The Crisis of Democracy and the Rise of Totalitarianism
The Context of the Crisis of Democracies
After the First World War, democracy consolidated in Western and Nordic Europe and extended to new states in Central and Eastern Europe. The expansion of individual rights, the extension of universal male suffrage, and in some cases female suffrage, led to the introduction of multiparty parliamentary democracy. By 1920-1921, all states except Russia and Hungary were democracies or parliamentary systems.
However, democratic governments were unable to resolve
Read MoreImperialism, World War I, and the Russian Revolution
Imperialism: Definition and Global Impact
Imperialism: The takeover of a country or territory by a stronger nation with the intent of dominating the economic, political, and social life of the people of that nation.
Consequences of Imperialism
- Obligation to convert
- Indoctrination
- Loss of life
- Loss of language and natural resources
- Loss of identity
The First World War (1914–1918)
The First World War began on July 28, 1914, and ended on November 11, 1918. It was an armed confrontation on a world scale in
Read MoreAmerican Revolution Causes and Significance
American Revolution: Causes and Significance
Three Major Causes of the American Revolution
1. Taxation Without Representation
The French and Indian War (1756–1763) was extremely expensive for Britain. To pay off the incurred debt, the British government decided to tax the American colonies. Several tax acts, such as the Stamp Act and the Townshend Act, were levied—and subsequently repealed—in an attempt to pay for the war, the soldiers stationed in the colonies, and the goods sent from England.
Read MoreTreaties, Indigenous Rights, and Section 35 in Canada
Treaties, Indigenous Rights, and Section 35
The phrase “law at the edge of empire,” used by historian Peter Hoffer, really shows how messy and complicated the treaties between the British and Indigenous peoples were during colonization. Hoffer meant that these treaties sat in a space where British law met Indigenous law; neither side saw things the same way. The British wanted treaties to bring Indigenous nations into their legal system, but Indigenous peoples already had their own laws, customs,
Read More1876 Law Abolishing Basque Fueros Under Alfonso XII
21 July 1876 Law
The text we have this time is a letter in which several articles from a legal law are kept. It deals with the matter of eliminating the Basque Fueros. It was written by the Spanish Courts and the king in force, Alfonso XII, in 1876, after the end of the 3rd Carlist War.
Context of the Carlist Wars
In the 1st Carlist War, Basque people supported Carlists in order to maintain the Fueros. As Carlists were defeated, some reforms were made in those Fueros. After the Glorious Revolution
Read MoreFrench Revolution: Causes, Events, and Aftermath
Situation in France Before the Revolution
Ancient Regime:
- Society: Estate-based, with 3 estates. The 1st and 2nd estates were privileged, while the 3rd estate was non-privileged.
- Economy: Based on agriculture, using old methods and systems. Privileged estates owned most of the land.
- Politics: Absolutism; the monarch held all political power.
New Ideas Like the Enlightenment:
- Society: Promoted natural rights such as equality and liberty, and freedom of thought and expression.
- Economy: Advocated for the