Key Political Ideologies and Historical Events Overview

Conservatism

Political ideology favoring tradition, social stability, and authority.

Origins of Conservatism

Emerged after the French Revolution (~late 1700s) as a reaction against rapid social change.

Key Figures of Conservatism

Edmund Burke (British philosopher).

Where Conservatism is Found

Western Europe, especially Britain.

Historical Impact of Conservatism

Influenced political resistance to revolutionary movements; foundation for modern right-wing politics.

Liberalism

Ideology emphasizing individual rights, liberty, democracy, and free markets.

Origins of Liberalism

Enlightenment period; codified after the American and French Revolutions.

Founders of Liberalism

John Locke (philosopher).

Where Liberalism is Found

Western Europe and America.

Impact of Liberalism

Inspired democratic reforms, constitutional governments, and capitalism.

Socialism

Economic and political system advocating collective or governmental control of production and wealth redistribution.

Origins of Socialism

Early 19th century as response to industrial capitalism.

Founders of Socialism

Henri de Saint-Simon, Charles Fourier.

Where Socialism is Found

Europe.

Impact of Socialism

Influenced labor movements, welfare states, and communist ideologies.

Communism

A form of socialism advocating for a classless, stateless society with communal ownership of all property.

Origins of Communism

1848 with Marx and Engels' Communist Manifesto.

Founder of Communism

Karl Marx.

Where Communism is Found

Europe, but implemented notably in Russia, China, Cuba.

Impact of Communism

Led to revolutions (Russian 1917, Chinese 1949), Cold War geopolitics.

Anarchism

Belief in abolishing all government and hierarchical authority.

Origins of Anarchism

19th-century radical movement.

Key Figures of Anarchism

Mikhail Bakunin, Pierre-Joseph Proudhon.

Where Anarchism is Found

Europe, especially Russia and Spain.

Impact of Anarchism

Influenced labor movements, some revolutionary activities.

Nationalism

Pride in one's nation; belief that a nation should govern itself.

Origins of Nationalism

19th century; linked to the French Revolution.

Where Nationalism is Found

Europe; later worldwide.

Impact of Nationalism

Fueled unifications (Italy, Germany), independence movements, and conflicts leading to WWI and WWII.

Anti-Semitism

Hostility, prejudice, or discrimination against Jews.

Origins of Anti-Semitism

Long history, intensified in 19th-20th centuries in Europe.

Where Anti-Semitism is Found

Europe, especially Germany.

Impact of Anti-Semitism

Culminated in the Holocaust, a major atrocity of WWII.

Congo Free State

Brutal exploitation under King Leopold II; humanitarian outcry led to reforms.

Where Congo Free State is Located

Central Africa.

When Congo Free State Existed

Late 19th to early 20th century.

Brutal exploitation under King Leopold II

Humanitarian outcry led to reforms.

Turkey

Successor of Ottoman Empire; Ataturk's reforms modernized Turkey after WWI.

People's Republic of China

Founded 1949; Communist state under Mao; major player in Cold War and global politics.

Stalingrad

Turning point battle in WWII; Soviet victory halted Nazi advance.

Normandy

Site of D-Day invasion; crucial Allied success in WWII.

Midway

Major naval battle; turned tide against Japan in Pacific War.

Okinawa

Fierce battle; last major battle before atomic bombs; demonstrated high costs of invasion.

Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Sites of atomic bombings; led to Japanese surrender and end of WWII.

Soviet Union

Communist superpower; key player in WWII and Cold War.

Congress of Vienna (1815)

Post-Napoleon meeting to restore Europe's balance of power; redrew borders; conservative order restored.

Berlin Conference (1884-85)

Regulated European colonization of Africa; led to 'Scramble for Africa,' ignoring African peoples' rights.

Opium War (1839-1842)

China vs Britain; caused by British selling opium in China; led to China's defeat and unequal treaties.

Taiping Rebellion (1850-1864)

Peasant revolt against Qing dynasty; resulted in massive death toll and weakened Qing rule.

Meiji Restoration (1868)

Ended Tokugawa shogunate; restored emperor's power; led to rapid modernization and industrialization.

Sepoy Rebellion (1857)

Revolt against British East India Company; led to direct British Crown rule (British Raj).

World War I (1914-1918)

Caused by Militarism, Alliances, Nationalism, Imperialism, Assassination (MANIA); redrew borders, collapse of empires, League of Nations created.

Russian Revolution (1917)

Overthrow of Tsar, Bolshevik rise; resulted in creation of Soviet Union, first communist state.

Salt March (1930)

Nonviolent protest against British salt tax led by Gandhi; boosted Indian independence movement.

Great Depression (1929-late 1930s)

Global economic collapse; resulted in mass unemployment, political instability, rise of fascism.

Rape of Nanking (1937)

Japanese atrocities during invasion; resulted in war crimes and fueled Allied condemnation of Japan.

Spanish Civil War (1936-1939)

Fascists vs Republicans; served as a prelude to WWII and established Franco's dictatorship.

Holodomor (1932-33)

Man-made famine under Stalin in Soviet Ukraine; resulted in millions dying and exemplified Soviet repression.

Anschluss (1938)

Nazi annexation of Austria; marked a step toward WWII and showed appeasement failures.

Appeasement

Policy of conceding to Hitler's demands; failed to prevent WWII.

Holocaust (1941-1945)

Nazi genocide of 6 million Jews; resulted in immense human tragedy and shaped postwar human rights efforts.

World War II (1939-1945)

Global conflict involving Axis and Allies; changed world order and led to the formation of the UN.

The Blitz (1940-41)

German bombing campaign in Britain; resulted in civilian resilience and boosted British morale.

Nuremberg Trials (1945-46)

Trials of Nazi leaders; set precedent for international war crimes law.

Cold War (1947-1991)

Ideological, political, and military rivalry between US and Soviet Union; resulted in proxy wars, arms race, and space race.

Great Leap Forward (1958-1962)

Mao's economic campaign in China; resulted in famine and millions dying.

Cultural Revolution

Mao's political campaign to reinforce communism in China from 1966 to 1976.

Karl Marx

German philosopher, father of communism, co-wrote Communist Manifesto.

King Leopold II

Belgian king who exploited the Congo Free State, leading to millions of deaths.

Mahatma Gandhi

Indian independence leader who advocated nonviolent resistance.

Archduke Franz Ferdinand

Assassinated in 1914, triggering World War I.

Vladimir Lenin

Leader of the Bolsheviks who led the Russian Revolution and established the Soviet Union.

Woodrow Wilson

US President from 1913 to 1921 who proposed the League of Nations.

Mustafa Kemal Ataturk

Founder of modern Turkey who reformed politics, law, and education.

Sun Yat-sen

Father of the Chinese Republic who led the overthrow of the Qing dynasty.

Joseph Stalin

Soviet dictator who led industrialization, WWII victory, and purges.

Adolf Hitler

Nazi leader who started WWII and perpetrated the Holocaust.

Benito Mussolini

Founder of Fascism who allied with Hitler.

Francisco Franco

Fascist dictator of Spain after the Spanish Civil War.

Emperor Hirohito

Japanese emperor during World War II.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Led the US through the Great Depression and World War II.

Winston Churchill

British Prime Minister during WWII, famous for his defiant speeches.

Dwight D. Eisenhower

WWII Allied commander who later became US President.

Jawaharlal Nehru

First Prime Minister of India who promoted democracy and modernization.

Muhammad Ali Jinnah

Founder of Pakistan who led the Muslim League.

Mao Zedong

Communist leader who led the People's Republic of China.

Nelson Mandela

Anti-apartheid leader and first black South African president.

Qing Dynasty

Last Chinese imperial dynasty (1644-1912) overthrown after failures to modernize.

Treaty of Nanking

Ended the First Opium War, opened ports to Britain, and ceded Hong Kong.

British East India Company

Private company that ruled India before British Crown.

British Raj

Direct British rule in India from 1858 to 1947.

Indian National Congress

Founded in 1885, led the Indian independence movement.

MANIA

Acronym for WWI causes: Militarism, Alliances, Nationalism, Imperialism, Assassination.

Trench warfare

Common WWI combat style that resulted in stalemate.

Treaty of Versailles

Ended WWI and imposed harsh penalties on Germany.

Bolsheviks

Radical communist faction in Russia.

League of Nations

International peacekeeping body after WWI that failed to prevent WWII.

Mandate system

Post-WWI system dividing former Ottoman lands under European control.

Kuomintang

Chinese nationalist party led by Chiang Kai-shek.

Kodo

Japanese code of honor for samurai that influenced militarism.