Introduction - The West and the World

                                                                                                             Chapter 25

The World approximately 1910

Western society was changing. A great amount of products and ideas came out of Europe in the Nineteenth century. Millions of Europeans emigrated abroad to North and South America, Australia, North and South Africa,and Asiatic Russia. Many European nations established and enlarged their political empires. This was called "New Imperialism" by historians during the 1880s. It led to the economic and technological transformation of Europe. Europe's new imperialism was a combination of military might and strong authoritarian rule. As a result, it created a challenge to the Asian and African peoples. Many societies met this Western challenge differently and with changing tactics. By 1914, non-Western elites in many lands were rallying their peoples and leading an anti-imperialistic struggle for dignity and genuine independence that would triumph after 1945.