The decolonization (successful independence struggles) of Africa and Asia from 1945 to 1975 brought about the end of the West’s world-spanning empires! Or did it? Custom Paper

In your response to the questions, you must use at least seven of these ten terms. Please underline them in the text: Political liberalism; Economic or ”classic” liberalism or neoliberalism; Capitalism; Nationalism; Marxism; Humanitarianism; Racism; Welfare State; Feminism; Consumerism. Also, back your answer up with quotes from all of the readings in the second half of the course: at least 1 from King Leopold’s Ghost; at least 2 from selections on nationalism; and at least 1 from The No-Nonsense Guide to Globalization. Also make reference to lecture concepts.

Option 1) The decolonization (successful independence struggles) of Africa and Asia from 1945 to 1975 brought about the end of the West’s world-spanning empires! Or did it? Before decolonization, democracy and the industrial revolution were pretty much limited to Europe and the Americas. Now they have spread worldwide! Or have they? Write an essay that compares and contrasts the period of formal Western empires and the world of today. Politically: who was in charge of world politics then and who is in charge now? Economically: Has the promise of the industrial revolution lifted all boats? Who runs today’s world economy? Culturally: What ideas dominated the world then and what ideas dominate it now? Finally: is “empire” still a suitable term to describe the state of the world today?

Option 2) The age we live in is one of increasing inequality: the wealthiest people and the wealthiest nations are growing wealthier and many of the poorest are growing poorer. Write an essay that explains why this is so, putting our own time into the context of the longer history of the modern era. Start with the industrial revolution, identifying previous times when this economic “great gap” expanded and when it actually contracted. What ideas (liberalism, nationalism, Marxism etc.) and which institutions (empires, national governments, welfare states, corporations, international financial organizations, popular movements, etc.) were most helpful in creating more economic equality? Which ideas and institutions tended to create increased inequalities?
TIPS:

Things that we will be looking for (in order of descending priority):

1) Argument. Your essay should attempt to prove a point, and you should be clear from the outset what that point is. Hints: start your essay with three or four general sentences that describe the thrust of your whole essay; be precise as to who and when you are writing about; don’t repeat yourself; and don’t contradict yourself. Be clear about chronology. Don’t give us a “table of contents” about the subjects covered by the paper; tell us your opinion.

2) Documentation: You need to back your point up with appropriate use of evidence drawn from readings, lectures and discussions. Remember that you need quotes from all of the readings in the second half of the course: at least 1 from King Leopold’s Ghost; at least 2 from selections on nationalism; and at least 1 from the Non-nonsense Guide. Cite quotations by author’s name in parentheses (Gandhi, p. 35). Also, use any lecture concepts accurately. Underline these in the text of your essay to draw our attention to them.

Again: Do not plagiarize. There are two basic rules to avoid plagiarism:
1) Use quotation marks (“…”) for direct quotations.
2) Cite any material you quote, paraphrase, or summarize. To do this put the author’s last name and the page number of the book in parentheses after the relevant passage. i.e. (Rediker, p. 145).

3) Content: Thoughtful, creative, complex, concise responses. These are hard questions, and six-eight pages is not enough to answer them fully. We want to see that you are comfortable with some of the main concepts of the course. That said, answer the question as fully as you can! Follow the instructions about what needs to be included carefully. Also, think about chronology! Alert your reader about when things changed–at least to the half century or quarter century of you cannot be more precise. Check your facts.

4) Organization: Organize your paper around your argument, dividing it into separate smaller points and proving each of these using evidence. Don’t contradict yourself. If you discover contradictions, it’s possible both sides of your argument are true. As you know paradoxes exist in human history! If you find one, that’s good. Revise your argument so that it reflects the added complexity and we will be very happy!

5) Grammatical writing, correct spelling (use dictionaries or spell-checks if you’re unsure!) We put it last in priority, but without clear writing, you’ll have trouble articulating the argument (priority #1). If you have trouble with writing, talk out sentences before you write them, and imagine yourself talking to someone who needs to understand what you’re trying to say. If this becomes a problem, or was a problem on your midterm, bring us or email us a draft soon.