AMSCO 7.1 Shifting Power Notes

📍Topic 7.1 Global Conflict After 1900: Shifting Power

📖 AMSCO p.453 - p.460

Main Idea

Key Timeline

Image Courtesy of Risha Vankalapati

Things to Know

Russian Revolution

• Most political problems in Russia were internal:
  • Lack of promotion for industrial and economic growth
  • Slow to improve education and general infrastructure
  • Hesitancy in providing civil liberties and opening government participation to all citizens
• Russia’s internal problems resulted in a weak economic base that could not support a military.
• As a result of an unsupported military Russia lost both the Crimean War and the Russo-Japanese War.
• Due to the lack of influence and power of the Russian government the Bolsheviks were able stage and uprising and establish a communist government.
• The communists sought to redistribute wealth and in doing so abolished private trade, distributed peasant crops to feed workers and seized control of the industrial sector

Upheaval in China

• The Qing Dynasty was overthrown and replaced with a short lived republic.
• China faced many internal problems which weakened the support for the government:
  • The Qing rulers were Manchu which many citizens of China were unwilling to accept due to a large Han population.
  • Droughts and floods perpetuated widespread famine.
  • Tax revenue was low, resulting in the government not having the ability to maintain and improve infrastructure.
• Sun Yat-sen staged the revolutionary movement to overthrow the Qing Dynasty.
• He championed democracy under Confucian ideals, allowing for pragmatic leaders and a resistance to foreign powers. He advocated for economic equality and emphasized patriotism and loyalty.
• He was replaced by a military leader due to his lack of military strength.
• His ideals went on to found the Chinese Nationalist Party who were replaced by the Chinese Communists. Although respected for his contributions, his principles would not be fully implemented.

Self-Determination in the Ottoman Collapse

• The Ottoman Empire faced a steady decline at the beginning of the 20th century brought by few exports and a waning economy.
• During this decline the Young Turks, a group of reformers, emerged.
• The Young Turks resented much of Western Europe and as such allied with Germany during World War 1.
• As a result of the alliance, after WW1 the Ottoman Empire was broken up and the sultan became a puppet leader for Britain.
• The Republic of Turkey was born out of the break up through the efforts of the Turkish Nationalist Movement.
• Mustafa Kemal (Atatürk) who led the Turkish Nationalists (a group that sought to make Turkey purely associate with Turkish culture) went on to rule as a dictator for 15 years.
• Atatürk sought to make Turkey similar to the West and brought reforms in education and women’s rights.

Power Shifts in Mexico

• Mexico was an independent country at the start of the 20th century under the rule of a dictator, Porfirio Díaz
• He saw some economic growth and stability, but his allowance of foreign investment widened economic inequality.
• Díaz jailed Francisco Madero and opposition to his policies ignited the Mexican Revolution.
• After the Mexican Revolution and the subsequent decade of violence, Mexico implemented a new constitution to redistribute land and provide universal suffrage.
• The PRI (Institutional Revolutionary Party) is founded as well, and goes on to dominate Mexican politics until 2000.

Terms to Remember