Stearns – 1914-present –

Contemporary Period
 Serious attention needed on
this
 3 chunks:

1. WWI/interwar/WWII
2. Cold War
3. 1989-present
1945 to present most
important.
 Theme 1 – Decline of West
From WWI on West declines
(WWI is civil war of West)
Symptoms:

•Demographic - West’s share of

world population drops –
everywhere else is growing.
•West becomes elderly.
 Theme 1 – Decline of West
Political power of West
declines.
Decolonization from 1920 on.

West’s relative military power

declines (exception – air
power).
 Why the Western military
decline?
1. Guerilla warfare (i.e..
Vietnam).
2. Large number of states get
enough military to defend
themselves – make it tougher
for the West. Ie.
Decolonization, $ to buy guns,
capitalists will sell to anyone.
 Complexity number 1
As West declines, cultural
impact of West goes up.
•W. power not as menacing.
•W. exports “cool stuff.”
•Japan does as well.
 Complexity number 2
Economy being re-defined
once again.
W. still have dominant

economies exporting finished

goods, but the Pacific Rim
countries now are in the mix.
 Subordinate groups
Sub-Sahara Africa
Parts of Latin America
 Who is in the middle
economically?
India, China, Thailand, Brazil,
Argentina, Venezuela, some
M.E. countries (Turkey, Iran),
Australia, Canada.
How did these “economic middle
countries” get in the middle?
1. Use of a valuable/special
resource to make $ (i.e.. Oil)
2. Play both sides of the Cold War.
3. De-colonization.
4. “Import substitutes” – make
clothes and cars at home
(Turkey, India).
How did these “economic middle
countries” get in the middle?
5. Develop new kind of export
– i.e.. Brazil – 4 largest
th

computer exporter, excellent

steel. India – software. Chile
– veggies, wine, fruit.
 Some new themes
1.Women gain in education
globally – great variety.
-- Re-definition of
patriarchy? In a real
patriarchal society, women
would not be able to vote.
2. Falling birthrates.
 Some new themes
3. New technologies –
airplanes, radios, satellites,
internet.
4. Attempt by everyone to
teach more people.
5. 300% population increase –
largest in the history of the
world.
 Some new themes
6. Rise of nation states.
7. No clear pattern of cultural
change:
-- Revival of Islamic,
Hindu, and Buddhist
fundamentalism.
-- Divisions within society –
secular and religious.
No clear pattern of cultural change:
China – Neo-Buddhist or Neo-
Communist
India – Neo-Communist or
Congress Party secular.
Africa – Christian / Muslim
tensions/conversions.
 Massive Social Change
 Who were the social classes
that rules change?
• In 1900 – Landowners
• In 2000 – Big business owners
Fewer peasants, more urban
workers.
 Globalization
Technology based.
People moving / migrating.

China re-enters in 1978

Russia re-enters in 1985

 Globalization
Globalization – what does it
mean?
Multinational groups

dependent upon each other.

Massive opportunities for

cultural exchange.
 Globalization
 International political
organizations – i.e.. WHO
limiting SARS.
Globalization of democracy –
to Latin America, Southern
Europe, Africa, Middle East?
 Globalization
Impacts:
•Resistance (terrorism, anti-
world groups).

First round of globalization did

not work – will this one?