The Age of Anxiety: 1914-1950

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts related to the Age of Anxiety in European history from 1914 to 1950.

World War I

A global conflict that caused the end of traditional monarchies and political systems in Europe, leading to the 'Age of Anxiety'.

Weimar Republic

The democratic government established in Germany after World War I.

Totalitarianism

A political system where the state holds total authority over society and seeks to control all aspects of public and private life.

Communism

A political ideology advocating for a classless society where all property is publicly owned, associated with the Soviet Union.

Fascism

A far-right authoritarian ultranationalism characterized by dictatorial power, strong regimentation of society, and the economy.

Enlightenment ideas

Philosophical concepts emphasizing reason, science, and individualism over tradition.

Friedrich Nietzsche

A philosopher who criticized traditional morality and rationalism, famously declaring 'God is Dead'.

Freudian psychology

A theory of psychology developed by Sigmund Freud emphasizing the role of the unconscious mind.

Existentialism

A philosophical movement focusing on individual freedom, choice, and the inherent absurdity of life.

Surrealism

An artistic movement that sought to release the creative potential of the unconscious mind.

Dadaism

An avant-garde art movement of the early 20th century that rejected logic and embraced chaos in art.

Logical empiricism

A philosophy asserting that knowledge is primarily derived from logical and mathematical analysis, dismissing metaphysical claims as meaningless.

The Decay of the West

A work by Oswald Spengler that theorizes cultures go through cycles of growth and decline.

Guernica

A mural by Pablo Picasso depicting the horrors of war, particularly the bombing of a Spanish city.

Principle of uncertainty

Werner Heisenberg's concept in quantum physics stating that certain pairs of physical properties cannot be known simultaneously.

The Fountain

A work by Marcel Duchamp that challenged conventional perceptions of art by presenting a urinal as an art piece.

The Waste Land

A poem by T. S. Eliot reflecting the disillusionment of the post-World War I era.

The Trial

A novel by Franz Kafka highlighting themes of alienation and the absurdity of existence.

Animal Farm

An allegorical novella by George Orwell that satirizes totalitarianism through a story of farm animals.

1984

A dystopian novel by George Orwell depicting a totalitarian regime that uses surveillance and oppression to control its citizens.