In this course, History 102 Western Civilization Post 1689, the five things I have learned are: Galileo Galilei’s life and accomplishments, political and social thought in the Enlightenment, the industrial revolutions in Europe, Russian Revolution, and the era of totalitarianism. I feel that this course had taught me so much about topics that I only learned a small amount about in my educational career. The topics I have selected are ones that I feel made a large impact in the world, and some in my life, and that without these events, the world would be different.
The first event I selected was Galileo Galilei, his life, and his accomplishments. Galileo was an astronomer and philosopher who, in chapter seventeen, is talked about with his discoveries …show more content…
In the time of the Enlightenment, these thoughts were brand new to the people. The political thought that was brought forward was mainly by “three major European thinkers and a host of minor ones wrote treatises on politics that remain relevant to this day: John Locke, Two Treatises of Government (1690); Baron de la Brède et de Montesquieu, The Spirit of the Laws (1748); and Jean Jacques Rousseau, The Social Contract (1762)” (Perry, et al., 2016). John Locke showed a very liberal form of ideals and wanted there to be more natural rights and equality, and that for people to understand politics, they must understand the state of nature (Bristow, 2010). Baron de la Brède et de Montesquieu didn’t want democracy or Locke’s ideals; he wanted a there to be a more balanced government, rather than a monarchy (Perry, et al., 2016). Jean Jacques Rousseau was all for democracy, and for government to be at the will of the people. These thoughts brought more ideals that wanted to help the people, limit the government, and Rousseau’s ideas were strongest in the time of the Enlightenment. In the social side of the thoughts from the Enlightenment, Rousseau felt that society was the issue of human beings, and most free thinkers, felt that society was corruptive because people could make their own decisions and that “society need constant reforms” (Perry, et al., 2016). The social thoughts that came forward were …show more content…
After Lenin died in 1924, Joseph Stalin came into power and continued and strengthened Lenin’s ideals. Totalitarianism was a “form of government that theoretically permits no individual freedom and that seeks to subordinate all aspects of the individual’s life to the authority of the government” (Britannica, Totalitarianism, 2016). “Unique among totalitarian or autocratic systems, Communism maintains strong opposition to free market economics, capitalist economic development, and private property. The Communist leadership in the Soviet Union placed all business and trade under state control,” (Center, 2016) which we can see taking place in Russia through Lenin’s ideas, Stalin, and future leaders. In Russia, Stalin received much support from the masses and was probably the most ruthless leader in history. During Stalin’s rule, he focused on raising Russia up and made sure that they were not going to be victim to anyone else in war. These policies allowed Russia to remain strong and take on Germany in World War II, and win. Without Lenin and Stalin’s ideals and totalitarian rule in Russia, Russia may have lost World War II and remained weakened. If Germany had gained ground on Russia before, during, and after World War II, the German powers, and Adolf Hitler, may have had their disastrous ideas pushed upon the rest on the world. If Germany’s ideas moved beyond World War II, the world may have
The first event I selected was Galileo Galilei, his life, and his accomplishments. Galileo was an astronomer and philosopher who, in chapter seventeen, is talked about with his discoveries …show more content…
In the time of the Enlightenment, these thoughts were brand new to the people. The political thought that was brought forward was mainly by “three major European thinkers and a host of minor ones wrote treatises on politics that remain relevant to this day: John Locke, Two Treatises of Government (1690); Baron de la Brède et de Montesquieu, The Spirit of the Laws (1748); and Jean Jacques Rousseau, The Social Contract (1762)” (Perry, et al., 2016). John Locke showed a very liberal form of ideals and wanted there to be more natural rights and equality, and that for people to understand politics, they must understand the state of nature (Bristow, 2010). Baron de la Brède et de Montesquieu didn’t want democracy or Locke’s ideals; he wanted a there to be a more balanced government, rather than a monarchy (Perry, et al., 2016). Jean Jacques Rousseau was all for democracy, and for government to be at the will of the people. These thoughts brought more ideals that wanted to help the people, limit the government, and Rousseau’s ideas were strongest in the time of the Enlightenment. In the social side of the thoughts from the Enlightenment, Rousseau felt that society was the issue of human beings, and most free thinkers, felt that society was corruptive because people could make their own decisions and that “society need constant reforms” (Perry, et al., 2016). The social thoughts that came forward were …show more content…
After Lenin died in 1924, Joseph Stalin came into power and continued and strengthened Lenin’s ideals. Totalitarianism was a “form of government that theoretically permits no individual freedom and that seeks to subordinate all aspects of the individual’s life to the authority of the government” (Britannica, Totalitarianism, 2016). “Unique among totalitarian or autocratic systems, Communism maintains strong opposition to free market economics, capitalist economic development, and private property. The Communist leadership in the Soviet Union placed all business and trade under state control,” (Center, 2016) which we can see taking place in Russia through Lenin’s ideas, Stalin, and future leaders. In Russia, Stalin received much support from the masses and was probably the most ruthless leader in history. During Stalin’s rule, he focused on raising Russia up and made sure that they were not going to be victim to anyone else in war. These policies allowed Russia to remain strong and take on Germany in World War II, and win. Without Lenin and Stalin’s ideals and totalitarian rule in Russia, Russia may have lost World War II and remained weakened. If Germany had gained ground on Russia before, during, and after World War II, the German powers, and Adolf Hitler, may have had their disastrous ideas pushed upon the rest on the world. If Germany’s ideas moved beyond World War II, the world may have