AN INTERNATIONAL CIVILIZATION?

EMPIRE, INTERNATIONALISM, AND THE CRISIS OF THE

MID TWENTIENTH CENTURY
BY MARK MAZOWER

Introduction

Power Politics is unity of international society is thrown into sharpest relief when it is riven by
an international civil war.

The system between European history and our conceptions of international order.

The system of international politics that emerged in Europe at the beginning of modern times
that provides the political framework of the world.

INTERNATIONAL SYSTEMS

 Are based on European civilizations

 Heritage of customs
 Norms
 Ethical values
 Beliefs system

European Civilization as Standard Civilization of the world

Defeat of Napoleon became the fundamental to new understanding of international order and
new techniques of international rule.
 International law is an aid to the preservation of order of only civilized states
 19th Century the idea of the “united nations” was born BUT: Civilized and Less Civilized
3 categories of Humanity

 Civilized
 Barbaric
 Savage

3 Corresponding grades of recognition

 Plenary Political
 Partial Political
 Natural or mere human

Public Law of Europe

Move which same commentators saw as the moment when international law ceased to apply only
to Christian states.

BELIGERENT OCCUPATION

THE OTTOMANS AND THE CRIMEAN WAR

 INT’L Law ceased to apply only Cristian states – Europeans regarded the ottomans as not
being fully civilized

 Europeans took over some parts of the empire to make their own and to make them
‘civilized’

 Victorian international law divided the world according to standard of civilizations

 In Europe

Europe controlled
controlled

Non European controlled

POST WORLD WAR INTERNATIONALISM

 United states was now considered a European power or a major superpower like Britain
 Monroe Doctrine was finally recognized by European states
 Japan stood up against the identification of 19 th century civilization that is tied with
Christendom, following the events of russo-Japanese war.
TREATY OF VERSAILLES

 Germany had to accept the blame for starting the war

 Germany had to pay $31.4 billion reparations
 Germany had to make substantial territorial concessions
 They lost control of:
Alsace Lorraine (France) Eupen and Malmedy (Belgium)
North Schleswig (Denmark)
Hulschin (Czechoslovakia)
West Prussia, Posen and Upper Silesia (Poland)
Saar, Danzig and Memel (League of Nations)
All gains from the Treaty of Brest Litovsk (Russia)
All colonies (League of Nations)

 Germany had to cut its army to 100,000 men

League of Nations
 Established at Versailles after the first world war
 permanent organization of Abyssinia, Siam, Iran and Turkey

WHY THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS FAILED

 The failure of the League of Nations was one of the main reasons for the outbreak of wqr
 The Manchurian Crisis 1931-1933 followed the Mukden Incident in which Japanese rail
tracks were destroyed in an explosion. Claiming that it was saboteurs, the Japanese
responded with force, taking control of the Chinese province of Manchuria. The issue
was investigated by the League of Nations which found Japan to be at fault.
 he Abyssinia Crisis was an international crisis in 1935 originating in what was called the
walwal incident in the then-ongoing conflict between the kingdom of italy and the empire
of ethiopia (then commonly known as “Abyssinia”).

The difference between IMPERIALISM and COLONIALISM

 Imperialism practice by which a – country increases its power by gaining control over
other areas in the world.

 Colonialism practice of establishing – territorial dominion over a colony by an outside

political power.

Basis of Existence of an Independent Nation

Class A - Arab provinces of the Middle East

Class B - Central Africa
Class C - “sacred trust for civilization”
  Tripartite Pact (Germany, Italy and Japan)

They protest that the world be given each its own proper place.

“No nation belonging to the white race has ever before had such conditions forced upon
it.”
Eugene Erdely

“Trusteeship” turned to “Partnership” as a term which is felt to interpret more correctly

the outlook of the colonial peoples themselves towards the present phase of their political
evolution within the British Commonwealth of Nations

• International Law Commission agreed to refrain from using the expression “civilized
countries”