Question

Answer the following questions about internal and external factors that led to change in various states after 1900.

Answer 1

a) Identify factors that led to the Russian Revolution (1917).

The October Revolution in Russia in 1917 signified the collapse of Tsarist Russia and the establishment of a regime by the Bolsheviks and the leader of the Communist Party, Lenin. The main reason, among others, was the dissatisfaction of peasants and workers due to large class differences. The dissatisfaction of workers and peasants was preceded by several wars that Russia led and lost all, but the war with Turkey. Peasants barely survived in unreformed economic agricultural conditions. Workers fought for bigger rights in factories, for shortening working hours, but primacy was in waging wars, rather than dealing with economic issues and dissatisfaction of workers and peasants. Also, Emperor Nicholas spent more time dealing with his own family than on state issues. All this led to the general dissatisfaction of the people and the October Revolution.

b) Identify factors that led to the Mexican Revolution (1910–17).

Some of the factors that led to the Mexican Revolution were the dictatorship-like way of ruling that Porfirio Diaz exhibited for over 30 years, the exploitation and poor treatment of laborers, and the large disparity between rich and poor. While there is no definite cause for the Mexican Revolution, there were many factors that led to the decision to rebel against the government.

c) Explain how land-based and maritime empires gave way to new states in the 20th century.

The land-based and maritime empires gave way to new states in the 20th century when the older, land-based empires such as the Ottoman empire, the Russian empire, and the Qing empire collapsed due to a combination of internal and external factors. 

Answer 2

Answer:

a) Political and economic factors led to the Russian Revolution of 1917. In the early 1900s, while the rest of the world was already industrialized, Russia was still using subsistence farming with no modern transportation and a large peasant class. Tsar Nicholas II ruled the nation through an autocratic rule with secret police and no representative parliament. The Revolution of 1905 in St. Petersburg started a series of lasting political and social effects on Russia. During World War I, Russia's conditions worsened as the population at home fell into famine and millions died or were wounded on the battlefield. The royal family's popularity further weakened when the tsar took control of the military and left his German wife in charge, but Tsarina Alexandra appointed control to the provisional government who were also unable to win the support of the people. At this time, support for the communist Bolsheviks grew who rallied together to overthrow the Russian government and establish a soviet.  

b) Political factors led to the Mexican Revolution which lasted from 1910 to 1917. The conservatives and liberals disagreed on how to govern the new nation. Mexican forces also took a blow in the Mexican-American War which was a result of Texas' independence and the United States' annexation of Texas. After the war, new liberal leader Benito Juarez redistributed wealth and church lands while instituting reforms, but these went in vain when France overthrew the government and Porfirio Diaz came and established a dictatorship. While Diaz improved infrastructure and increased foreign investments, there was limited democracy and freedom during his rule. The Mexican Revolution was started by the imprisonment of Francisco Madero, a reformer, when he ran for president. In 1910, rebellions began in support of Madero and a bloody civil war forced Diaz out of office. Mexican independence was a long journey because of continued intervention from foreign powers including the United States and France. The Mexican Constitution of 1917 finally established necessary land and social reforms, including limitations on foreign ownership and prohibition of discrimination.

c) When the land-based and maritime empires such as the Ottoman Empire, Spanish Empire, Russian Empire and Qing Dynasty ended due to a combination of internal and external conflicts, they gave way to new states in the 20th century including the Czech Republic, Paula in the Pacific Ocean and many other smaller nationalities gained independence after Austria-Hungary was dissolved after the First World War. Nationalism increased in the 1900s and as a result, the people piled up their desire to gain independence and waited for the right time. After the powder keg exploded in the Balkans and WWI ended, nationalists took advantage of the weak governments and leading powers. In such a way, while the governments were weak, they ultimately gave way to the rising nationalist feelings and rebellions soon turned into independence for many nations in the 20th century.