Introduction
The history of the development of the world order includes the rise and fall of states and forms of government. Significant events such as wars and revolutions affect individual countries. In most cases, the war negatively affects the state; however, sometimes, it may become the foundation for future development. Moreover, the opposition of the world’s leading states also serves as a factor influencing the development of technologies and countries. In addition, events such as wars or revolutions significantly impact the country’s economy, and depending on the situation, it can have both positive and negative aspects. The aim of the work is to analyze such significant factors as colonialism in Asia, the First World War and the Second World War, and the main world powers.
The Most Significant Periods of the Last Few Centuries
Talking about what are the three most important “takeaways” from Weeks 10-13 of our course? For me, they are colonialism in Asia, World War I, and World War II. It is argued by the fact that these events and eras had a significant impact on the world order. Moreover, it contributed to the creation and destruction of entire state structures and forms of government and a change in the distribution of forces among the countries of the world. Colonialism in Asia implied the creation of a foundation for the future democratization and humanization of society, supported by the USSR and the USA. Thus, colonialism became a significant era that, based on its characteristics, became the basis for new forms of government.
Indeed, the First World War significantly impacted the world order, contributing to the emergence of new principles and the disappearance of several empires. In addition, it also became a trigger for the start of large-scale revolutions in the history of the world and the revision of the principles of cooperation between countries. It is impactful for me as it set the stage for further historical events that also significantly influenced and changed the world order.
The Second World War was an event that considerably changed the order of states and governments and the basis for further development. Certainly, I singled out this period because it gave rise to new principles that became the basis for the further existence of the world. In addition, the war affected the economic component of many countries, which was formulated both in terms of costs and positive aspects (Strohn, 2021). Moreover, it gave impetus to the development of notions in technology, science, medicine, and other areas. However, it is worth noting that the Second World War claimed several tens of millions of lives, which was one of the most destructive events in the history of humanity.
Furthermore, talking about the central “global powers” in the early 1800s, one may highlight several factors. It was formulated by a number of powerful states which had a rapid pace of economic development, and these countries included Britain, France, and the United States. As already indicated, the industrial revolution in Britain was the reason for the rapid evolution of the state in both industrial and economic terms. Speaking of which factors gave a great power, in the case of Britain, it was an industrial force. Due to new technologies and mechanisms, one had the opportunity to invest more in the development of new machines and mechanisms. However, it triggered unemployment and a wage fall, leading to a future decline.
After the Second World War, there was a confrontation between the two strong states in the world, namely the Soviet Union and the United States. It was expressed, among other factors, by the Cold War, when tensions between countries increased due to the development and accumulation of weapons (Mahon, 2021). Moreover, one may notice how the nature of power changed in the 1800s and after the Second World War. At first, the emphasis was on the development of industry, whereby one had the opportunity to accumulate funds and an army. However, in the post-war period, the emphasis was on the accumulation of weapons and the development of new technologies, namely the arms race.
It also included nuclear developments, namely the discovery of the power of the atom for various purposes. During the Cold War, the main aspect of nuclear development was equipping atomic weapons, which had a significant destructive power (Pasqualetti, 2019). The main goal was to develop more powerful nuclear weapons than a potential adversary. In addition, it also included new developments in various industries, such as medicine, science, and space exploration. In this regard, the main strength of the states was to invest significant financial resources in the development of the factors mentioned above. Moreover, the emphasis was on reconnaissance, namely, building one’s own infrastructure and identifying one from the enemy.
Conclusion
To conclude, the most significant periods of the last few centuries were the colonies in Asia, the First World War, and the Second World War. These periods became the reason for the emergence of new world orders and the basis for technological and scientific development. The confrontation of world leaders was the main reason for the strength of states, namely the development of new technologies and economics.
References
McMahon, R. J. (2021). The cold war: A very short introduction. (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press.
Pasqualetti, M. J. (2019). Nuclear power: Assessing and managing hazardous technology. Routledge.
Strohn, M. (2021). The long shadow of World War II: The legacy of the war and its impact on political and military thinking since 1945. Casemate Academic.