to the creation of new political ideologies: socialism, communism, and anarchism. These new parties played a major role in the disruption of the balance of power. Socialism and communism were favored amongst the working class, and the lines between social classes began to blur. The goal of anarchists was to dismantle the government by creating fear through assassinations and random attacks.
The most powerful countries of Europe were going through great changes. Great Britain was in the midst of an industrial revolution, with which came social progress. However, its conflicts with Ireland and the Boers of South Africa created a negative opinion regarding Britain's foreign policy, initiating an era of isolationism.
France experienced a great defeat in the Franco-Prussian War, during which Napoleon III was captured and exiled. A new French government called the Commune was created. The Commune was radical, and class warfare resulted. Many failed efforts to reestablish the monarchy led to the creation of democratic France by default.
After winning the Franco-Prussian War, Prussia united a series of Germanic states, creating Germany and the Second Reich. Under the rule of the Prussian king Wilhelm II and Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, Germany was considered moderately democratic due to its policy of universal male suffrage. However, the wealthy controlled the parliament, and a series of crusades were led against Catholics and socialists.
The changes mentioned above, as well as others, indicate a change in the balance of power throughout Europe was inevitable. Many monarchs and autocrats were no longer in power, and the political environments changed completely. These upsets led to the World Wars, which further changed the face of European politics.
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Was the breakdown of the global multi-polar distribution of power during WWI through WWII highly probable? Why or why not?
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