The period discussed in chapter 34 is characterized as “age of anxiety”-(1920s-late 1930s)-since it was the period after the great depression in Latin America as well as the end of the Great War. Anxiety ranged when political activists and intellectuals in the affected nations (Africa, Asia and Latin America) begun to challenge the economic and ideological underpinnings of neo-colonialism and European imperialism (Bentley and Herbert, 356-362). This gave anti-imperialists and nationalists’ movements the opportunity to prosper and gain momentum and support in these nations. The United States and European became disillusioned and pessimistic as their culture and technology were viewed as the causes of the damages of the war. The chapter reveals that the long-held positive view of the progress brought by the west and the idea of democracy came under attack. The existing scientific discoveries were also questioned citing the nature of man and truth as established as Einstein and Fraud leading to experimentation in architecture and art.
The great depression was characterized by weaknesses in the global economy, decrease in the demand of raw materials and depressed agricultural production. Since the United States played a major role in the world’s economy, issues in its economy affected the rest of the world. There was increased unemployment, reduced markets for goods and nations enacted tariffs. The depression also caused transformation in economic thinking including the role of the government. Despite measures such as bank protection, farm subsidies and establishment of minimum wage, historians and economists believe that World War II and the resulting production increases to be what ended the great depression (Bentley and Herbert, 384). Russia on the though not affected by the Great Depression experienced the civil war that lead to the death of about ten million people. The nation experienced great economic struggle in 1924 leading to the introduction of five year plans in 1928 which included emphasis on heavy industry, centralized state planning of the economy and state take over of agriculture. The Great Depression also led to fascism whereby in Germany, Hitler first attempted a coup and was later elected into power following a lost faith in democracy and increasing German nationalism.
In my view, the United States is experiencing a similar age of anxiety following the uncertainty that begun in 1970s. Several nations that were classified as developing begun to close the economic gap with the United States citing the transfer of manufactured goods from the United States to their countries which makes production cheaper. The United States ha experienced a decline in real income growth. The economic crisis in 2008 resulted from declining dollar value, subprime mortgage value and derivatives market crisis. It is clear that the United States government and selected stakeholders have to design effective measures that will see that the nation maintains the economic power position and its citizens enjoy policies that enhance their lives.
Work cited
Bentley, Jerry H, and Herbert F. Ziegler. Traditions & Encounters: A Global Perspective on the Past. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2006. Print.
