The Age of Empire: 1875–1914
Encyclopedia
The Age of Empire: 1875–1914 is a book by Eric Hobsbawm
, first published in 1987. It is the third in a trilogy of books about "the long 19th century
" (coined by Hobsbawm), preceded by The Age of Revolution: Europe 1789–1848 and The Age of Capital: 1848–1875. A fourth book, The Age of Extremes: The Short Twentieth Century, 1914–1991, acts as a sequel to the trilogy.
), but the capitalist world economy quickly recovered, although the British economy was bypassed by the German economy and American economy
. Rising productivity resulted in increasing flow of goods, and rising leaving standards. Despite that, inequality
was growing, both on the national and international levels. In the cultural sphere, it was the period of the Belle Époque
, the swan-song of aristocracy
, increasingly marginalized by the growing affluence of the upper middle class
(bourgeois), which can be seen as the class most benefiting from changes of that period.
It was also a period of peace
, with Europe
and the Western world
involved in only a few minor conflicts. This led to a popular belief that no significant wars would happen in the future, an era of widespread optimism
. At the same time, the military-industrial complex
in all countries was busily stocking supplies for the conflict to come. In the background, the belief in progress
and science
was clashing with the old forces of religion
. The West, dominating the world through its colonial system
, was also increasingly interested in foreign cultures. It was such internal contradictions and tensions that for Hobsbawm defined this era, and spelled its inevitable end.
The ending of the Hobswawn trilogy sees the end of the era that begun with the dual revolution
(the French Revolution
and the industrial revolution
). Inspired by Lenin, Hobsbawm, a writer widely recognized as a Marxist, traces the development of capitalism
, linking it with the development of imperialism
that resulted in the First World War. Unlike Lenin, who predicted that this will lead to capitalism's downfall, and with the benefit of almost a century more of a hindsight, Hobsbawm acknowledges that capitalism survived, although in a form different from that which it began with in the late 18th century. Facing the dangers of a competing ideology, that of communism
, and another revolution (the Russian Revolution), capitalism, according to Hobsbawm, survived by appeasing the masses and accepting some of socialist demands, such as that of the welfare state
.
Eric Hobsbawm
Eric John Ernest Hobsbawm , CH, FBA, is a British Marxist historian, public intellectual, and author...
, first published in 1987. It is the third in a trilogy of books about "the long 19th century
The long 19th century
The long nineteenth century, defined by Eric Hobsbawm , a British Marxist historian and author, refers to the period between the years 1789 and 1914...
" (coined by Hobsbawm), preceded by The Age of Revolution: Europe 1789–1848 and The Age of Capital: 1848–1875. A fourth book, The Age of Extremes: The Short Twentieth Century, 1914–1991, acts as a sequel to the trilogy.
Themes
The period of less than fifty years described by Hobsbawm begun with an economic depression (see Panic of 1847Panic of 1847
The Panic of 1847 was started as a collapse of British financial markets associated with the end of the 1840s railway industry boom. As a means of stabilizing the British economy the ministry of Robert Peel passed the Bank Charter Act of 1844...
), but the capitalist world economy quickly recovered, although the British economy was bypassed by the German economy and American economy
Economy of the United States
The economy of the United States is the world's largest national economy. Its nominal GDP was estimated to be nearly $14.5 trillion in 2010, approximately a quarter of nominal global GDP. The European Union has a larger collective economy, but is not a single nation...
. Rising productivity resulted in increasing flow of goods, and rising leaving standards. Despite that, inequality
Economic inequality
Economic inequality comprises all disparities in the distribution of economic assets and income. The term typically refers to inequality among individuals and groups within a society, but can also refer to inequality among countries. The issue of economic inequality is related to the ideas of...
was growing, both on the national and international levels. In the cultural sphere, it was the period of the Belle Époque
Belle Époque
The Belle Époque or La Belle Époque was a period in European social history that began during the late 19th century and lasted until World War I. Occurring during the era of the French Third Republic and the German Empire, it was a period characterised by optimism and new technological and medical...
, the swan-song of aristocracy
Aristocracy
Aristocracy , is a form of government in which a few elite citizens rule. The term derives from the Greek aristokratia, meaning "rule of the best". In origin in Ancient Greece, it was conceived of as rule by the best qualified citizens, and contrasted with monarchy...
, increasingly marginalized by the growing affluence of the upper middle class
Upper middle class
The upper middle class is a sociological concept referring to the social group constituted by higher-status members of the middle class. This is in contrast to the term "lower middle class", which is used for the group at the opposite end of the middle class stratum, and to the broader term "middle...
(bourgeois), which can be seen as the class most benefiting from changes of that period.
It was also a period of peace
Peace
Peace is a state of harmony characterized by the lack of violent conflict. Commonly understood as the absence of hostility, peace also suggests the existence of healthy or newly healed interpersonal or international relationships, prosperity in matters of social or economic welfare, the...
, with Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and the Western world
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
involved in only a few minor conflicts. This led to a popular belief that no significant wars would happen in the future, an era of widespread optimism
Optimism
The Oxford English Dictionary defines optimism as having "hopefulness and confidence about the future or successful outcome of something; a tendency to take a favourable or hopeful view." The word is originally derived from the Latin optimum, meaning "best." Being optimistic, in the typical sense...
. At the same time, the military-industrial complex
Military-industrial complex
Military–industrial complex , or Military–industrial-congressional complex is a concept commonly used to refer to policy and monetary relationships between legislators, national armed forces, and the industrial sector that supports them...
in all countries was busily stocking supplies for the conflict to come. In the background, the belief in progress
Progress (history)
In historiography and the philosophy of history, progress is the idea that the world can become increasingly better in terms of science, technology, modernization, liberty, democracy, quality of life, etc...
and science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
was clashing with the old forces of religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
. The West, dominating the world through its colonial system
Colonialism
Colonialism is the establishment, maintenance, acquisition and expansion of colonies in one territory by people from another territory. It is a process whereby the metropole claims sovereignty over the colony and the social structure, government, and economics of the colony are changed by...
, was also increasingly interested in foreign cultures. It was such internal contradictions and tensions that for Hobsbawm defined this era, and spelled its inevitable end.
The ending of the Hobswawn trilogy sees the end of the era that begun with the dual revolution
Dual revolution
The dual revolution refers to the simultaneous occurrence of the political French Revolution and the Industrial Revolution, and the subsequent modernization of Europe....
(the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
and the industrial revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
). Inspired by Lenin, Hobsbawm, a writer widely recognized as a Marxist, traces the development of capitalism
Capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system that became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. There is no consensus on the precise definition nor on how the term should be used as a historical category...
, linking it with the development of imperialism
Imperialism
Imperialism, as defined by Dictionary of Human Geography, is "the creation and/or maintenance of an unequal economic, cultural, and territorial relationships, usually between states and often in the form of an empire, based on domination and subordination." The imperialism of the last 500 years,...
that resulted in the First World War. Unlike Lenin, who predicted that this will lead to capitalism's downfall, and with the benefit of almost a century more of a hindsight, Hobsbawm acknowledges that capitalism survived, although in a form different from that which it began with in the late 18th century. Facing the dangers of a competing ideology, that of communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
, and another revolution (the Russian Revolution), capitalism, according to Hobsbawm, survived by appeasing the masses and accepting some of socialist demands, such as that of the welfare state
Welfare state
A welfare state is a "concept of government in which the state plays a key role in the protection and promotion of the economic and social well-being of its citizens. It is based on the principles of equality of opportunity, equitable distribution of wealth, and public responsibility for those...
.
Table of contents
- Overture
- The Centenarian Revolution
- An Economy Changes Gear
- The Age of Empire
- The Politics of Democracy
- Workers of the World
- Waving Flags: Nations and Nationalism
- Who's Who or the Uncertainties of the Bourgeoisie
- The New Woman
- The Arts Transformed
- Certainties Undermined: The Sciences
- Reason and Society
- Towards Revolution
- From Peace to War
- Epilogue