The Political, Social and Economic Impact of WWI on European Society - Essay Example

? The Political, Social and Economic Impact of WWI on European Society Introduction WWI was battled across Europe, the European colonies, as well as surrounding seas, in the years of 1914-1918. It is referred to as the Great War because it was literary bigger compared to any other war that had previously taken place. It is claimed that more than 59 million of troops underwent mobilization, where more than eight million were killed and over 29 million of people were wounded in this struggle. The war shook the whole world as allies and numerous nations joined the fight which immensely changed the economical, social and political map of the European culture. The economic and political influences of the war were so enormous that it left lasting marks in the modern era. The European economy as a whole was immensely wrecked as it passed the capital to the surfacing America, a process that continued even during WWII. The initial old Russian Empire was dispersed to be replaced with a socialist federation of nations led by Stalin’s dictatorship that caused millions of deaths. Furthermore, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the surviving relic of the millennia of the initial Roman Empire, died away; the same happened to the relatively young German Empire. Moreover, the maps concerning Eastern Europe and the Middle East were reconstructed in such a manner that they are still generating conflicts1. Moreover, socialism2 emerged as a significant force, which was a result of the Russian revolutions. The society of each warring European nation altered; for instance, in Britain the class system changed as the lower class consciousness, progressed; in France a whole generation of men demised, in Eastern Europe populations were again growing up as young nations popped up on the political map, while Germany survived by forming a non-imperial recognition. WWI, which is also referred to as one of the bloodiest battles of the century, had immense impacts throughout Europe. From the political perspective, the war left an evident scene of how it affected the main powers of Europe. For nations, such as Britain and France, the regime change was unessential, while in Germany there was a crucial change with far reaching consequences, whereas in Russia, the impact was drastic as well, resulting in two revolutions. Therefore, the war left a chain of political effects which were both direct and indirect. For instance, WWI pushed forward the idea of unity rallied behind people’s governments enhanced by the patriotism feeling. In the 1914 in France, during the formation of the Union Sacre, it was clear that the socialist ideas were put down so as to favor the nationalistic tendencies. Correspondingly, in Germany such a tendency was witnessed when Burgfrieden’ pursued contamination of socialism during that period. The same enthusiasm, to certain extent, was also noted in Russia. Furthermore, according to Mazzini3, the French republicans understood the internal question in 1848 when they decided to abandon the European initiative, set aside their aspirations of Lamartine Manifesto and pursued strengthening of organizations of labor. The question of nationality entailed understanding the alliances of people, the power balance which was anchored on novel foundations. The changes in political aspects that were impacted on by the WWI were reflected mostly through the collapse of the European empires and monarchies. As the Ottoman Empire and the Austria-Hungary totally diminished, the WWI also led to the destruction of the Russian and German monarchies as they were transformed into republics. Furthermore, this was integral in the promotion of nationalism across and outside Europe resulting into the demand for independence among colonies of European nations. Additionally, a lot changed on the social front as men had mostly participated in the war while women were left in charge of their nations’ establishments and businesses. Women were initially considered as homemakers, whose core duty was to serve their families, but the war changed everything. Women’s role was transformed to make them the chief breadwinners of their families with the absence of their husbands. Furthermore, mechanization and mass manufacturing gave way to the emerging labor laws4. The disenchantment that resulted from the war capitulated in the revolutions within numerous European societies. People publicly expressed their desire to have better standards of living and they chose to embrace republics over monarchies. The outcomes of working together for a common objective seemed to become the unifying factor of the European societies. As many lost their lives in the way, it led to the elimination of the pre-existing barriers among people. Certain form of selective service which was laid by belligerents managed to level the classes of people in several ways. The wartime scarcities made opulence unfavorable and impossible. Moreover, clothing trends became uniform and practical. People did not dress in expensive and fancy clothing anymore. Also, it became acceptable for the young, employed and single women from the middle class to become property owners buying their own apartments as several prohibitions and restrictions related to women disappeared during the war. The economic impact of the WWI was characterized by many discrepancies. Some people were seen to benefit from the war while others suffered from the effects of inflation. Various profitable opportunities appeared during the war era. These opportunities were beneficial for certain groups of people giving means to make big amounts of money for war manufacturers5. However, only a small portion of European people had the chance to benefit from it as it created a huge public scandal. Jules Romains’s Verdun who manufactured boots became the illusory new rich as it possessed numerous real-life counterparts. Government intervention in the economy lost its relevance in the operations of large firms. This was evident when German military took over car production of the Daimler motors to be used in the war production contracts in paddling costs. Governments were seen to favor large and centralized industries over the small ones. The war was the leading influence in grouping companies according to their sizes and dominance in the economy. In times of limited resources, the firms considered as non-essential causing small companies to close down. Inflation was the greatest economic factor during and after the war as military budgets advanced to astronomical figures. This also led to massive demand, which saw an increase in the shortages of consumer goods6. Demand for labor increased and people who had ability were absorbed into the industries. This increase in employment was targeted to help in meeting the demand for consumer goods. The combination of high demand, scarcity and full employment made prices of commodities soar. This effect was experienced in all European countries, even in those that were best managed. The weakness of sterling pound in 1919 generated a third of the profits that Britain had had in 1914. This exceedingly drastic decline in worth showed how the economy had been adversely affected. There was extreme inflation in France where the prices were seen to double; the situation only got worse in the 1920’s. Inflation rates were even higher in other belligerents. In Germany the currency ceased to have value in 1923. However, these effects had been overseen by John M. Keynes from the view of the Versailles Treaty. The inflation had differentiated effects on individuals in different countries. The skilled workers in strategic industries seemed to be on the safe side of the inflation. This is because their wages always kept in pace with the prevailing prices and sometimes even rose beyond the prices. In some countries the wages of skilled workers were seen to rise a little faster than prices. On the other hand, the unskilled workers and those working in less prominent industries legged behind7. White-collar employees, such as teachers, civil servants, as well as small shopkeepers, received fewer wage than the skilled workers. This was an indication that those who depended heavily on a fixed income suffered effects of inflation the most. This category included old people who depended on pension and those in the middle class who lived on small dividends. Their income remained at the same level while the prices of commodities doubled or tripled. This made them drop down into poverty. Inflation caused a radical change in the financial position of individuals in the society8. The purchasing power of a wage earner dropped throughout the war. However, some notable fortune was made during the war time and despite postwar inflation. Those who had the ability to borrow enormous sums of money could repay their debts in devalued currency obtained from war profits. Conclusion The political, social and economic impacts of WWI were integral in formulating and dictating the trends of where the continent was headed in future. It assisted in eliminating existing cultural and economic restrictions to stimulate creating more gratifying and inclusive systems that were beneficial to many nations in Europe. It laid the foundation for subsequent changes within and outside of Europe as the war effects were felt worldwide. List or references Fourier, Charles. 1876. Theory of Social Organization. New York: C. P. Somerby. Modern History Sourcebook. Piep, Karsten H. 2009. Embattled Home Fronts: Domestic Politics and the American Novel of World War I. Amsterdam: Rodopi. Marx, Karl. 1888. The Collected Writings of Karl Marx, 2d ed., ed. Friedrich Engels, trans. by Samuel Moore, London. Mazzini, Giuseppe. 1880. Europe: Its Condition and Prospects," Essays: Selected from the Writings, Literary, Political and Religious of Joseph Mazzini, ed. William Clark (London: Walter Scott, 1880), pp. 266, 277­78, 291­92. Read More