Global Instability

Chapter 18

As the 19th Century was closing…

Many citizens in both Europe and North America began questioning their place in their prospering and highly industrialized nation-states.

The call for REFORM was as sweeping as the technological advances that made nation-states powerful and imperialistic

Wage workers, WOMEN, and Non-whites expressed their voices for equality and greater opportunities.

Global Migrations and Instability

For some looking for a better life, emigration to either a larger urban area or another country (continent) seemed an enticing opportunity.

People uprooted due to discontent at home due to poverty especially due to overproduction of goods through technology (work termination), inequality faced by some groups existing within their nation-states, and resentment and resistance to European and American imperialism (Africa and Asia).

Mass Migrations:

Between 1870 and 1910, the United States and Argentina received a total flow of 6 million Europeans seeking a “better life.”

In Russia, 10 million migrated to Siberia and central Asia.

2 million Koreans migrated to Manchuria

Nearly 1 million Chinese seeking better life emigrated to Hawaii, N + S. America, West Indies, and Southeast Asia

In North America, millions migrated west to the cities.

Urban growth and “progress”?

Despite growth of cities and industry, the POOR, had little access to things such as sewer systems, museums, parks and libraries.

Thousands out of work—led to resentment of authoritarian regimes and capitalistic markets.

These migrations within nation-states or to other nation-states only exasperated the global problems.

Booming Cities at start of 20th century

Tokyo

London

New York

Cairo

Buenos Aires

Brussels

“Living in the 20th Century City”

Workplaces farther from home.

Different social classes lived in different districts.

Women had work opportunities: Shop girls, secretaries, and with educational opportunities (TEACHERS).

Women had cultural opportunities/advancements with increased literacy rates among women. Women also had some opportunities to get a breath of fresh air from life constantly indoors.

Technological Advances Mask Centuries-Old Societal Issues

Discontent with imperialism and the inequality (mainly racist) preferential treatment of the colonial minority over the ethnic majority. Led to resentment of imperialism in both Asia and Africa.

Moreover, ethnic majorities were used as pawns in conflicts between imperialistic nations (IE: The Anglo-Boer War: 1899-1902 in South Africa which led to the British seizing control over that colony from the Dutch).

More Resentment Against Imperialism

China = BOXER REBELLIONChinese got tired of Britain and other European

nations and Asian nations interfering in its internal affairs. Women very influential in rebellion.

When the Japanese defeated China in 1895 in war, it acquired Taiwan, and other nations (Britain, France, Germany, Russia, and the United States) had the audacity to force a weakened China to allow those nations to have sphere of influences with trading opportunities. Sort of a rehash of the nonsense the Chinese had to deal with the British and the selling of Opium.

Imperial Rivalries at Home

The following nations due to centuries of warfare and technological advancements began to view themselves as rivals and “friends.”

Newly-formed Germany with its growing military might and economic boom brought old rivals Britain and France into a new fold of existence.

Russia not too fond of Germany.

Ottoman and Austrian-Hungarian empires weakening

Rise of national identities with Slavic groups (Czechs, Slovaks, Polish) helped also stir some tension in Europe.

Women and the U.S.A.

Over in America, Women (upper and middle class) began to question their confinement at home (domesticity).

Women gained economic and social independence.

They also fought for “personal independence”—the right to control their reproduction.

Suffrage rights became both an American and global phenomena.

Women Outside the U.S.A.

They too faced similar obstacles to equality.

In colonial areas, European nations attempted to justify colonialism by saying that “women’s lives” improved from Western influence. Non-veil wearing women in Middle East, No feet-binding in China, Prohibiting genital mutilation in Africa, widow-burning (sati) in India.

European missionaries attempted to emphasize the woman’s place as being at home.

Other global issues and their role in nation-state building in an imperialistic world!

• Racism• Modernism movements that attempted to

bring Western-motivated advancements would cause social upheaval

• Immigration of European to USA brought about racism between blacks and immigrants.

• Mexico and Latin American (South American) nations would deal with racism between colonial elites and modernism movements

• India and China’s majorities engaged in revivalism movements to counter the ever-growing modernism.

India

Cultural revivalism stemming around the Hindu religion.

Would cause intercultural conflict with India’s large Muslim populace who did not have a chance to provide a significant role in reviving India’s identity.

Would challenge the influence of the British on India and its internal affairs.

Indians argued for greater demand in political matters

China

The ethnic Han people of China led the revival movement to promote a Chinese identity. The Han were not the only Chinese citizens in the land (Han, Manchu, Mongols, Tibetans, and Muslims)

Chinese grew tired of the Qing leadership especially after humiliating defeat from Japan or Britain, the meddling of foreign nations in Chinese internal affairs…

Sun Yat-sen—led nationalistic movement. His followers led a revolt that ultimately led to the collapse of the Qing dynasty.

New Chinese nation had to grapple with unifying its diverse peoples though a racist idea of the Chinese being one race was permeating.

Similar Revivalist Movements in Europe and Muslim World

Pan-Slavism

Pan-Germanism

Pan-Islamism

These movements sought to link peoples along ethnic and religious lines especially as a counter-revolutionary movement to address imperialism.

A “recipe” for global conflict—it was becoming inevitable.