Modern European History from c. 1920s-c.1990s

Modern European History from c. 1920s-c.1990s

European countries enjoy economic development and political stability. Citizens in most of these nations like the British, France, Spain, and Germany, among other countries, experience high levels of living standards. Compared to different continents like Asia and Africa, political leadership in Europe relies on real democracy. The European education sector plays a significant role in preparing young people to become innovators who can support economic development in the twenty-first century. However, these developments trace their backgrounds from the history of the European continent. Although some historians consider the period between the 1920s and 1990s as characterized by political unrest and slowed economic development in Europe, it was essential in modernizing the continent through the development of democracy, technology, education, and domestic and international relations.

Europe experience political unrest in the twentieth century, which led to the formation of real democracy that guides current political administrations. An event like the World War I and II motivated the European nations to transform the political leadership in the region.[1] The attempt by Germany and France to obtain supremacy encouraged other countries to establish leadership strategies that would unite the continent. Besides, the vices of dictatorship in Europe emphasized the need to strengthen democracy. For instance, the post-war period saw the growth of mass democracies and welfare state policies.[2] Most of the visionary leaders saw the need to allow citizens to retain the mandate to elect their leaders. Such initiatives would prevent some self-centers leaders like Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler from violating fundamental human rights. During the 1950s, organizational sectors of the society focused on drafting models of welfare states.[3] Eventually, citizens gained the ability to participate in governance through various labor movements. Other notable benefits were equal voting rights for all citizens. Therefore, the political unrest experienced in Europe between 1920 and 1950 was crucial in developing real democracy.

The twentieth century was essential in promoting technological developments in Europe. The World Wars experienced before 1950 motivated Britain, France, and Germany to establish technical learning institutions.[4] These countries required an experienced technician who would invent lethal and effective weapons. The strategy leads to improved educations systems that focused on promoting technical development. The cold war period between 1947 and 1991 motivated European nations to concentrate on enhancing technological developments.[5] These years were essential in boosting apprenticeship and the development of industries. Governments focused on enhancing transport and communication systems as a way of retaining political and economic dominance in the region. World War II and Cold War periods were essential in developing technological foundations in Europe.[6] In this case, current administrations focus on promoting the industries developed during the twentieth century. Besides, these continuous changes placed European nations ahead of other countries in terms of technological developments. Therefore, the period between the 1920s and 1990s played a crucial role in promoting technological developments in Europe.

The twentieth century was essential in improving the education system in Europe. The need to support economic development and industrialization saw European nations improve their education systems.[7] Different countries embraced the need to advance leadership skills through higher learning education. In this case, it became possible to train entrepreneurs who could support existing factories and ensure their growth. A recent study on a cohort of women born between 1916 and 1965 identified a common trait of childlessness and higher education attainment.[8] This case reveals the focus that European governments had on elevating literacy levels among all citizens irrespective of their gender. The period contrasted earlier centuries when societies disregarded learning among girls. The trend of childlessness in the second half of the twentieth century was common among career women.[9] The increased access to education was evident in the employment sector, where more women took executive positions. The social transformation led to a permanent change where Europeans consider training as an essential tool for economic and governance reform. Therefore, the twentieth century was a crucial period that enabled European nations to promote education access to all people.

The twentieth century was a necessary period for Europe as it allowed countries to enhanced domestic relations in the region. The successive political unrest and global wars during the first half of the twentieth century motivated local governments to promote national unity.[10] Most countries saw the need to protect their political supremacy and the fundamental rights of their citizens. Unity with a state was useful in promoting political stability. For instance, the attempt by Benito Mussolini to attain dominance in Europe caused other countries to unite and defeat Italy.[11] The collaboration was essential for supporting the political and economic development of the region. Besides, it allowed other countries to strengthen their governance strategies to prevent a mass violation of fundamental human rights. Useful nationalism in Hungary remains a suitable example of a European nation that benefited from the transformation of the twentieth century.[12] This example implies that most of the countries in Europe trace their success and stability to the changes that took place between the 1920s and 1990s. The culture of unity and nationalism motivated the European nations to collaborate in dealing with political and economic challenges. Therefore, various problems experienced in Europe in the twentieth century were useful in instilling the spirit of unity and cooperation among the residents.

The industrialization that took place during the twentieth century allowed the European nations to establish international relations. The emerging industries required adequate source or raw materials and ready market for the finished goods.[13]Entrepreneurs and traders had to focus on other continents to source the necessary resources. These needs allowed different countries to compete for colonies in African and maintain trade relations with other continents. For instance, Europeans collaborated with Japanese and Americans to enhance trade in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.[14] The collaboration between these three continents gave Europe an added advantage to support its economic ambitions. Besides, the associations resulted in an emergence of technologies that helped international trade. Since the twentieth century, European nations take an active part in the development of artificial intelligence as a tool to promote business.[15] Such initiatives trace their origin in the past century. Besides, they continue to transform international trade today. Therefore, modern Europe developed useful economic international relations in the twentieth century.

The twentieth century was useful in allowing Europe to establish humanitarian relations with other nations. For instance, Portugal established significant scientific research programs with other countries since 1976.[16] Such initiatives were essential in establishing novel treatment approaches to chronic health conditions in developing nations. Such efforts motivated other European countries to support their former colonies in promoting health outcomes. The science and technology policies developed in the last decade of the twentieth century in Europe continue to transform cancer treatment.[17]The need to promote affordable healthcare to the less fortunate people remains a significant focus by European nations today. The emergence of the various pandemic in the world enhanced the humanitarian support and efforts. Therefore, the last decade of the twentieth century was useful in encouraging Europe to promote philanthropic initiatives in other countries.

In summary, the duration between the 1920s and 1900s remains a significant revolutionary period for Europe. The political unrest and slowed economic development in Europe during the twentieth century was crucial in laying a strong foundation for notable transformations. The findings presented reveal that European countries utilized the challenges to modernizing their content through the development of democracy, technology, education, and domestic and international relations. World War II was crucial in allowing political regimes in the region to establish real democracy to avoid violation of fundamental human rights. The need to promote economic development was critical to transforming the education sector, technological developments, and the establishment of sustainable relations with other countries.

Bibliography

Beaujouan, Eva, Zuzanna Brzozowska, and Kryštof Zeman. “The Limited Effect of Increasing Educational Attainment on Childlessness Trends in Twentieth-Century Europe, Women Born 1916–65.” Population Studies 70, no. 3 (August 21, 2016): 275–91. https://doi.org/10.1080/00324728.2016.1206210.

Brás, Oriana Rainho, Jean-Philippe Cointet, Alberto Cambrosio, Leonor David, João Arriscado Nunes, Fátima Cardoso, and Carmen Jerónimo. “Oncology Research in Late Twentieth Century and Turn of the Century Portugal: A Scientometric Approach to Its Institutional and Semantic Dimensions.” Scientometrics 113, no. 2 (October 9, 2017): 867–88. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-017-2491-y.

Collins, Martin. “Making the Pacific, Making Japanese-U.S. Relations.” Pacific Historical Review 88, no. 4 (October 10, 2019): 511–23. https://doi.org/10.1525/phr.2019.88.4.511.

Flora, Peter. The Development of Welfare States in Europe and America. London ; New York Routledge, 2017.

Voszka, Éva. “Nationalisation in Hungary in the Post-Crisis Years: A Specific Twist on a European Trend?” Europe-Asia Studies 70, no. 8 (May 14, 2018): 1281–1302. https://doi.org/10.1080/09668136.2018.1457137.

Walker, Martyn. “Resistance to, and Development of, Technical Education from the Mid-Eighteenth to the Early Decades of the Twentieth Century.” Springer International Handbooks of Education, December 17, 2019, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-0942-6_31-1.

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[1] Peter Flora, The Development of Welfare States in Europe and America (London ; New York Routledge, 2017), 45.

[2] Flora, “The Development of Welfare States in Europe and America,” 45.

[3] Flora, 45.

[4] Martyn Walker, “Resistance to, and Development of, Technical Education from the Mid-Eighteenth to the Early Decades of the Twentieth Century,” Springer International Handbooks of Education, December 17, 2019, 3, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-0942-6_31-1.

[5] Walker, “Resistance to, and Development of, Technical Education from the Mid-Eighteenth to the Early Decades of the Twentieth Century,” 6.

[6] Walker, 7.

[7] Eva Beaujouan, Zuzanna Brzozowska, and Kryštof Zeman, “The Limited Effect of Increasing Educational Attainment on Childlessness Trends in Twentieth-Century Europe, Women Born 1916–65,” Population Studies 70, no. 3 (August 21, 2016): 275, https://doi.org/10.1080/00324728.2016.1206210.

[8] Beaujouan, Brzozowska, and Zeman, “The Limited Effect of Increasing Educational Attainment on Childlessness Trends in Twentieth-Century Europe, Women Born 1916–65,” 276.

[9] Beaujouan, Brzozowska, and Zeman, 280.

[10] Éva Voszka, “Nationalisation in Hungary in the Post-Crisis Years: A Specific Twist on a European Trend?,” Europe-Asia Studies 70, no. 8 (May 14, 2018): 1281, https://doi.org/10.1080/09668136.2018.1457137.

[11] Voszka, “Nationalisation in Hungary in the Post-Crisis Years: A Specific Twist on a European Trend?,” 1285.

[12] Voszka, 1285.

[13] Martin Collins, “Making the Pacific, Making Japanese-U.S. Relations,” Pacific Historical Review 88, no. 4 (October 10, 2019): 511, https://doi.org/10.1525/phr.2019.88.4.511.

[14] Collins, “Making the Pacific, Making Japanese-U.S. Relations,” 513.

[15] Collins, 514.

[16] Oriana Rainho Brás et al., “Oncology Research in Late Twentieth Century and Turn of the Century Portugal: A Scientometric Approach to Its Institutional and Semantic Dimensions,” Scientometrics 113, no. 2 (October 9, 2017): 867, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-017-2491-y.

[17] Brás et al., “Oncology Research in Late Twentieth Century and Turn of the Century Portugal,” 868.