The 20th century was the beginning of many social changes across the globe and several worldwide war conflicts that affected both Western and non-Western countries. Many of these are continuing to affect the world in the current 21st century as well. While it was a relatively short time compared to the rest of human history, its effect cannot be underestimated in terms of importance.
World War I was the most prominent global conflict in the world at the time, and it tied both Western and non-Western nations as it had never happened before. While the conflict took less than a decade to conclude, its effects shattered people’s perception of the world. For the first time in history, countries that came out as victors in the war were restricted from taking over defeated lands. The newly established mandate system declared that annexation was never Allied Forces’ intention (Roberts and David 141). An anti-imperialist trend was growing in the 20th century, which coincided with a rise of colonial nationalism at the same time.
The dissatisfaction of working and other marginalized social classes led to a growing demand for social and cultural changes across the globe, but especially in Russian Empire, British and French colonies, and the US (Glenda and Patricia 211). The United States became one of the most influential countries globally to the point that when the American stock market experienced the Great Crash, it affected the rest of the world, leading to the Great Depression (Roberts and David 180).
When the USSR became a major powerhouse, the US was the nation that opposed it the most, leading to the long-lasting Cold War. While USSR eventually fell apart, the post-Soviet countries are still affected by its history. The shift from the 20th to the 21st century was when globalization grew as a global trend thanks to the booming Internet culture and technological advancements that allow people to interact regardless of distances or political and cultural differences.
The 20th century can be considered an overall time of social and political change across the globe as it was rife with conflicts, changes, and advancements. Western and non-Western worlds alike took part in the global conflicts and developed closer relations, although often for the latter’s detriment. Even though a new century and new millennia began in 2000, the effects of previous decades still affect cultures, politics, and economies across the globe to this day.
Work Cited
Sluga, Glenda, and Patricia Clavin, eds. Internationalisms: A Twentieth-Century History. Cambridge University Press, 2017.
Roberts, John Morris, and David Case. Twentieth Century: The History of the World, 1901 to 2000. New York: Viking, 1999.