The Age of Anxiety

Group: 1.What were the SOCIAL/Political/Economic problems in Germany and Italy that gave rise to Hitler and Mussolini? 2.How did the USA, USSR, Latin America, Brazil, and Japan respond to the Great Depression?

Europe’s mood after the Great War

Post-WWI Europe Decade can be divided into two periods Decade can be divided into two periods Five Years of Painful Recovery ( ) Five Years of Painful Recovery ( ) Six Years of Growing Peace and Progress ( ) Six Years of Growing Peace and Progress ( ) The Roaring Twenties The Roaring Twenties Transformation of Europe Transformation of Europe Period of Social Change Period of Social Change Scientific and Cultural Transformation Scientific and Cultural Transformation German Hyperinflation German Hyperinflation

Europe after the Great War

Social Changes of the 1920s Class distinctions faded away as role of aristocracy declined Class distinctions faded away as role of aristocracy declined Government expansion led to expansion of “white-collar” jobs Government expansion led to expansion of “white-collar” jobs Advancements in technology prevented growth of working class Advancements in technology prevented growth of working class Women earned the right to vote Women earned the right to vote Did not effect politics as women voted like male relatives Did not effect politics as women voted like male relatives

Scientific Revolution Albert Einstein and Werner Heisenberg challenged traditional ideas of the universe Albert Einstein and Werner Heisenberg challenged traditional ideas of the universe “Truth was merely a set of mental constructs” “Truth was merely a set of mental constructs” Postmodern belief is that a correct description of Reality is impossible (extreme skepticism) Friedrich NietzscheFriedrich Nietzsche, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Karl Popper and Thomas Kuhn Ludwig WittgensteinKarl PopperThomas Kuhn Friedrich NietzscheLudwig WittgensteinKarl PopperThomas Kuhn a) All truth is limited, approximate, and is constantly evolving (Nietzsche, Kuhn, Popper). b) No theory can ever be proved true - we can only show that a theory is false (Popper). c) No theory can ever explain all things consistently (Godel's incompleteness theorem). d) There is always a separation between our mind & ideas of things and the thing in itself (Kant). e) Physical reality is not deterministic (Copenhagen interpretation of quantum physics, Bohr). f) Science concepts are mental constructs (logical positivism, Mach, Carnap). g) Metaphysics is empty of content. h) Thus absolute and certain truth that explains all things is unobtainable. As Taborsky writes of Postmodern philosophy;.. the Mediated concept of Truth, is that it first admits that there is no such thing as absolute, pure Truth. There is a reality, which may be abstract or sensual... but one cannot access it/know it..'in-itself'. One can only 'know' it within the socially constructed (or species- constructed)…(Taborsky).. the Mediated concept of Truth, is that it first admits that there is no such thing as absolute, pure Truth. There is a reality, which may be abstract or sensual... but one cannot access it/know it..'in-itself'. One can only 'know' it within the socially constructed (or species- constructed)…(Taborsky) We CAN imagine things that DO NOT physically exist (e.g. dragons, particle-wave duality) We CANNOT imagine things that DO physically exist. (e.g. reality of matter and human existence in universe) Atomic world replaces classical world Atomic world replaces classical world Sigmund Freud Sigmund Freud Psychoanalysis was the key to understanding human behavior Psychoanalysis was the key to understanding human behavior

Artistic Revolution Literature Literature Ernest Hemmingway Ernest Hemmingway John Steinbeck John Steinbeck Art Art Edgar Degas Edgar Degas Pablo Picasso Pablo Picasso Salvador Dali Salvador Dali Race Horses by Degas Les Demoiselles d’ Avignon by Picasso The Persistence of Memory by Dali

German Hyperinflation German economy collapsed in 1923 German economy collapsed in 1923 Loss of territory as part of Treaty of Versailles Loss of territory as part of Treaty of Versailles Hyper-inflation Hyper-inflation

Pictures of Hyperinflation What can you do with German money in 1923? Make a fort (above) or burn it for heat (right)

The Dawes Plan U.S. plan to reorganize the German economy U.S. plan to reorganize the German economy Lower annual war reparations payments Lower annual war reparations payments German currency reorganized German currency reorganized U.S. loans to Germany U.S. loans to Germany Stabilizes the German economy Stabilizes the German economy sees a return to relative economic prosperity sees a return to relative economic prosperity

The Dawes Plan United StatesGermany Allies High-interest Loans War ReparationsInterest on War Debts

The Great Depression

Causes of the Great Depression Agricultural Depression Agricultural Depression Decline in wheat prices Decline in wheat prices “Dust Bowl” “Dust Bowl” Bank Failures Bank Failures Overproduction of Goods Overproduction of Goods Production grew by 50%; wages increased at slower rate Production grew by 50%; wages increased at slower rate Credit Credit Buying goods (including stock) on margin Buying goods (including stock) on margin

Effects of the Great Depression Decline of world trade Decline of world trade Countries turn to economic nationalism Countries turn to economic nationalism Massive unemployment Massive unemployment German unemployment 40% German unemployment 40% Global decline in industrial production Global decline in industrial production German production declines by 30%; France 20% German production declines by 30%; France 20% Poverty and hunger widespread Poverty and hunger widespread Starvation in Germany Starvation in Germany

Reactions to the Depression Government Changes Government Changes Welfare State Welfare State The New Deal The New Deal Keynesian Economics Keynesian Economics Political Radicalization Political Radicalization Rise of communist and fascist parties Rise of communist and fascist parties Germany and Japan turn to state controlled economic growth Germany and Japan turn to state controlled economic growth

Totalitarianism and Mass Mobilization

Characteristics of Totalitarianism Attack liberal democracy and capitalism Attack liberal democracy and capitalism State directed economy State directed economy State more important than the individual State more important than the individual Charismatic dictators Charismatic dictators Depend upon mobilization of the masses Depend upon mobilization of the masses Embrace public welfare programs Embrace public welfare programs Use censorship and propaganda Use censorship and propaganda Women not permitted a public role Women not permitted a public role

Rise of Adolf Hitler Born in Austria Born in Austria High school dropout High school dropout Served in World War I Served in World War I Arrested for role in Beer Hall Putsch Arrested for role in Beer Hall Putsch Writes Mein Kampf from prison Writes Mein Kampf from prison Became chancellor of Germany in 1933 Became chancellor of Germany in 1933

Reforms of Adolf Hitler Ignores provisions of the Treaty of Versailles Ignores provisions of the Treaty of Versailles Ends war reparations payments Ends war reparations payments Uses militarization to ease the burdens of the Great Depression Uses militarization to ease the burdens of the Great Depression Many countries sympathized with Germany Many countries sympathized with Germany Nazis seize complete political control Nazis seize complete political control Beginning of the Holocaust Beginning of the Holocaust Nuremburg Laws (1935) Nuremburg Laws (1935)