Global Political Systems and 20th Century Conflicts Summary
Political Ideologies: Defining Characteristics
Socialism
- Private property accepted
- Parliamentary system with a powerful state
- Economy led by the state
- Classless society (as a goal)
- The proletariat controls the political power
Communism
- The economy and means of production are controlled by the state
- Transition achieved through revolution
- No private ownership
- Classless society
- The proletariat controls the political power
Anarchism
- No property
- Disappearance of the state and political parties
- Self-managed free associations
Origins and Outbreak of World War I
Causes of World War I
I. Intense Global Rivalry
The distribution of global power led to tremendous rivalry between major powers. These confrontations were intensified by the complex system of alliances and enmities established in Europe between 1870 and 1890.
II. The Armed Peace (1890–1914)
From 1890, the German Empire, led by Kaiser William II, launched an aggressive expansionist policy. William initiated a significant program of investment in arms and naval fleets and actively intervened in overseas
The Irish Question: Conflict and Nationalism (1171–1900)
The Irish Question: Origins and Early History
Myth and Early Society
Irish myths suggest that Ireland was a chaste Emerald Isle ravished by the brutal Saxon. The “Irish Race” was defined by the division between Celtic and Anglo-Irish populations. During the High Kingship of Tara, Ireland was known for its missionary schools and scholasticism, though it was also a victim of Viking Raids.
The Anglo-Norman Conquest (12th Century)
The Anglo-Norman conquest followed William the Conqueror’s arrival in
Read MoreFrench Revolution Causes, Phases and Napoleonic Legacy
Impact of the Enlightenment and American Revolution
A. The impact of the Enlightenment and the American Revolution
Enlightenment principles and the American Revolution gave the bourgeoisie new ideas to help them confront absolutism and the stratified state system of society. They proposed new forms of social organisation and government. All of this led to the revolutionary cycle that began in France in 1789.
The social and economic crisis
The economic crisis was the result of a series of poor harvests
The Power Structure of Franco’s Regime: The Families of the Movement
The Families of the Francoist Regime
Franco relied on the Falange and its partners among the ideological groups called the Families of the Regime.
1. The Falange: From Ideology to Loyalty
The Falange’s Transformation
- In 1939, the Falange was vastly different from what it had been during the Republic.
- Following the unification process of 1937, which removed figures like José Antonio and other deceased leaders, the new party swelled significantly, gaining “600,000 members in the months following the
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and Korean Security
Three Pillars of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
The three pillars of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) are:
- Non-proliferation: No acquisition or transfer of nuclear weapons.
- Peaceful use: Nuclear-weapon states guarantee non-nuclear-weapon states’ peaceful use of nuclear energy as an inalienable right of all states (Articles IV and V).
- Disarmament: Nuclear-weapon states undertake to pursue negotiations in good faith on nuclear disarmament (Article VI).