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Chapter 29 Outline – The West in the 20th CenturyVI. The Present Era (1914 – Present)The West in the 20th CenturyThe Disarray in the West, 1914-1945 (The period between WW1 and WW2)WW1 had many damaging results on the West (U.S. and western Europe)Over 10 million people killed – major demographic impact as not many men left in some nationsLand was destroyed, economies ruined, and many empires collapsedThe Roaring TwentiesDespite the problems after WW1, there was a brief period of optimism in the 1920sKellogg-Briand Pact (1928) = several nations agreed to outlaw war, showed optimism of 1920s Politics = Right wing groups emerged (wanted authoritarian government) while left wing groups split (many became communist)Germany - became democracy, but many Germans didn’t accept constitutionGreat Britain - Labour Party replaced Liberal party as 2nd biggest party in nationEconomics = economies boomed by mid-1920s as mass consumption grew (people bought radios, cars, and household appliances)Culture = 1920s saw tremendous cultural creativity (movies, plays with audience participation)Women, especially in middle class, made major changes and gained more rights and independenceMany nations granted women suffrage after WW1 (ex: U.S., G.B., and Germany)Women had more time for leisure activities, wore less restrictive clothing, began to date moreThe Impact of the DepressionGreat Depression began in 1929 when the U.S. stock market crashedGovernments reacted poorly to depression, raising tariffs which hurt trade even morePolitical polarization grew as result of depression (both communist and far-right parties grew)There were a few examples of governments reacting well to the Great DepressionScandinavian states increased government spending (foreshadowed welfare state), and similarly in the U.S., the New Deal was started by FDRThe Great Depression resulted in many parliamentary governments (democracies) to be too divided to do anything, and in some cases, the parliamentary system was overthrown Example: France = political polarization (socialist and communist parties grew large, as did right wing groups) led to parliamentary system breaking downPopular Front (1936) = Left wing groups (liberals, socialists, communists) united to gain power, but Popular Front fell in 1938 as competition from right-wing groups grewThe Challenge of FascismThe Great Depression led to the rise of a new fascist regime in GermanyFascism = nationalist inspired right-wing movement for more authoritarian government; many supporters were ex-soldiers who attacked weakness of parliamentary democracyFirst fascist regime came to power in Italy in 1922 under dictator Benito MussoliniHitler rose to power promoting the need for German unity and the weakness of parliamentary systemBelieved state (government) should have great power and blamed Jews for Germany’s problemsHitler gave Germans hope that the depression could be overcomeNazis won many votes in Germany, leading to Hitler to legally rise to power in early 1930sOnce in power, Hitler created a totalitarian state (government with total control over its citizens)Eliminated opposition political parties and opponents using his Gestapo (secret police force)Hitler improved German economy, largely due to military spending (which created jobs)Hitler praised sports and physical training, and used propaganda, nationalism, and attacks on Jews to cement his powerHitler had a deep hatred of JewsUsed them as scapegoat for economic problems in GermanyJews forced to wear yellow stars, their property was attacked and seized, and they were sent to concentration camps (where he soon began plan to eliminate all Jews from Europe)After World War II: International Setting for the WestEurope and Its ColoniesDecolonization (Europe’s colonies gaining freedom) had major impact on post-WW2 western EuropeFrance fought to keep its colony: lost Vietnam in 1954 and Algeria in 1962Despite some fights, decolonization was mostly peacefulDecolonization had major impact on the West as Europe’s power in the world was greatly reduced (ex: Suez Crisis of 1956 – G.B. and France tried to control Suez Canal but forced to withdraw by both the U.S. and Soviet Union)The Cold WarThe Cold War also had major impacts on post-WW2 western EuropeU.S. began to have major leverage over western Europe, and western Europe feared Soviet aggression (Soviet threat also made Canada, Australia, and New Zealand work closely with U.S.)New Directions in the West3 major changes occurred in West after WW2: expansion of democracy, changes in national rivalries, and economic growth (which reduced social tensions)The Spread of Liberal DemocracyWhen fascist regimes were defeated in WW2, they lost popularity to parliamentary democraciesChristian Democratic movement = wanted democracy and social reforms (western Europe moved toward democracy and greater welfare programs – became more leftist)After WW2, Germany, Italy, and France (which had been taken by Nazis) needed new governmentsWest Germany created as a democracy (called Federal Republic of Germany)Parliamentary systems spread throughout western Europe, as did universal suffrageBy the 1980s, western Europe was more politically unified than ever beforeThe Welfare StateBy 1948, most western European nations had become welfare states (when government takes responsibility for the social well-being of its citizens)U.S. (through the New Deal and then Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society (Medicare/Medicaid)) and Canada (comprehensive medical insurance) moved toward welfare states like western EuropeThe welfare state had many programs designed to improve the lives of citizensWelfare states provided unemployment insurance, medical care, affordable housing, etc.Welfare state still recognized importance of private business (unlike communism), although the government increased its role in the economyGovernment planning offices established to regulate economy (U.S. only Western state not to)Despite variations, role of the state loomed large in West from 1940s onwardTechnocrat = new breed of bureaucrat that had intense training in engineering or economics and b/c of devotion to national planning came to the forefront in government officesPolitical Stability and the Question MarksWelfare states provided help for those in need, and thus amount of political protest went down, though series of student-led protests in 1960s challenged the stability (ex: civil rights protests and protests against the Vietnam War in the U.S.)In 1970s, environmentalist movement and women’s rights movement emergedAs West faced economic recession in 1970s, other signs of political change occurredConservative Party grew in Britain (and it’s equivalent Republican Party in U.S. grew)Margaret Thatcher = Conservative who became British prime minister of G.B. in 1979; she cut welfare programs (similar to what Ronald Reagan did in U.S. at the time)Despite the changes (shifts back and forth from liberal to conservative governments), post-WW2 governments in the West lasted through the rest of the centuryWhile voting levels have gone down, no revolutions have occurredThe Diplomatic ContextIn 1947, the U.S. was eager to help western Europe recover economicallyMarshall Plan = U.S. gave billions in aid to western Europe and encouraged cooperationEuropean Economic Community (Common Market) = 6 nations (West Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg) united economically – reduced tariffs b/t members, set up fund to spur industry in lagging areas (even had court in Brussels to ensure everyone following rules)By early 1990s, G.B., Ireland, Denmark, Greece, Spain, and Portugal joined the Common MarketIn mid-1990s, Finland, Sweden, and Austria joined (Common Market became known as the European Union, and cooperation increased even more – even had single currency, the Euro)Economic ExpansionAfter WW2, western Europe suffered economic problems, but by 1950s the region was experiencing major economic growth, and the Common Market was one cause of this growthAgriculture productivity boomed, and the sale of expensive consumer goods such as automobiles and electrical appliances helped factories growGNP of western Europe was higher than ever before (even went ahead of U.S. in 1950s and 1960s)Economies of western European nations growing up to 10% annuallyNew technology caused high growth rates – less people needed to produce food, and by 1960s, the service industries rose sharply (teachers, medicine, bankers, performers, etc.)Unemployment rates were very low (2-3% in much of western Europe in 1950s and 1960s)There was need for factory workers, and immigrants filled those needsEven as taxes increased to pay for welfare states, incomes roseFrom 1960 to the early 1970s, incomes in western European nations more than doublesShopping malls, which often accompany higher standards of living, sprung up throughout western Europe (a trend that had come from the U.S.)Economic growth slowed after 1970Oil producing countries in Middle East cut production and raised prices in 1973, and again in 1979, which led to a severe recession in the Western worldBy then, Asian countries had emerged as major economic competitors (in steel production, automobiles), making it more difficult for western Europe to recoverIn early 1990s there was another bad recession and governments began cutting welfare programsSociety and Culture in the WestPostindustrial Social StructureAs economic growth occurred in the West throughout the 1900s, it eased social conflictsMore chance for social mobility, thanks to more educational opportunitiesThe Women’s RevolutionAfter WW2, major changes occurred for women and for familiesFamily leisure activities expandedTelephones and cars meant extended families could stay in better contactWomen worked outside the home more, and by 1970s females made up 44% of work force in WestFull job equality was not achieved, and most of these jobs were clerical jobsOther rights for women accompanied this shiftDuring this time women got other rights – got suffrage in areas they hadn’t previously (ex: France), got more access to higher education, divorce easier, and abortion laws easedBirth control pill (introduced 1960) gave women ability to plan when to start a familyThese changes in women’s rights led to new issues within familiesBirth rates in Western countries declined and day care became more common for childrenDivorce increased (In Great Britain, divorce rate went from 9% in 1961 to 33% by late 1970s)Despite the surge of feminism, there were still limitations on women’s rightsMen were paid more (even for doing the same job)New feminism = movement for women’s equalityThe Feminine Mystique (1963) = book urging women’s equality, written by feminist Betty Friedan who began the National Organization for Women (NOW) in 1966Western Culture: Creativity and UncertaintyWestern culture in 20th century displayed more creativity but also more signs of tensionArtists and composers stressed stylistic innovationsScientific work flourished, as scientists made great strides, and science became more specializedStudies in physics led to ability to build atomic bombStudies in biology focused largely on genetics (by 1950s had breakthroughs in understanding of DNA and how genetic info is transferred)Studies in biology led to major improvements in health care (in 1928 discovered penicillin could treat wide array of diseases)First sheep cloned in Scotland 1997, which raised ethical issues about cloningSocials sciences also advanced rapidlyJohn Keynes = economist who urged government spending in economy (idea behind New Deal)Psychologists interested in not only mental illness but trying to promote greater work efficiencyIn art, artists worked against the grain of scientistsCubist Movement = headed by Pablo Picasso rendered familiar objects as geometric shapesModern art stressed geometrical design or wild swirls of color (focus on mood)Novel remained dominant form of literature, but turned toward exploring mood and personalitiesDesigns and sculptures based on abstract art graced public building from 1920s onwardIn architecture, the modern or international style began (use of reinforced concrete, massive sheets of glass), and skyscrapers were builtArt was mostly secular, as religion played minor role in cultureChurch attendance in the West was way down (higher in U.S. than western Europe) ................
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