1914–1989

The age of ideologies: Toynbee, the First World War and totalitarianism (1914–1989)

Shelley: the twentieth century brought a struggle of political and military titans – communism, Nazism and Americanism – and the Berlin Wall (1961) became the symbol of the century: on its eastern side stood the world of communist utopia, on the western the “free West” seeking wealth and happiness here and now. Arnold Toynbee suggested that the world religions had been replaced by nationalism, communism and individualism, which took on the character of religion; but the theory of secularization, in Shelley’s view, is ridiculously inaccurate on a world scale, a world that is “religious as never before”. The roots of the ideologies and totalitarian regimes lie in the First World War; Nazism emerged from the peace terms imposed on Germany

Key points

• Shelley: Toynbee held that in the 20th century nationalism, communism and individualism replaced religions; only partly true: the world is as religious as ever. Totalitarian regimes are led by a dictator or elite using propaganda and control; the Bolshevik regime largely matched Hitler’s. The roots of the ideologies lie in World War I: nationalism as a new religion, the heir’s assassination (28 June 1914), US entry (1917). In November 1917 the Bolsheviks seized power; the Versailles peace mixed idealism and revenge, and from vindictiveness Nazism arose. The Berlin Wall went up in 1961; the Cold War took on an ideological dimension, and both sides drew support from their Christian populations.

People

• Arnold Toynbee
• Woodrow Wilson
• Richard Pierard

Place

Europe, Russia, USA, Berlin