The Cold War One of the significant events that occurred in the 20th century is the Cold War. This “war” was the state of military and political tension after World War II between the powers of the Western world (the Allies) and the allies of the Eastern bloc (led by the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics). The Cold War could be said to have lasted between 1947 and 1991. This event is noteworthy because it described the polarization of the superpowers of the world, and the consequential alliances that followed. In fact, the Cold War is important because it led to the development of nuclear weapons, which again became controversial in the succeeding conflicts, such as Desert Storm and the Iraq War (Schlesinger, 1992, 53). While the ideology of Communism has died in most parts of the world, there is still the sense of polarization” between these groups of nations.
AIDS Epidemic This disease, caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), was first brought to the limelight because of the focus on gay men who were being infected by the disease at an almost epidemic-like rate. However, it is South Africa that has had the longest running epidemic, and according to the website of Avert, it is estimated that 6.1 million people are living with the disease thereat. While retroviral drugs have been made available, the prevalence rate is still at 17.1%. This then affects the country’s labor force – there are fewer workers that are available, and the economy is also affected as the potential GDP out of these lost workers is also substantial.
Technological Advancements – the 20th century saw the development of technological advancements at a very swift rate. Air travel, modern home convenience, information and communication technology progressed so fast during this century. Today people around the world have the opportunity to talk to one another while seeing one another in real time. This theme is significant, because today the global economy has become a knowledge economy, and new knowledge is gained swiftly with the aid of information communications technology (Evans, 2014, 179).
China as an Emerging Power China’s growth and emergence as a world power is worth noting because its dominance affects the relationships of nations across the world. This country now has substantial interests across the globe, and it will always make decisions that will lead to the protection of these interests as well. According to the website of Global Research, the role of China on the world stage will be interesting to watch. Its hegemonic role may be opposed by the “powers” of the Western World.
Palestine Conflict The Palestine Conflict as we know it today is a territorial conflict that has been going on since after the Second World War. However, it is actually a two thousand year old conflict that is said to have begun with the expulsion of Jewish slaves in Egypt during the time of Moses in the Bible. This event is significant because it appears that there is no visible end to the conflict as of today (Levine, 2009, 181-184). This event has also polarized other nations around the world, with the United States as the largest ally of the Jews.
There are other themes that initially seemed significant for purposes of this discussion. The first is civil rights. While the actions of Martin Luther King and other civil rights activists have done much to change the laws on civil rights in the country, there are still many issues to be addressed before this theme is “laid to rest”. There is also the question of civil rights in other countries around the world, such as in the plight of women in India and in other parts of the world, which have not been addressed as much as people would want it to be resolved. Environmental Pollution was also thought of as a significant theme, but again there is still no clear blueprint from the leaders around the world as to how this is to be curbed and its effects mitigated. These can be considered as still emerging issues that are not limited to the 20th century alone.
Works Cited
Avert.org. 2014. HIV and Aids in South Africa. Web. http://www.avert.org/hiv-aids-south-africa.htm
Evans, Brian. 2014. The Development of Mathematics throughout the Centuries: New York, NY: Wiley.
Levin, Daniel. 2009. Constructing the Myth of Egyptian-Israeli Brotherhood, in Resolving the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, M. Salinas, H. Abbu Rabbia, editors. Amherst, NY: Cambria Press.
Petras, James. 2014. China: Rise, Fall, and Re-Emergence as a Global Power. Web. http://www.globalresearch.ca/china-rise-fall-and-re-emergence-as-a-global-power/29644
Schlesinger, Arthur. 1992. Some Lessons from the Cold War. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.
