Napoleon: Rise, Fall, and Legacy in Europe
Napoleon’s France
At the beginning of the Consulate, Napoleon was in a power struggle between two consuls (a triumvirate), but in 1802, he was declared sole consul for life. Napoleon acted to repress popular protests, Jacobinism, and democratic trends. He integrated the royalists into the scheme with measures like the return of emigrants. Napoleon gradually accumulated power in his hands until he was crowned emperor in 1804. He oversaw the creation of new institutions and a series of reforms to consolidate
Read MoreFranco’s Spain: Transformation and Consolidation
Regime Transformation: Consolidating Business and Society
The shift from autarky to developmentalism brought about significant social changes.
Political Maneuvering and Institutionalization
The confrontation between different factions became untenable when the Falange sought to solidify its role in the regime. The Caudillo’s approval of laws aimed at fixating its ideology met with opposition from ecclesiastical and monarchical elements. In February 1957, a cabinet reshuffle, influenced by Opus Dei,
Read MoreKey Events & Figures Leading to World War II
Key Events and Figures Leading to World War II
- Kristallnacht: A night of Nazi attacks on Jewish businesses and synagogues that signaled a rising anti-Semitism in Germany.
- Atlantic Charter: US-British agreement of August 1941 that promoted democracy and called for the establishment of a new international organization for peace.
- Appeasement: The British-French policy of attempting to prevent war by granting Germany’s demands.
- America First Committee: The leading isolationist group calling for non-intervention
World War I: Causes, Key Events, and Impact
The First World War
Also known as the Great War or WWI, due to its size and geographic breadth.
Causes
- Territorial Claims:
- Between Russia and Austria-Hungary in the Balkans.
- Between France and Germany for Alsace and Lorraine.
- Economic Rivalries: Between Germany and Britain for control of international trade.
- Colonial Interests: Which provoked local conflicts fueled by Germany to gain territories, such as the Moroccan crisis.
- Block Forming Alliances:
- The Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy)
Restoration Crisis (1898-1931): Dynastic Reformism & Failure
The Crisis of the Restoration (1898-1931)
1. Dynastic Reformism
1.1. The Failure of the First Regenerationist Government
Following the disaster of 1898, Queen Regent Maria Cristina, widow of Alfonso XII, formed a government with the conservative Francisco Silvela. Silvela aimed to implement reforms, including figures like General Camilo Polavieja and Catalan regenerationist Manuel Duran i Bas in his government. A process of administrative decentralization and financial reform, including new taxes,
Read MoreSpain’s Second Restoration: Democratic Consolidation (1979-2004)
The Second Restoration (1979-2004)
The second term was marked by the advance of democratic consolidation, but also by the decline of the UCD in the government and a coup attempt to abort the infant democracy in 1982. It is the beginning of a period of democratic normalcy in that two parties have alternated in government: the PSOE (1982-1996) and the PP (1996-2004).
The Governments of the UCD
Once the constitution was approved, the Parliament was dissolved, and elections were called for March 1979.
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