How did world war i, world war ii, and the cold war transform patterns of global politics?
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Past and present: A Silk Road-inspired installation outside the National Convention Centre in Beijing Image: REUTERS/Stringer Peter VanhamDeputy Head of Media, World Economic Forum Geneva Stay up to date: Geo-economicsHave you read?
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Global Agenda The Agenda WeeklyA weekly update of the most important issues driving the global agenda SubscribeYou can unsubscribe at any time using the link in our emails. For more details, review our privacy policy. The end of the Cold War and geopolitical change in Europe
The end of the Cold War and the geopolitical changes in Europe The late 20th century was a time of major geopolitical upheaval in Eastern Europe. The fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989 put an end to the Cold War and the divisions that dated back to the Second World War. The fall of the Communist bloc brought about the end of a bipolar world built around the rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union. Economic and military structures such as Comecon (the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance) and the Warsaw Pact were dissolved in 1991. The events of the late 1980s marked the beginning of improved relations between two parts of the continent that had long been divided. Political and economic reforms were carried out throughout Europe, providing favourable conditions for the creation of a market economy and the establishment of pluralist parliamentary democracies based on the rule of law. Success was far from guaranteed, however, as demonstrated by the violent end of the Communist dictatorship in Yugoslavia. Western Europe was torn between the hopes born of détente and the anxiety caused by periods of tension. The new regimes soon declared their intention to turn to the countries of Western Europe for the necessary economic aid and assistance to facilitate the transition. The aspiration for ownership and modernity embodied by the European Union was a driving force behind the transformation of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEECs). But the European Union, tasked with this historic mission, also had to work to offer these states the prospect of access to its area of peace and prosperity, along with the means and method that would open up this area for them. The disappearance of the iron curtain also paved the way for the reunification of Germany and then of the whole of Europe. In June 1993, at the Copenhagen European Council, the European Union enlargement process was officially launched. This process was unique in the EU’s history because of the number of applicant countries and the considerable size of their populations. Europe’s infrastructures — including the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE), the Council of Europe and Western European Union (WEU) — also had to be enlarged and transformed so that they would be better suited to the new political order in Eastern Europe. Consult in PDF format How did World War II contribute to the development of the Cold War?As World War II transformed both the United States and the USSR, turning the nations into formidable world powers, competition between the two increased. Following the defeat of the Axis powers, an ideological and political rivalry between the United States and the USSR gave way to the start of the Cold War.
How did the outcome of World War II affect the global balance of political and military power?At the end of World War II, the number of world powers was reduced to two and one half: the United States, the Soviet Union and Great Britain. The power of Great Britain was so much less than that of the United States and the Soviet Union which assumed the title 'superpowers'.
What impact did the Cold War have on global society?The Cold War shaped American foreign policy and political ideology, impacted the domestic economy and the presidency, and affected the personal lives of Americans creating a climate of expected conformity and normalcy. By the end of the 1950's, dissent slowly increased reaching a climax by the late 1960's.
What major changes occurred in global politics after the end of Cold War?The global focus shifted to fostering trade relations instead of aid giving, economic interdependencies grew. The United Nations now had a greater responsibility of maintaining global peace and security. Environmental concerns, human rights, gender equality etc acquired a global dimension.
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