Democracy, Fascism, and the Road to World War II
The Triumph of Democracies After World War I
The Allied victory in World War I was seen as a triumph for parliamentary democracy. The authoritarian empires that collapsed were replaced by republics adopting Western democratic principles.
The Decline of Democracy in the 1920s
However, by 1922, democracy suffered a sharp slowdown in Central and Eastern Europe, and the Mediterranean region. Fascism rose in Italy, and crises occurred in Turkey, Poland, Bulgaria, Spain, and Portugal.
The Rise of Authoritarian
Read MoreFernando VII: Absolutism, Liberalism, and the Spanish Crisis
The Era of Fernando VII: Absolutism vs. Liberalism
The return of Fernando VII marked a period of significant upheaval, characterized by a struggle between absolutism and liberalism. His reign saw the cancellation of many liberal reforms.
The First Restoration (1814-1820)
In 1814, Fernando VII returned to Spain, greeted with enthusiasm by the populace. He received the ‘Manifesto of the Persians,’ a document from army officers, the Church, and conservative politicians urging him to overturn the Constitution
Read MoreDionysus and Hermes: A Classical Sculpture Analysis
Dionysus: Children with Hermes
Praxiteles
General Documentation:
Name: Hermes with Infant Dionysus
Architect: Praxiteles
Chronology: 343 BC
Current Location: Archaeological Museum of Olympia
Original Location: Temple of Hermes, in Olympia.
Style: Classical Greek
Materials Used: Marble
Construction Technique: Cuts
Topic: It represents the winner of a race, who, after much effort and tension during the test, continues to rise and make further progress while wearing a headband.
This sculpture is from the classical
Read MoreUS History: Essential Facts and Figures
How many states are there in the United States?
There are 48 contiguous states and Washington DC, and the state of Alaska in the northwest.What is the “Star-Spangled Banner”?
The Star-Spangled Banner is the national anthem of the US. It is a poem written in 1814 by the 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet Francis Scott Key.How many stars and stripes are there in the American flag and what do they mean?
There are fifty stars in total; each star represents each state of the US. The stripes are
Bourbon Restoration: Alfonso XII and Spanish Politics
The Restoration of the Bourbon Monarchy
In 1875, the Bourbon monarchy was restored with Alfonso XII, son of Isabella II, after her abdication in exile.
Its establishment was due to:
- The desire for peace in the country.
- International recognition of Prince Alfonso.
- Acceptance of the monarchy by the public.
The work of Cánovas del Castillo was crucial. He made the prince sign a manifesto in which he undertook to respect constitutionalism, liberalism, and Catholicism.
Cánovas del Castillo initiated a period
Read MoreSpain’s Restoration Era: Politics, Problems, and Dictatorship
The Political System of the Restoration
The political system was based on two pillars: the Constitution of 1876 and the turnismo, the peaceful alternation in power of the two main political parties: the Conservative Party, led by Antonio Canovas del Castillo and heir to the Moderates, and the Liberal Party, headed by Práxedes Mateo Sagasta and heir to the Progressives.
The Constitution of 1876
The Constitution of 1876 was moderate but flexible enough to allow the parties to govern without major changes.
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