Interwar Period: Economic Crisis & Rise of Totalitarianism
The Interwar Period (1919-1939)
The Economic Crisis
The Initial Situation
- The United States: Economic powerhouse of the time.
- Large industrial, commercial, and financial sector: “Roaring 20s”
- Europe: Need for economic reconstruction.
Problems in Europe:
- Adapting to a “peace” economy.
- Financial chaos.
“Dawes Plan” of aid to Germany (1924)
The “Crash” of 1929
- Caused by speculation in the U.S.
- Bankruptcy of the New York Stock Exchange.
- Leads to:
The “Great Depression”
The Great Depression affected the world economy,
Read MoreSocial Life in Ancient Rome: Classes, City & Country
Life in Society
Social Differences
Initially, Rome was a city with fewer social disparities. However, differences emerged due to factors like population growth and uneven economic development. The main social classes were:
Free Men:
These were individuals who were free or had been freed from slavery. They possessed rights and responsibilities, and were divided into several categories:
- Patricians: Descendants of the founding families of Rome. They formed the aristocracy and enjoyed economic, religious,
Women’s Rights: A Historical Perspective in Britain and the USA
Women’s Rights in Britain and the USA
British Women
Women in Britain commonly worked as domestic servants, teachers, or nurses. They also found employment in the textile industry. A few women were allowed to work in professions such as law, medicine, engineering, or architecture. Unmarried women, often called “spinsters,” frequently worked in textile mills. Queen Victoria believed that women were helpmates for men, with distinct duties and vocations.
Two significant associations emerged: the National
Read MoreUSSR Formation, NEP, and Stalin’s Rise to Power
Formation of the USSR
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) became a federal state governed by the 1924 constitution. The Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) was identified as the ruling party. The Congress of Soviets served as the supreme state organ with legislative power. The government was headed by a president with executive power.
The New Economic Policy (NEP)
Lenin described the NEP as “a bad storm that would have to overcome as quickly as possible… a step back to take two
Read MoreFranco’s Decree: Abolishing Basque Economic Concert (1937)
Franco’s Decree: Elimination of the Economic Concert
This document addresses the elimination of the Economic Concert in Biscay and Gipuzkoa. It is a legal text, specifically a law, written in 1937 by Francisco Franco at the end of the Civil War in the Basque territories. As an official, first-level text, its intended audience is all citizens.
Following the abolition of the Basque territories’ fueros (charters) in 1876, the Basque people were granted the Economic Concert. Although losing the fueros
Read MoreThe Great Depression and Totalitarianism
CRASH OF 1929
Economic prosperity came to an end in 1929. This was the year in which the US experienced a severe economic crisis caused by excess production in relation to consumption. During the First World War, the US agricultural industry and some other major industries had dramatically increased its production in order to supply their allies in the war. However, by the end of the war, the demand in these countries decreased, creating an accumulation of stock in agricultural products and industrial
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