World War 1
Economic impacts of World War 1
The United States was one of the countries that were directly involved in the First World War. Consequently, the country realized direct impacts of the war in terms of its economy. One of the economic effects of the First World War, as felt in the United States, was the increased level of productivity in the country. Following the country engagement in the war, the demand for supplies that were related to the war increased in the country.
As a result, higher demand for commodities induced increased supply by industries thus increasing the level of productivity in the country. The war also led to the creation of more job opportunities in the United States following the increased level of productivity in industries as well as the transfer of workers from industries to military operations. The world war had effects in other regions such as Africa. There had, prior to the war, been established a level of international trade between African countries and the European countries. Following the events of the war, these trade activities were interrupted thereby causing negative economic impacts on the people or countries that depended on the trades. Other economic effects such as inflation and unemployment were suffered in Africa following the war.
Political impacts of World War 1
The aftermath of the First World War had a number of political effects outside Europe. International politics was for example reshaped following the world war conflict. The United States was for example driven back to politics of isolation as it opted to keep distance from a proposed peace keeping move that was an international initiative. The world war also led to changes in control of colonies by the European countries. Germany for example lost its control of territories in Asia and Africa.
Challenges that were caused by cold war
Cold war is a description of a period of tension that existed between the United States and the Soviet Union. The tension resulted in a series of events in the two countries. These consequences were later spread to other countries as the United States and the Soviet Union strived to outdo each other in terms of influence. One of the challenges of the cold war was the formation blocks that were military based.
The cold war resulted in regional integration that led to the formation of international military blocks: NATO and the Warsack. The United States was part of the NATO group while the Soviet Union belonged to the Warsack group. These military unions were formed by the countries in order to help both sides of the conflict to protect and defend itself from the other in case of an attack thus fuelling armament against the spirit of peaceful coexistence.
The cold war also strengthened the urge by both the United States and the Soviet Union to spread their influence and ideologies to other countries. The moves that could be identified to be politically motivated later led to the collapse of the Soviet Union as its ideologies could not sustain it economically. Consequently, the United States was identified as the world’s superpower. The cold war also led to the wide division of Germany into two regions along the conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union. Most of the challenges of the cold war were naturally resolved by the collapse of the Soviet Union.
The integration of Germany was however resolved by the collapse of the Berlin wall. No significant direct initiative was therefore made by any country to deal with the cold war challenges. It however led to the identification of the United States as the world’s super power.
Apartheid
Apartheid refers to a system in which people are segregated according to their races. People under apartheid are given different treatment in terms of social, economical and even political considerations. Popularly known apartheid rule was exercised in South Africa by the colonial rule in a system that Africans, the whites and the colored were each accorded different treatments. South Africa is however not the only country that has ever experienced apartheid. Racism as a mild form of apartheid has been practiced in many countries across the world. One of the countries that experienced intense racism is Zimbabwe.
Following colonization of the country and the migration of whites, especially Britons, Zimbabwe experienced a level of racial segregation in its education system. Before its independence, the Zimbabwean education system was based on racial discrimination with whites being accorded different schools from black people. Unequal treatments based on race has also since been reported in other countries such as china in which minority races are being accorded special treatments like in the implementation of the one child policy among other issues. Other countries such as the United States, Namibia among others have experienced a level of racial discrimination either by governments of by individual citizens.
The effects of racial discrimination on countries include unfair opportunities to people. This has the effect of blocking ways for people who poses potentials to impact their country in any aspect of life. Racial discrimination can, for example, limit chances of a person’s success in politics in a country in which some races are discriminated against. Discrimination also negatively affects economic growth as people shy away from trading with races that they are discriminating. This is majorly significant if the race being discriminated against is the one that has resources. Discrimination also has social impacts such as conflicts leading to civil wars.