Modern Times: A History of the World from the 1920s to the 1980s
Encyclopedia
Modern Times: A History of the World from the 1920s to the 1980s is a book by British journalist and writer Paul Johnson, which attempts to be an outline of world history
during the 20th century from the author's perspective.
, and ending with the collapse of Communism
in most of Eastern Europe
. The book does not mention the collapse of the Soviet Union
itself, since it was first published in 1983, and the second edition appeared in 1991, a few months before the final Soviet downfall.
The book deals mainly with the shaping of the Soviet Union in the first decades after WWI , the collapse of democracy
in Central Europe
due to the rise of Fascism
and National Socialism
, the causes that led to World War II
, and its development and outcome. The book devotes a chapter (An Infernal Theocracy, a Celestial Chaos) to the development of Imperial Japan and the chaotic situation within China
during the Warlord Era
.
Roughly the second half of the book deals with the post-WWII events: the Cold War
, the end of colonialism and the simultaneous birth of the Third World concept, the rise of the People's Republic of China and of independent India
, the reconstruction and economic boom in post-war Europe, and the rise of the East Asian Tigers.
and generally treats secular (especially leftist) ideologies in a hostile manner. Throughout the book he criticizes all forms of radical political reform, which he calls "experiments in social engineering", and several of its chapters are devoted to strong criticism of extremist politicians, including Nazis and fascists, but also left-wing figures such as Lenin, Stalin, and Mao Zedong
, whom the author deems as vicious as Hitler.
The author is clear that he views that most of the evils of the twentieth century as a consequence of the replacement of the traditional Judeo-Christian
values with secular ideologies, whose influence he deems disastrous.Johnson is also a strong supporter of freemarket Capitalism
, which bolsters his hostility towards Communism. He also portrays famous Third World
politicians, even icons like Gandhi and Nehru, as frivolous characters.
His work can be compared to British historian, Eric Hobsbawm
's, The Age of Extremes, which discusses roughly the same period of time but from a point of view which looks more favorably upon the ideological and social changes which accompanied the 20th century's many upheavals.
World History
World History, Global History or Transnational history is a field of historical study that emerged as a distinct academic field in the 1980s. It examines history from a global perspective...
during the 20th century from the author's perspective.
Chapters
- A Relativist World
- The First Despotic Utopias
- Waiting for Hitler
- Legitimacy in Decadence
- An Infernal Theocracy, a Celestial Chaos
- The Last Arcadia
- Degringolade
- The Devils
- The High Noon of Aggression
- The End of Old Europe
- The Watershed Years
- Superpower and Genocide
- Peace by Terror
- The Bandung Generation
- Caliban's Kingdoms
- Experimenting with Half Mankind
- The European Lazarus
- America's Suicide Attempt
- The Collectivist Seventies
- The Recovery of Freedom
Description
The book describes world history beginning with the aftermath of World War I (WWI)World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, and ending with the collapse of Communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
in most of Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
. The book does not mention the collapse of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
itself, since it was first published in 1983, and the second edition appeared in 1991, a few months before the final Soviet downfall.
The book deals mainly with the shaping of the Soviet Union in the first decades after WWI , the collapse of democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
in Central Europe
Central Europe
Central Europe or alternatively Middle Europe is a region of the European continent lying between the variously defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe...
due to the rise of Fascism
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
and National Socialism
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
, the causes that led to World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and its development and outcome. The book devotes a chapter (An Infernal Theocracy, a Celestial Chaos) to the development of Imperial Japan and the chaotic situation within China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
during the Warlord Era
Warlord era
The Chinese Warlord Era was the period in the history of the Republic of China, from 1916 to 1928, when the country was divided among military cliques, a division that continued until the fall of the Nationalist government in the mainland China regions of Sichuan, Shanxi, Qinghai, Ningxia,...
.
Roughly the second half of the book deals with the post-WWII events: the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, the end of colonialism and the simultaneous birth of the Third World concept, the rise of the People's Republic of China and of independent India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, the reconstruction and economic boom in post-war Europe, and the rise of the East Asian Tigers.
Worldview
Modern Times, as most of Johnson's works, is written in a narrative style with a political bent. Johnson is a conservative CatholicCatholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
and generally treats secular (especially leftist) ideologies in a hostile manner. Throughout the book he criticizes all forms of radical political reform, which he calls "experiments in social engineering", and several of its chapters are devoted to strong criticism of extremist politicians, including Nazis and fascists, but also left-wing figures such as Lenin, Stalin, and Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong, also transliterated as Mao Tse-tung , and commonly referred to as Chairman Mao , was a Chinese Communist revolutionary, guerrilla warfare strategist, Marxist political philosopher, and leader of the Chinese Revolution...
, whom the author deems as vicious as Hitler.
The author is clear that he views that most of the evils of the twentieth century as a consequence of the replacement of the traditional Judeo-Christian
Judeo-Christian
Judeo-Christian is a term used in the United States since the 1940s to refer to standards of ethics said to be held in common by Judaism and Christianity, for example the Ten Commandments...
values with secular ideologies, whose influence he deems disastrous.Johnson is also a strong supporter of freemarket Capitalism
Capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system that became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. There is no consensus on the precise definition nor on how the term should be used as a historical category...
, which bolsters his hostility towards Communism. He also portrays famous Third World
Third World
The term Third World arose during the Cold War to define countries that remained non-aligned with either capitalism and NATO , or communism and the Soviet Union...
politicians, even icons like Gandhi and Nehru, as frivolous characters.
His work can be compared to British historian, Eric Hobsbawm
Eric Hobsbawm
Eric John Ernest Hobsbawm , CH, FBA, is a British Marxist historian, public intellectual, and author...
's, The Age of Extremes, which discusses roughly the same period of time but from a point of view which looks more favorably upon the ideological and social changes which accompanied the 20th century's many upheavals.