Table Of ContentAlsboy   Hobsbawm 
Eric 
THEA GEO FR EVOLUTI1O7N8 9-1848 
THEA GEO FC APIT1A8L4 8-1875 
THEA GEO FE MPIR1E8 75-1914
AGE  EXTREMES 
OF 
THE SHORT TWENTIETH CENTURY 
1914-1991 
Erico bHs bawm
AnA bacuBso ok 
Firpsutb lisihnGe rde aBtr itabiyMn i chaJeo lse p1h9 94 
Thiesd itipounb lisbhyeA db acu1s9 95 
Copyri©g hEtr iHco bsbaw1m9 94 
Them orarli gohftt  heau thhoarsb  eeans serted. 
Allr ighrtess ervNeod p.a rotft  hipsu blicamtaiybo en  
reproduscteodr,e da r eitnr iseyvsatleo mrt, r ansmiitnta enyd , 
foromr   bayn ym eanwsi thotuhtep  rioprer missiinwo rni tionfg  
thep ublisnhoerbr e,o  therwciisrec ulianat neydf  oromf b inding 
or coovtehret rh atnh aitnw  hicihti  sp ublisahnedwd i thoau t 
simicloanrd itiinocnl udtihnicgso  nditbieoinni gm posoendt  he 
subsequpeunrtc haser. 
A CIPc atalorgeuceo frodtr h ibso oki sa vailfarboltmeh  e 
BritLisihb rary. 
ISBN0 3 491 06711  
Printaenddb  ounidn G reaBtr itabiyCn l ayLst dS,tI  ves plc 
Abacus 
A Divisoifo n 
LittBlreo,w na ndC ompan(yU K) 
BrettenHhoaums e 
LancasPtlearc e 
LondoWnC 2E 7EN
Contents 
Ilulstrnast io •• 
Vll 
Prfaecaen d Awclkgenedoments  • 
IX 
ThCee ntuAry B:i dr'Esye V iwe 
I 
PART  ONTEH:E  AGOEF C ATASTROPHE 
I. TheA geo fT otaWla r  21 
2. TheW orlRde volution  54 
3. Inttoh eE conomAibcy ss  85 
4. TheF alolfL  iberalism  109 
5. AgaintshtCoe  mmon Enemy  142 
6. TheA rt1s9 1-445  178 
7. Endo fE mpires  199 
PARTT WO:T HE GOLDENA GE 
8. ColdW ar  225 
9. TheG oldeYne ars  257 
10.T heS ociRaelv oluti1o9n4 5-1990  287 
11.C ultuRreavlo lution  320 
12.T heT hirWdo rld  344 
13.' ReaSlo cialism'  372
PARTT HREE:T HE LANDSLIDE 
14.T heC risDiesca des  403 
15.T hirWdo rladn dR evolution  433 
16.E ndo fS ocialism  461 
17.T heA vant-garDdiee sT-heA rtAsf te1r9 50  500 
18.S orceraenrdAs p prenticTehse- NatuSrcaile nces  522 
19.T owardtsh eM illennium  558 
Rfeerences  587 
FurtRheeadri ng 
610 
Index 
615
I 
1/ustrations 
(RogVeiorll et) 
1.T heA rchduFkrea nFze rdinaannddh  iwsi fe 
(Popfpoetro) 
2.C anadisaonl diaemrosn sgh eclrla te1r9s1,8  
(RogVeiorl /et) 
3.W arc emeteCrhya,l ons-sur-Marne 
(HulDteount sch) 
4.R ussisaonl di1e9r1s7,  
(HulDteount sch) 
5.T heO ctobreerv olutiLoenn:i n 
c. (DavKidi nCgo llenc)t io
6.M ayD aypo ster,1 920 
(HulDteount sch) 
7.A  Germabna nknoftoert  wenmtiyl limoanr ks 
(IcCoomnm unications) 
8.T heW all  crasohf1  929 
(HulDteount sch) 
9.B rituinsehm ploiynet dh e1 930s 
(HulDteount sch) 
10.A dolHfidearn dB eniMtuos solini 
(HulDteount sch) 
11.I talian Fmaasrccihsiptnasgs M tu ssolini 
(RobHearrdti Pnigc tLuirber ary) 
12.N azria laltyN  uremberg 
(HulDteount sch) 
13.A narchmiislti itniB aa rcel1o9n3a6,  
(HultDoenu t)s ch
14.A dolHfitlienro  ccupiPeadr is 
(Popfopteor) 
15.U S 'FlyiFnogr tresses'B erraliidn  
(RobHearrtd) i ng
16.T heb attolfKeu rsk1,9 43 
(HulDteount sch) 
17.L ondobnu rnin1g9,4 0 
(HulDteount sch) 
18.D resdbeunrn ed1,9 45 
(ReFxe atures) 
19H.i roshiamtfae trh ea tomb omb1,9 45 
(ReFxea tures) 
20.J osiBpr oz,M arshTailt o 
(mIperiaWla rM useum) 
21.A  Britwiasrhti mpoes ter 
(RobHearrtd Piincg tLuirber ary) 
22.A lgie1r9s6,1  
(ReFxe atures) 
23.P remiIenrd iGraan dhi 
(ReFxet aures) 
24.A  US cruimsies sile 
(Poeprpfoto) 
25.A  silfoor S oviSeStm  issiles 
(Poepfrpoto) 
26.T heB erlWianl l 
(Maugmn) 
27.F ideCla strroe'bsea lr myi nS antCal ara 
(HulDteount sch) 
28.I nsurrectiionEn laS railesv ador 
(HulDteount sch) 
29.A ntVii-etnWaamr d emonstraLtoinodno,n  
(HulDteounct hs) 
30.I ra1n9,7 9 
(ReFxea tures) 
31.M ichaSeelr geyeGvoircbha chev
(HunlD teoutsch) 
32.T heB erlWianl flal l1s9,8 9 
(BBPCh ogtroapLhiibcr ary) 
33.S talrienm oviendP  rague 
(Comstock) 
34.A gricurlattleu rraciintn hgeL  ipivnag llCehyi,n a 
(SciPehontcLoei  brary) 
35.E lectmriocnr ogroafap b ha cterium 
(RobHearrtd ing) 
36.C hinepseea sanptl oughing 
(Maugmn) 
37.T urkiismhm igrcaonutp ilneW  est Berlin 
(HulDteount sch) 
38.W est Indiaanrsr iviinLn ogn doinn t he1 950s 
(GideMoenn deeltfwNork) 
39.A fricaa tt hee ndo ft hec entury 
(RobHearrtd ing) 
40. AhmedabaIdn,d ia 
(RobHearrtd ing) 
41.C hicagoU,S A 
(ReFxet aures) 
42.R ushh ouirn S hinjuTkouk,y o 
(Comstock) 
43.R ailyaArudg,s buGregr,m any 
44.  (Mgnaum) 
Motorwacayrss,a  ndpo llutiionHn o ustoTne,x as 
(HultDoenu tsch) 
45.T hef irmsoto nl andi1n9g6,9  
(FPGfRHoabredritn g) 
46.A  1930csa nneArmya,r ilTleox,a s 
(ReFxe atures) 
47.D ungenensusc lepaorw esrt ation 
(Maugmn) 
48.D eindustriailnNi osrattEhin ognl anMdi,d dlesbrough 
(RobHearrtd ing) 
49.T her erfigerator 
(RobHearrtd ing) 
50.T het elevisseito n 
(ReFxea tures) 
51.T hes upermarket 
(RobHearrdti ng) 
52.T hep ortatbalpee -casseptltaey er 
(Poeprpfoto) 
53.N evilClhea mberlfaiisnh ing 
(HulDteount sch) 
54.E arMlo untbatotfBe unr ma 
(HulDteount sch) 
55.L eni1n9,1 7 
56.G andhoin t hew ayt on egotiwaitteh  Btrhiet igsohv ernment 
(ReFxe atures) 
(FPIGn ternatioHnaarld/iRnogb)e rt 
57.S talin 
(HunlD teoutsch) 
58H.i tlebri'rst hpdaarya d1e9,3 9 
(©1 99T4h eA nyd Warhol 
59.' ChairmMaano 'b yA ndyW arhol 
Foundaftorit ohVneiu  saAlr tIsn,Pc h.to oB:r idegmaAnr Lti brary) 
(Magnum) 
60.T hec orposfeA  yatolKlhaohm eilnyii nigns  tate 
61.G eorgGer ossza vagtehseG  ermarnu licnlga ss 
(HulDteount sch) 
62.B ritiwsohr kemrasr cohn L ondon 
(Maugmn) 
63.A ntVii-etnWaamr d emonstraBteirokne,lC eaylo,irn fia 
64. 
Oaimst ow orlcdo nquest 
(Mganum) 
65.A ftetrh eG ulWfa r,1 991 
66.  (ReFxea tures) 
Homeless 
(ReFxet aures) 
67.W aititnogv  otienS  outAhfr ica 
(Poeprpfoto) 
68.S arajeeivgoh yteya rastf e1r9 14 
(Copyhroigldheatrri sen  dicianit teadl ics)
Prfeacea nAdc knloeewdmgents 
Nobodcya nw ritteh eh istoorfty h et wenticeetnht ulriyk e otfha anty  
otheerr ai,fo  nlbye caunsoeb ody wcrainta eb ouhti so rh erl ieftimaes  
one  c(aann mdu stw)r itaeb ouat p eriokdn owno nlfyro m outsiadte , 
seconodrt  hird-hfarnodms, o urcoefst  hep erioordt  hew orkosf l ater 
historMiya nosw.nl  ieftimceo inciwdietsmh o sotf t hep eriwoidt whh ich 
thibsoo k dealasn,df  orm osto fi tf,ro m earltye en-taogt eh ep resenIt , 
havbee enco nscioofup su blic  atfhfaaitist r ossa ,y  I havea ccumulated 
viewasn dp rejudaibcoeusit ta  sa c ontemporraatrhyte hra ans a s cholar. 
Thiis so ner easwohny u ndemry  proefssiohnaatal sa  h istorIia avno ided 
workinogn   theer as inc1e9 14f orm osto fm y careetrh,o ugnho t 
refraifnrionmwg r itianbgo uitti  no thecarp aciti'Mesy.p  erioads't ,h ey 
sayi nt het radiest, h en ineteecnetnht uIrt yh.i nki sni otw p ossitbol e 
seet he  ShTowretn tieCtehn tufrroym  191t4o t he  eonftd h eS ovieerta  
ins omeh istorpiecraslp ecbtuitvI ec ,o met o wiitt hotuhtek  nowledge  of 
the  scholliatrelrya lteuatr leo,n oef a lblu ta  tinsyp rinokfla er chive 
sourcwehsi,c hhi storoifat nhset  wenticeetnht uorfyw ,h omt heriesa  n 
enormonuusm behra,v aec cumulated. 
Iti s, cooufr suet,t erilmyp ossifbolrae n ys ingpleer sotnok  nowt he 
historiogorfat phhepy r esecnetn tureyv,e nt haitn a nys ingmlaej or 
languaagse,l, e tus s ayt,h eh istoroifac nl assainctali quoirto yf t he 
ByzantEimnpei rken owwsh ath asb eewnr itteann dia nb outth osleo ng 
perioNdesv.e rthemlye oswsn,   knowliesdc gaes uaanld p atcheyv enby  
thes tandaorfdh si storeircuadli tiinto hnef  ieolfdc  ontempohriasrtyo ry. 
The mostI  haveb eena blteo d o ist od ipi nttoh el iteraotfu re 
particutlhaorrnlyy  acnodn troveqruteesdt i-osnasy t,h eh istoorfty h e 
ColdW aro rt haotf t he1 930-sf are nougtho s atyi msyfseltfh atth e 
viewesx pressientd h ibsoo k aret enabilne   tlhieg hotf s pecialist 
researOcfh c.o ursIe c,a nnohta ves ucceedeTdh.e rem ustb e any 
numbero f questioonns w hichI  displiagyn oranacse w ella s 
controvevriseiwasl.
Prfaecaend A clmoJPdkg ts 
x 
emen
Thisbo ok,t herefroesrteos,n  c uriouusnleyv efno undatioInnas d.d i
tiont ot hew idea ndm iscellaneroeuasd ionfga    goodm anyy ears, 
supplemebnytw ehda tr eadiwnagsn   ryt og ivlee ctucoruer seosn  
ecessa
twentieth-cenhtiusrtyot roty h eg raduastteu deonftt sh eN ew Schoolf or 
SociaRlesea rch,I  havder awonn t hea ccumulatkendo wledmgeem,o ries 
ando pinioonfss o meonweh oh asl ivetdh routghhe S horTtw entieth 
Centuraysw, h att hes ociaaln thropolocaglilsa t 'sp articiopbasnetr ver', 
ors implaysa  no pen-eyetrda velloerrw ,h atm y  ancestors  would  have 
kibzerb,i t
callead   inq uitae l ootf co untriesT.h eh istorviacalluo efs  uch 
experiednoesce sn otd ependo n bepirnegs eonntg  reahti stoorcicacs ions, 
orh aviknngo wonr e ven  mperto minehnits tory-moarsk tearst esmAsen . 
a matterf aocfmt y, e xperieansace n o ccasiojnoaulrn aleinsqtu iriinntgo  
thiosr t hacotu ntry,ch iefilnL ya tiAnm ericah,a sb een thaitn terviews 
witphr esideonrto st hedre cision-maarkuees rusa lulnyr ewardfiontrgh ,e  
obvioruesa stohna mtos t  of  whapteo psluseca hyi  sf or ptuhbel riecco rd. 
Thep eoplef romw hom  illuminatiaornet  hcoomsweehs o ca n,o rw ant 
tos,p eakf reelpyr,e feriafbt lhyeh ya vneo r esponsibifloigrtr ye aatff airs. 
Neverthetlhesosu,g nhe cessarpialryt ainadlm  isleadtionh ga,v ken own 
peoplaen dp lachesa sh elpmeede  normouIstlm ya.yb  en om oret hatnh e 
sighoftt  hes amec itayta  ni nterovfta hli ryteya -rsValencoriP aa lermo 
- whicahl onber inhgosm et hes peeadn ds caloef s ocitarla nsformiant ion 
thet hirqdu artetrh epo rfe secnetn tuIrtym .a yb es implay m emoroyf  
somethsianigid nco  nversatiolnosn agg oa nds toraewda ys,o metifmoesnr o  
cleraeras onf,o rfu ture If  thhies torcaina mna kes omes ensoeft  his 
use. 
centuirtiy si  nl arpgaer bte causoefw  atchianngdl  istenIih nogp.Ie h  ave 
communicatetdor  eadesrosm ethoifwn hga Ith  avlee arnetdh rough sdoo.i ng 
Thebo ok alsaon,d n ecessarrielsyto,sn    tihnef ormadtriaownfrn o m 
colleagsutesu,d enatnsda, n yoneel sweh omI  buttonhowlheidlI e w as 
workionngi  tI.n s omeca ses thed ebits s ystemaTthiecc .h aptoenrt  he 
scienwceass s ubmitttoem dy  frienAdlsa Mna ckaFyR S,  who oinsl yn ot 
ac rystallogbruatap neh necry clopaenddiJ soth,nM  addoxS.o meo fw hat 
I havwer ittaebno uetco nomidce velopmweansrt ea db ym y colleaagtu e 
theN ew SchoolL,a ncTea ylofro,r merolfMy I T,a ndm uchm orew as 
baseodn r eaditnhgep  aperlsi,s tentiotn hge d iscussainodng se nerally 
keepimnyg  earosp end urintgh ec onferenocresg anizedv aroino us 
macro-econompirco bleamtts h eW orlIdn stituftoeDr e velopmEecnotn 
omiRcesea rch oft heU N Univers(iUtNyU /WIDER)i nH elsiwnhkein  
it  wtarsa nsforimnetdao   majoirn ternaticoennatrleo  fr esearacnhd  
discussuinodnet rh ed irectoifDo rn  LalJ ayawardIenng ae.n ertahle,  
summerIsw  asa blteos  penadtt  haatd miraibnlseti tuatisoa nM  cDonnell 
Douglavsi sitisncgh olwaerr ei nvaluatboml ee, n otl eastth rouigths