Age of Anxiety (1901-1949)
by Livia Vanella
1. Britain and reforms
1.1. Along with the Liberal Party of Edward VII, the Labour Party is elected in 1906: its marginal role doesn't stop it from making the government pass measures to improve the conditions of the working class, the National Insurance scheme is in fact adopted.
2. Internal political tensions
2.1. The Suffragettes movement becomes more radical and impactful: in 1918 the vote is extended to women but only 10 years later it will be in the same terms as men.
2.2. Irish people uprise multiple times against their state of subserviance towards Britain, the Easter Rising becomes a symbol of thie rebellion: the Irish Free State is proclaimed in 1922
3. External political tensions
3.1. The First World War (1914-1918) causes the death of 9M soldiers and 7M civilians, Britain is shocked by this conflict based on trench warfare, its soldiers are recluted through conscription and get back home after 4 long years of fighting. The Treaty of Versailles declares peace between countries.
3.2. The war is followed by a period of Depression, initiated by the Wall Street Crash: industrial decline and unemployment favour the rise of strong regimes like the one of Spain's Francisco Franco. Britain's dominions become independent from the Commonwealth.
3.3. The Second World War (1939-1945) turns out to be more damaging than the First because of the Blitzkrieg strategy and the use of the atomic bomb. Cities are destructed along with the moral of its citizens: the mouvements of Resistance fight along with soldiers while Germany tries to exterminate the Jews.
