Global Resistance to Established Power Structures Notes

Global Resistance to Established Power Structures

Key Quote: "What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans, and the homeless, whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or the holy name of liberty and democracy?" - Mohandas Gandhi
Essential Question: What were differing reactions to existing power structures after 1900?
Overview of 20th Century Conflicts:
- Newly independent and long-established states faced numerous challenges to their power structures.
- Two contrasting approaches to resistance:
- Nonviolent Resistance: Promoted change without violence.
  - Mohandas Gandhi: Led nonviolent protests against British colonialism; instrumental in India’s independence in 1947 through marches, boycotts, and fasts.
  - Martin Luther King Jr.: A leading figure in the U.S. civil rights movement during the 1950s and 1960s:
  - Utilized court rulings (e.g., Brown v. Board of Education) to challenge segregation.
  - Led the Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955-1956) to end bus segregation.
  - Organized the March on Washington in 1964, with 250,000 participants.
  - Efforts contributed to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1965.
  - Nelson Mandela: Fought against apartheid in South Africa, initially supporting sabotage but later leading nonviolent protests; apartheid officially ended in the 1990s.
- Violent Resistance: Some movements resorted to violence to achieve political aims.
- Shining Path in Peru: A Maoist guerrilla organization founded by Abimael Guzmán, known for violent acts including bombings and assassinations, aiming to replace the government with communism. Estimated 37,000 deaths from their activities.
- Francisco Franco in Spain: Military dictator who suppressed dissent using violence, aligning with U.S. anti-communism policies.
Challenges to Soviet Power in Eastern Europe:
- Movement against Soviet dominance in Eastern Europe during the 1950s and 1960s.
- Poland 1956: Workers protested against Soviet control; Gomulka initiated a more independent policy but maintained loyalty to the Soviet Union.
- Hungary 1956: Protests led by Imre Nagy for greater autonomy; resulted in a Soviet invasion and Nagy’s execution.
- Czechoslovakia 1968 - Prague Spring: Alexander Dubcek’s reforms aimed at liberalizing the communist regime led to a violent Soviet response, invoking the Brezhnev Doctrine.
1968: The Year of Revolt:
- Series of protests worldwide:
- Students in Yugoslavia, Brazil, Mexico, and France demanded political and educational reforms.
- In France, massive strikes ensued, leading to new elections.
- United States protests against Vietnam War intensified, culminating in the Kent State shootings in 1970.
Rise of Terrorism in the Post-Cold War Era:
- Shift from state-sponsored violence to terrorist acts by non-state actors.
- Northern Ireland Conflict: Sectarian violence between Catholics (IRA) and Protestants (UDA) resulted in thousands of deaths.
- ETA in Spain: Armed group seeking Basque independence through violence; declared a ceasefire in 2011.
- Islamic Terrorism: Groups like al-Qaeda attacked civilians, most notably during the September 11 attacks in 2001.
Responses to Internal Conflicts:
- Military dictators often worsened internal conflicts.
- Spain under Franco: Brutal suppression of dissent despite U.S. support, leading to a gradual move towards democracy post-Franco.
- Uganda under Idi Amin: His regime characterized by brutal repression and ethnic cleansing; he was eventually overthrown.
Military-Industrial Complex:
- Eisenhower's warning about the merging of government defense departments and the arms industry.
- The growing arms trade intensified conflicts as nations invested heavily in military strength.
Key Terms:
- Wladyslaw Gomulka, Imre Nagy, Prague Spring, Alexander Dubček, Brezhnev Doctrine, Irish Republican Army (IRA), Ulster Defence Association, Basque Homeland and Freedom (ETA), Abimael Guzmán, Shining Path, Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, Kent State University.