Key Events & Concepts of Early 20th Century History
Russian History: Autocracy, Revolution, and Stalinism
Czarist Autocracy: Absolute Rule in Russia
The Czarist autocracy was a system where the Tsar held absolute power, ruling by decree, unbound by any constitution or accountable to a parliament. A loyal bureaucracy and a powerful army maintained control of the empire, while the Orthodox Church served as the regime’s ideological pillar. Agriculture was the primary economic activity, with land owned by a privileged aristocracy. The majority of the population
Read MoreThe Russian Revolution and the Formation of the Soviet Union
The Russian Empire: Pre-Revolutionary Context
Russia was a vast empire with a policy of Russification, encompassing its administration, language, and religion. The country lagged behind European states in industrial development, which was notably poor. Sovereignty rested with a single person, the Czar, against whom no political activity was allowed.
The 1905 Revolution: A Precursor
The revolution began in 1905 following a brutally suppressed demonstration. This event significantly devalued the image
Read MoreSpain’s Second Republic: From Monarchy to Civil War
The Fall of Alfonso XIII and the Second Republic
In 1930, Alfonso XIII’s system attempted to restore the constitutional order of the Restoration, but the monarchy was so discredited that republican groups began to unite to overthrow the king. They were joined by prominent intellectuals such as Miguel de Unamuno, José Ortega y Gasset, and Gregorio Marañón. Partisan political groups supporting the republic signed an agreement in 1930 (the Pact of San Sebastián), committing themselves to establishing
Read MoreSpain’s Regency Era: Maria Cristina & Espartero (1833-1843)
The Spanish Regencies: Maria Cristina & Espartero (1833-1843)
Maria Cristina’s Regency (1833-1840)
Fernando VII died on September 29, 1833, and his widow, Maria Cristina, assumed the regency. This period solidified the division within liberalism into two main streams: Moderate Liberals, who sought a balance between absolutism and popular sovereignty, and Progressive Liberals, who advocated for the principles of the Cortes of Cadiz and comprehensive social and political reform.
The Royal Statute
Read MoreThe 1929 Economic Collapse and the Rise of Totalitarian Regimes
The 1929 Economic Collapse: Causes and Consequences
Causes of the 1929 Economic Crisis
Between 1914 and 1918, during World War I, European industrial production shifted to wartime efforts, while countries like the U.S., Spain, and Argentina significantly increased their industrial output to supply Europe. After the war, the U.S., now a major industrial power, began lending money to Europe. Domestically, new financial products like credit cards and installment plans became popular, enabling people
Read MoreThe Great Depression: Causes, Global Impact, and Responses
The Economic Crisis of 1929: The Great Depression
Causes of the Great Depression
Economic Crisis in European Countries
- The destruction caused by World War I.
- Debts owed to the United States.
- The U.S. banking system withdrew sums of money granted to European countries, especially Germany, to pay their debts.
- European countries lost their ability to sell industrial products to those countries which had hitherto supplied them raw materials, as these countries industrialized during World War I.
Crisis in Agriculture
Mainly