World in the Twentieth Century, The: From Empires to Nations, 7th edition

Explores major political and economic changes of the 20^th century

The World in the Twentieth Century, 7/e, discusses the major political and economic changes that have reshaped global relations. The central theme of the book is that the most profound transformation of the 20^th century was the emergence of nation-states in place of disintegrating empires.

Three main subjects help to interpret the forces of global change: the international history of the nation-states; the role of ideology in shaping political and cultural movements and social values; and the evolution of world economic relations.

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• Emphasises Understanding – Chronologies in each chapter assist students in constructing a framework of events. New illustrations and maps give students a clearer perspective on the events being covered. Text accompanying each illustration shows students how the illustration applies to the topics being covered.
• Personalises History – New guiding questions at the beginning of each chapter lead students through the reading. Spotlight essays throughout the text offer biographical sketches of individuals whose lives encapsulate an essential trend in contemporary world history.
• Keeps Up with Current Events – This title discusses events occurring in our lives today, such as the European financial crisis, the tsunami in Japan, and the “Arab Spring.”

Chapter 1

• Introductory paragraph lists new chapter elements:
• Demography
• Migration
• Technology and science
• World views
• Intellectual life
• New material added to section “Clouds on the Horizon”
• Chronology at end of chapter updated

Chapter 2

• Introduction expanded to detail destructive impact of World War I on Europe and the world; ties war more directly to pre-war order dominated by Europe
• Highlights role of Social Darwinist ideas in creating an intellectual environment conducive to war
• Additional discussion of pre-war circumstances
• More graphic descriptions of the type of war and detailed discussion of losses in World War I; expanded discussion of social consequences of the war
• Ideas formerly in “Highlight” section called “War and Society” now integrated with main chapter text

Chapter 3

• New section on expanded consumer society
• Greater emphasis on contradiction between Western rhetoric of self-determination and practice of neo-colonialism
• More detail on detrimental consequences of colonial policies
• “Highlight” section on oil has been integrated with new sections on expanded consumer society and Western control of the Middle East
• Expanded section on Egypt, with British self-interest made clear, consequences of the partial sovereignty explored, and fuller, more positive discussion of Muslim Brotherhood
• Greatly expanded “International Economy in Prosperity” section, with more information on global economic situation

Chapter 4

• Revised to provide a more critical assessment of the political evolution of three regions covered in interwar period
• More substantive assessment of Mao Zedong and the early history of the Chinese Communists

Chapter 5

• Idea of “despotic empires” is placed in fuller historical context
• Alternative explanation for the transformation of Japanese policy in the 1930s

Chapter 6

• Significantly more economic information
• Wartime experiences described in more detail
• Expanded discussion of social consequences of World War II and global impact of the war

Chapter 7

• Greater focus on differing self-interests of Soviet and American post-war structures
• More detail concerning post-war boundary changes, de-Stalinization, Khrushchev’s biography, U.S. social reform, and related areas

Chapter 8

• Focus shifted from superpower policies to aspirations and actions of people who lived in the regions covered

Chapter 9

• Text reframed to emphasize less superpower intervention and more remaking of the region by people and governments themselves
• Brief section on Taiwan added
• General trajectory of East Asia to industrial development and international economic prominence highlighted
• More information on “graying” of Japan and situation facing the country at the start of the millennium

Chapter 10

• Markedly different tone, noting abrupt departure of colonial regimes and their failure to prepare regions for self rule
• More discussion of socio-economic developments, including demographic dynamism of the region

Chapter 11

• Economic difficulties given greater attention, and more particulars in terms of names of peoples, statistics, demographics, and particular programs or policies
• Updated content, referencing events as recent as the creation of South Sudan, Mexican drug cartel violence, and the Haitian earthquake

Chapter 12

• Updated with recent developments

Chapter 13

• Updated with information on Vladimir Putin, the Russo-Georgian War of 2008, and the global financial crisis of that same year
• Section on new industrial revolution shifted to include aspects of related social revolution, like the transistor radio and “the pill”

Chapter 14

• Updated to include events through 2011, including death of Osama bin Laden and fiscal crises in Europe and the U.S.
• Material added regarding new realm of cyberspace and cultural aspects of globalization