Questions of Periodization

Unit 4
1750-1914
The Modern Era

1. Questions of Periodization
   1. Continuities and Breaks
      1. Continuities
         1. Absolutism in France
         2. Sense of cultural superiority of the Chinese
         3. “Revolutionary” change didn’t supplant everything
            1. People learned to be both scientist and Christian
            2. Slavery outlawed, but former slaves not embraced into society
            3. Racism – both social and institutional continued
      2. Breaks
         1. French Revolution
         2. End of Japanese isolation and rapid modernization in Japan
      3. What makes the “modern age”
         1. Politics
            1. Trend away from monarchy toward greater political representation
            2. Form of democracy or at least an appearance of democracy
         2. Economics
            1. Mechanization and industrialization become driving forces
            2. Shift from mercantilism/feudalism to capitalism
            3. No longer based primarily on agriculture – increasingly on industry and commerce
         3. Society
            1. Class transformation
            2. Old aristocracies – derive power from noble birth – gradually fade away
            3. New elites status comes from wealth
            4. Middle class and industrial working class expand
            5. Modern societies become urbanized
            6. Population growth accelerates
         4. Culture
            1. Scientific, secular world view becomes dominant
            2. Artistic styles change more rapidly and radically than ever before
      4. End of the era – 1914
         1. 19th century – Europe at the peak of its power – replaced by the US in 20th century
         2. New philosophies, scientific theories, cultural movements attacking Western values
         3. Diplomatic trends bringing nations towards war
         4. World War I would speed up process of European decline
      5. Continuities
         1. Conservative backlash – reaction – strove to keep this power in check
            1. Some more successful at fighting liberalizing/democratizing elements
   2. Causes of changes from the previous period and within this period
      1. West major causal agent of change
         1. Underwent vast changes/caused vast changes in other areas of the world
         2. Begun process in 1400s with
            1. Voyages of exploration
            2. Colonization
            3. Appropriation of world trading networks
            4. Establishment of new trade routes
         3. W. Europe consolidated hold on
            1. Foreign colonies
            2. Global trade
         4. Unprecedented – never before/since has one civilization truly dominated the world
         5. With it come huge moral and ethical price
            1. Imperialism linked to warfare, racial prejudice, economic exploitation, slavery
            2. Harmful effects still felt in Africa, Latin America, and Asia
      2. Industrialization
         1. Changed the way the world made goods
         2. Changed the way the world did business
      3. Political changes in Europe led to first world war
         1. Enlightenment
         2. Attempts at radical reform
         3. Unification of Germany and Italy
         4. Shifting balance of power among European nations
         5. End of absolute monarchies
         6. Revolutions established set of ideals that could be pushed for in the future
      4. Important changes independent of Europe occurred
      5. Imperialism
         1. Industrialization and imperialism both interconnected
         2. Developments in one region have impact on other regions
         3. Improvements in communication/transportation allow regional developments to expand
         4. Movement away from Western Hemisphere
            1. W. Hemisphere freed self from European control by early 19th century
            2. Imperialists turn eyes toward Africa and Asia
               1. Exploitation easy
               2. Markets huge
      6. Nationalism
         1. Nationalism a huge force – why did it grow
         2. Sparked rebellions, independence movements, unification movements
         3. Sparked domination and colonialism
      7. Eugenics/Ethnocentrism – ideological explanations for racial superiority
         1. Most Europeans ethnocentric – viewed other cultures as barbarian/uncivilized
            1. Ethnocentrism leads to social improvements – can’t exactly treat selves bad
         2. Social Darwinists
            1. Applied theory of natural selection to sociology
               1. Dominant races rose to the top due to “survival of the fittest”
               2. Britain obviously most fit – must be the superior race
         3. White Man’s Burden – Europeans have moral obligation to teach others how to be civilized
            1. Rudyard Kipling poem
            2. Convert to Christianity and civilized in the European fashion
            3. Europeans knew what was best for everyone
         4. Compared to other cultures
            1. Chinese – Middle Kingdom – “center of the world”
            2. Japan also believed they were racially superior
            3. Difference
               1. Europe has military technology to act on these beliefs
               2. Quite capable of subjugating peoples for economic/military/political reason
               3. Success only encourages them to do it more
      8. Why did changes occur so quickly during this time period?
         1. Communicated more quickly than before
            1. Trains and ships raced across the continent and seas
            2. Telegraph cables were laid
            3. By 1914 telephones ringing
            4. By 1914 planes in the air
         2. Consider speed of Japanese industrialization
         3. Consider speed of colonizing Africa vs. colonizing Latin America
         4. Urbanization
            1. Ideas spread more quickly
            2. Like-minded people able to associate
            3. Individuals had contact with greater variety of people – greater variety of ideas
               For example, India learns English customs, culture quickly
            4. Countryside maintains conservative views