History of the Modern World. From AD 1500 to AD 2013

This book describes the evolution of the modern world in historical
context. Europe’s contribution to the making of the modern world has been
substantial, as can be appreciated from the initial chapters― Renaissance,
Major Ideas of Enlightenment and Rise of Socialist Ideas. The other
contributions include the development of parliamentary democracy, the rise
of industrial revolution and the emergence of the nation states. Imperialism
and colonialism have been part and parcel of Europe’s dark legacy. The 19th
century witnessed, what is aptly described by historian C.D.M. Ketelbey, the
“Europeanisation of the world.”
The first half of the 20th century witnessed two devastating world wars
that led to untold sufferings, eventually leading to the decline of Europe
and the emergence of two superpowers―the US and the Soviet Union.
The latter half saw the birth of independent states in Asia and Africa, and
also an ideological conflict (“Cold War”) between the capitalist west and
the communist bloc. The UN today is trying its best to maintain peace
and security in the world, despite attempts being made to undermine its
legitimacy. The book delineates the grave challenges facing the world―
environmental degradation, religious extremism, global terrorism, human
rights violations and nuclear proliferation. However, as they say, ‘Every
cloud has a silver lining.’ Rapid developments in the fields of science and
technology, medicine, and agriculture have enhanced the quality of life,
improved governance, eradicated many deadly diseases, and increased
food production.