The European Century
The distinguished Oxford Historian
Richard Evans has given us a kaleidoscopic view of European civilization during
the century it came to dominate the globe. A reader will learn a lot by going
through this very long book (848 pages in the print edition without footnotes
or endnotes.) In my opinion too long for the average lay reader. Evans offers
us a bottom-up socio-political history where the focus is more on the average
citizen and culture than the political elite.
In essence Evans discusses how Europe
came to terms with the political earthquakes brought about by the French
Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars and the industrial revolution. In 1815 the
so called Concert of Europe is brought into being by Metternich as a
conservative reaction to the French Revolution. That framework largely keeps
the peace until 1848. Nevertheless the
ideas of the French Revolution bubble up and gradually work to democratize
European society as the franchise is extended to more and more people. He highlights
the conflict between the liberal reformers in the bourgeoisie and their more
democratic counterparts whose visions extend to feminism and socialism.
Along the way nationalism becomes the
most powerful force in Europe as Italy and Germany unify and the minorities
within the decaying Austrian and Ottoman Empires revolt. It is those revolts
that light the match that starts World War I.
Nationalism also becomes the motivating
force in the establishment of European colonial empires in Asia and Africa.
Territory abroad yielded political prestige home. The power of nationalism
proves itself in 1914 when the previously anti-war socialist parties all vote
for war credits in their respective nations.
All told The Pursuit of Power is well
worth the read, but it will take a patient lay reader to get through it all.
The full Amazon URL appears at: https://www.amazon.com/review/R1QBMCP030IDI0/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv
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