First World War: Origins and Impact
Causes of World War I
Rivalry Among the Powers
- Antagonistic Blocs: Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy) and the Triple Entente (United Kingdom, France, and Russia).
- General Rearmament: All the powers of Europe, especially Germany, increased their military strength.
- Economic Rivalry: Germany’s rapid industrial development during the Second Industrial Revolution provoked rivalries for new markets.
- Warlike Atmosphere: The rise of militarism in the decades before the war increased tensions
Liberalism: Origins, Principles, and Impact
Liberalism: Origins and Principles
Liberalism is a philosophical, economic, and political ideology that emerged in Europe in the late 18th century. It was influenced by Enlightenment movements, French rationalism, and the English Revolution of 1688.
Key Principles of Liberalism:
- Defense of individual freedoms.
- Right to choose rulers through suffrage.
- Equality before the law.
The political form of government proposed by liberalism is a constitutional monarchy or a republic with separation of powers, a
Read MoreWorkers’ Rights & Labor Movements: 19th-20th Centuries
Workers’ Conditions and the Rise of Labor Movements
Living conditions of workers: Working hours and salaries of employees were subject to market fluctuations and margin requirements. This benefited the working class, but also caused anxiety and insecurity, as workers did not know how much money they would bring home at the end of the week, how long their work would last, or how to find another job if they lost theirs. There was no social security.
Origins of the Labor Movement
The liberal state took
Read MoreWorld War II: Key Events and Impacts
Sides
Axis Powers (Germany, Italy, Japan) against Allied Powers (unoccupied France, UK, Poland, Russia, USA, China, Canada, and others).
Causes
- Hitler defied the League of Nations, breaching the Treaty of Versailles. He conquered the Saarland, re-established the army, annexed Austria, and invaded Poland in 1939.
- The Japanese attacked British colonies in the Pacific, the Netherlands, China, and the U.S.
Military Operations
Initially, the war was primarily against Germany and France. However, it escalated
Read MoreSpain 1914-1918: Neutrality in WWI & 1917 Crisis
Spain During the First World War and the Crisis of 1917
The Tragic Week of Barcelona (1909)
Often acting in alliance with an increasingly influential Catalan group. The origin of the events is in the Moroccan War, which made it necessary to send reinforcements from the mainland. Maura decided to mobilize Catalan reservists. During the embarkation of the troops, fighting and protests began. In July, a general strike was declared, leading to an intense revolt extending from the industrial areas. The
Read MoreFrench Revolution: Causes, Process, and Napoleon
The French Revolution
Causes:
On the one hand, there were bad harvests, which caused price hikes and popular discontent. On the other hand, the bourgeoisie was unhappy with their political marginalization, because only the privileged could hold positions of power and enjoy social recognition.
Meaning of the Revolution:
It was the first bourgeois revolution, with a liberal character. It established a new agricultural structure and provided an ideological reference point for all of Europe.