Russia in the Early 20th Century: Tsarist Rule & Civil War
Tsarist Russia in the Early 20th Century
In the early 20th century, Russia was a vast multinational empire spanning over 20 million km2, with territories in Europe and Asia, stretching from the Baltic Sea to China and the Pacific. Russians were the largest ethnic group, comprising about 40% of the population by 1900. The empire had formed around them. Geographically, it occupied the cities of St. Petersburg and Moscow, from where they had extended their power to Europe (Finland, Ukraine, Poland)
Read MoreUnderstanding State, Power, and Governance
What is a State and its Essential Elements?
A state is a political organization that exercises power and governance over a population living within a defined territory. The essential elements of a state are:
- Territory: The defined geographical area over which the state exercises its control.
- Population: The people living within the state’s territory, subject to its authority.
- Power (Sovereignty): Each state possesses sovereign power over its territory and population, meaning it has supreme authority
Spain’s 19th-Century Social and Labor Transformations
Social Behaviors in Liberal Spain
Social Life and Forms of Entertainment
The influence of the Catholic Church continued to be very important, and religious festivals, processions, weddings, and baptisms marked the rhythm of social life. The weight of money allowed the bourgeoisie to express a way of thinking and feeling characteristic of the elite. Big houses, fine clothes, and receptions demonstrated this hierarchy. Forms of leisure and entertainment entered the market and became a product available
Read MoreLand Ownership and Reform in Spain’s Old Regime
The Heritage of the Old Regime
The land of the Old Regime was characterized by the dominance of land ownership by the nobility and the Church.
- The nobility, thanks to the institution of primogeniture, had established real estate and farms removed from free trade.
- The Church owned large tracts of land as a result of numerous donations. The ground was frozen and turned into “dead hands” (manos muertas).
- Municipalities were landowners whose holdings originated in royal concessions during the Reconquista.
Global Geopolitics: Blocs, Cold War, and Decolonization
New Global Geopolitics: World Divided into Blocs
The Formation of Blocs (1947)
The United States and the USSR became adversaries due to their radically different political and economic systems, forming two blocs of countries.
Capitalist Bloc (USA)
Included countries of Western Europe and Japan, characterized by parliamentary democracy and a capitalist economy. This bloc was strengthened by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Communist Bloc (USSR)
Included countries of Central and Eastern Europe
Read MoreKey Concepts: Bourgeois Republic, Marxism, Anarchism & Labor Movements
The Bourgeois Republic
After the fall of the Jacobins, the third phase of the Convention began. It adopted a new constitution that restored censitary suffrage. The Directory harshly repressed popular uprisings led by the most leftist elements. Napoleon Bonaparte staged a coup and seized power, initiating the Consulate.
Marxism
Marxism takes its name from Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, who described early utopian socialist thought and developed a theory that served as a program of action to change
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