The Maastricht Treaty was ratified by 12 democratic countries part of the European Union in 1992. The document clearly states from the start that this treaty is a cooperation between each country on the principles of economics and foreign policy. This treaty did not try to change the internal politics of each nation, but rather respected the national identities of its member states. The timing of the ratification of the document is interesting in that it is shortly after the fall of communism in Eastern Europe. … Read the rest here
Author Archives: eric
Forgive and Forget
In 1920, after the first World War, John M. Keynes wrote “The Economic Consequences of the Peace” on his dissatisfaction with the Treaty of Versailles and calls out to those who are drafting the treaty to think of the potential economic consequences it would have on Germany and Europe as a whole. Keynes was an established economist in England and most notably would revolutionize the ideas seen in macroeconomics. Throughout the chapter Keynes writes in a style of urgency and fear as he sees the stability of Europe at risk.… Read the rest here
Reassessing Socialism
Eduard Bernstein composed “Evolutionary Socialism” as a response to the stigma the “Communist Manifesto” had created, while also addressing the problems he saw with this specific work. Almost fifty years after the “Communist Manifesto” had been published, Bernstein saw many of Marx’s predictions to be incorrect and out of touch with the changing world. Bernstein came from modest means as a jewish child growing up in Germany, which perhaps helped lead him against capitalist economics. He starts off by addressing how the average person does not really understand the ramifications of socialism and would eventually end up repeating some random phrase he heard on the street1. … Read the rest here
The Vicarious Consumption of Goods
In 1899 Thorstein Veblen wrote “The Theory of the Leisure Class” on his observation of division of labor; specifically the effect capitalism had on the upper/leisure class. As a child of immigrant parents being raised in Wisconsin, Veblen had trouble adjusting and felt isolated from the American way. This detached upbringing seems to have an impact on the way he describes the leisure class, as he speaks as though he is on the outside of society looking in. … Read the rest here
German Unification
Otto von Bismarck was a Prussian Statesman and a close adviser to the King of Prussia, Wilhelm I. Upon further research, I discovered that he was born in a part of Germany under Prussian rule and would later attend the University of Berlin. At the time this was written in , Prussia had just one a major battle over Austria in the war between the two countries. In Bismarck’s Memoirs, he uses language that identifies with the emotions of panic and dread. … Read the rest here
New Slaves
Factory work during the Industrial Revolution was an extremely torturous job that gave too little benefits for the workers. Although workers in general were treated poorly, it’s hard to fathom how children were able to endure working everyday in these conditions. In Yorkshire Slavery, Richard Oastler emphasizes the struggles of child laborers and the effect it had on their families. Oastler argues that as a child it is important to travel and learn different trades, but child labor completely disrupts this process.… Read the rest here
Fordism Before Fordism Was Cool
The Industrial Revolution was an important step for many countries during the late 18th century to 19th century, as it changed the way products were manufactured to what is now seen today. In Adam Smith’s first chapter of, An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, the division of labor is seen as a necessity for maximizing the efficiency of creating manufactured goods. The way Smith describes the importance of the division of labor relates back to Hoffmann in, “European Modernity and Soviet Socialism”, as both emphasize the categorization of the branches of labor and making humans more efficient during their livelihood. … Read the rest here
The Multi-Ethnic Empire
As the Russian empire began expanding its borders through the acquisition of new land, Russia became home to became convoluted with foreigners. Non-Russians approximately made up more than half of the total population according to the first general census conducted in 1897. This information was actually pretty shocking for me, as it gave me an understanding of how hard it must have been to govern an empire that was filled with so many ethnicities.
The Russian empire appeared to be mostly tolerant of other religions besides orthodoxy being practiced. … Read the rest here
Dead or Alive, You’re Coming with Me
As Peter the Great tries to westernize Russia, he enacts many reforms that follow a similar pattern. One pattern that I was able to discern from the readings was that each reform had a part in limiting the power of the church or Boyars. The church is seen to be limited with the role of priests. To become a priest you must be taught by a bishop and formally trained. A person cannot just decide to be a priest because he wants to reap the benefits of the position. … Read the rest here
Ivan’s Insecurities
Ivan “The Terrible” during his later reign, seems to be pretty catastrophic for Muscovite Russia. The creation of the oprichniki was his way of getting rid of anyone that could threaten his rule. This group became extremely problematic, as they had unrestricted authority wherever they went. There required garb of black further linked them to a sort of “Unholy” group that was linked to Ivan, not the church. The oprichniki were able to steal property and money from the zemskie people without any punishment. … Read the rest here