Introduction to International Relations and the Industrial Revolution

This set explores the foundations of international relations, including key historical treaties, the phases and impacts of the Industrial Revolution, and the role of nationalism in shaping global power structures.

International Relations (Quincy Wright)

Relations between many entities of uncertain sovereignties, including nations, states, governments, regions, and international, industrial, cultural, or religious organizations.

Peace of Westphalia (1648)

European settlements of 1648 that ended the Eighty Years' War and the Thirty Years' War, establishing the concepts of state sovereignty and the modern state system.

Territorial Sovereignty

A principle from the Peace of Westphalia granting states the autonomy to govern their own territory without external interference.

Concert of Europe

A system of international relations established after the Congress of Vienna in 1815 aimed at maintaining peace and a balance of power among major European powers.

Bipolarity

A global order characterized by two dominant superpowers, specifically the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War era.

United Nations (UN)

An international organization established in 1945 to promote peace, security, and human rights, replacing the failed League of Nations.

Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD)

A nuclear doctrine during the Cold War asserting that a full-scale use of nuclear weapons by two opposing sides would result in the complete annihilation of both.

Non-Aligned Movement

An organization of nations that chose not to align with either the United States or the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

Industrial Revolution

A major economic and social transition from handcraft-based agrarian economies to mechanized industrial production, beginning in Britain around 1760.

James Watt's Steam Engine

An improved machine patented in 1769 that became a universal power source for factories and transportation, reducing fuel consumption by $75\%$.

Spinning Jenny

An invention by James Hargreaves in 1764 that allowed one worker to spin multiple threads simultaneously, revolutionizing the textile industry.

Second Industrial Revolution

A phase from 1870 to 1914 characterized by rapid scientific advances in electricity, steel, and chemicals, with the USA and Germany emerging as industrial leaders.

Bessemer Process

A method developed in 1856 that blew air through molten iron to burn impurities, allowing for the cheap mass production of steel.

Henry Ford's Assembly Line

A 1913 manufacturing innovation that reduced the production time of a Model T from 12 hours to roughly 90 minutes.

Nationalism

An ideology and movement asserting that a group sharing a common culture, language, or history should govern itself independently within a nation-state.

Civic Nationalism

A form of nationalism that defines the nation by shared political values, citizenship, and commitment to democracy rather than ethnicity.

Ethnic Nationalism

A type of nationalism that defines the nation based on shared ethnicity, language, religion, and ancestry, often leading to exclusive group identities.

Global Power Structure

The complex system of hierarchies, relationships, and institutions (such as the UN, WTO, and IMF) that determine how influence and resources are distributed globally.

Brexit

A case study of contemporary nationalism involving the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union, driven by concerns over sovereignty and immigration.

African National Congress (ANC)

A nationalist organization founded in 1912 that led the struggle against apartheid and for racial equality in South Africa.

Hugo Grotius

An intellectual known as the father of international law who advocated for a legal order and natural law among nations.

Realism

A school of thought in international relations, exemplified by Niccol"o Machiavelli, focusing on pragmatism, power dynamics, and state interests.

Immanuel Kant

A philosopher who promoted ideas of democratic peace, ethical cosmopolitanism, and global confederation.

Decolonization

A process accelerated after World War II where colonies in Asia, Africa, and Latin America gained independence, reshaping the international system.

Fourth Industrial Revolution

A contemporary era of exponential technological change where the half-life of a skill is less than $5$ years and communication is rapidly democratized.