The criteria of a superpower are not clearly defined and as a consequence they may differ between sources. The following criteria should therefore be interpreted as a non-exhaustive list of power factors that are generally associated with superpowers. Superpower - Current factors. Strong cultural influence, having soft power. Cultural influence incorporates developed p ...

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Superpower, Superpower - Origins, Superpower - Criteria, Superpower - Current factors, Superpower - Possible factors, Superpower - The Cold War era, Superpower - The Soviet Union, Superpower - The United States, Superpower - Power distribution after the Cold War, Superpower - The United States as the remaining superpower, Superpower - Potential superpowers, Superpower - Major Powers, Superpower - Second superpower

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Fukuyama's thesis consists of two main elements.[1] First, there is an empirical argument. Fukuyama points out that since the beginning of the Nineteenth Century, democracy, which started off as being merely one amongst many systems of government, has grown until nowadays the majority of governments in the world are termed "democratic". He also points out that democracy's main intellectual alternatives (which he takes to be various forms of d ...

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The End of History and the Last Man, The End of History and the Last Man - Fukuyama's thesis, The End of History and the Last Man - Misinterpretations, The End of History and the Last Man - Evidence in Favour of Fukuyama's Thesis, The End of History and the Last Man - Criticisms of Fukuyama's Thesis, The End of History and the Last Man - Notes, The End of History and the Last Man - Publication history, The End of History and the Last Man - External sources

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The term 'superpower' was originally coined to describe the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United States of America. Superpower - The Soviet Union. The Soviet Union represented the ideology of Communism and led the Warsaw Pact, known as the Eastern Bloc in the West. The Soviet Union was a political, military, and economic superpower. Superpower - The United States. The United States represented the ideology of capitalism and led NATO during the Cold War. It was militarily, politically, and economical ...

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Superpower, Superpower - Origins, Superpower - Criteria, Superpower - Current factors, Superpower - Possible factors, Superpower - The Cold War era, Superpower - The Soviet Union, Superpower - The United States, Superpower - Power distribution after the Cold War, Superpower - The United States as the remaining superpower, Superpower - Potential superpowers, Superpower - Major Powers, Superpower - Second superpower

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The anti-war movement has organized massive anti-war rallies, in opposition to the War on Terrorism. Some of the most prominent organizations began by opposing the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan. Others formed only after the Afghanistan invasion and after Bush's January 29, 2002 State of the Union Address was widely seen on the left as threatening confrontation with Iraq, Iran, and North Korea, which Bush referred to collectively as an "axis of evil".

Post-September 11 anti-war movement, Post-September 11 anti-war movement - Background, Post-September 11 anti-war movement - Immediate reaction to the attacks, Post-September 11 anti-war movement - An anti-war movement forms, Post-September 11 anti-war movement - Left anti-war organizations and rallies, Post-September 11 anti-war movement - Left and anti-war in the U.S., Post-September 11 anti-war movement - Anti-war in Europe, Post-September 11 anti-war movement - Anti-war in Canada, Post-September 11 anti-war movement - Criticism of the anti-war movement, Post-September 11 anti-war movement - Allegations of hypocrisy and influence of radical groups, Post-September 11 anti-war movement - Allegations of anti-Americanism and anti-Semitism within the European anti-war movement

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The term Western is usually associated with the cultural tradition that traces its origins to Greek thought and Christian religion. (See Western culture.) Some cornerstones in this tradition are arguably: deductive reasoning, rule of law, also Christianity had major influence in the western thought, especially the last 1500 years. In the 21st Century Christianity has declined in influence in many western countries in Europe and elsewhere. Secularism and Freethought are increasingly important. An exception is the so-called Bible Belt of the Southern United States where religion and Religious fundamentalism is important. ...

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Western world, Western world - Western countries, Western world - Historical, Western world - Cold War, Western world - Post-Cold War, Western world - Further definitions, Western world - Western life, Western world - Western thought

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Although democratization is most often thought of in the context of national or regional politics, the term can also be applied to: Democratization - International bodies. International bodies (e.g the United Nations) where there is an ongoing call for reform and altered voting structures and voting systems. Democratization - Corporations. It can also be applied in corporations where the traditional power structure was top-down direction and the boss-knows-b ...

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Democratization, Democratization - Ideologies and extremes, Democratization - Factors affecting democratization, Democratization - Empirical research, Democratization - Democratization movements, Democratization - Democratization in other contexts, Democratization - International bodies, Democratization - Corporations, Democratization - The Internet, Democratization - Notes

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Today, there are a large number of groups around the world which describe themselves as seeking democratization. In many cases, these groups are illegal. The methods employed by these groups vary considerably—some are peaceful, while others pursue violent means. People, groups, and events which have been described as working for democratization include: Aung San Suu Kyi, a campaigner for democracy in Myanmar/Burma Industrial Workers of the World Chinese democracy movement Democratic Party and ...

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Democratization, Democratization - Ideologies and extremes, Democratization - Factors affecting democratization, Democratization - Empirical research, Democratization - Democratization movements, Democratization - Democratization in other contexts, Democratization - International bodies, Democratization - Corporations, Democratization - The Internet, Democratization - Notes

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Huntington argues that the trends of global conflict are increasingly appearing at these civilizational divisions. Wars such as those following the break up of Yugoslavia, in Chechnya, and between India and Pakistan were cited as evidence of intercivilizational conflict. Huntington also argues that the Western belief that the West's values and political systems are universal is naïve and that continued insistence towards democratization and universal norms will only further antagonize other civilizations. Huntington sees the West as reluctant to accept this because it built the inter ...

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Clash of Civilizations, Clash of Civilizations - Huntington's The Clash of Civilizations, Clash of Civilizations - Huntington's Civilizations, Clash of Civilizations - Huntington's Theories for Civilizational Clash, Clash of Civilizations - Modernization Westernization and Torn Countries, Clash of Civilizations - Criticisms of Huntington's Thesis, Clash of Civilizations - Huntington's Predictions: Analysis and Retrospect, Clash of Civilizations - Bibliography

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In February 1974, Caetano was obliged by the old guard to remove General António Spínola and his underlings as the General tried to change the direction of Portuguese colonial policy, which had become too expensive. The divisions of the powerful elite became visible, at which point a mysterious Movimento das Forças Armadas (MFA, "Movement of Armed Forces"), headed by Otelo Saraiva de Carvalho and joined by Salgueiro Maia, chose to lead a revolution. This movement was borne in secrecy in 1973 through the conspiracy of some army officers of leftist tendencies who had been radicalized by the colonial war. Some say that Franci ...

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Carnation Revolution, Carnation Revolution - Context, Carnation Revolution - Events, Carnation Revolution - Consequences, Carnation Revolution - Freedom Day, Carnation Revolution - External References

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Civilization has been criticized from a variety of viewpoints and for a variety of reasons. However, few critics have objected to all aspects of civilization; rather, most have argued that civilization brings a mixture of good and bad effects, and that the bad outweigh the good. The best known opponents of civilization are people who have voluntarily chosen to live outside it. These include hermits and religious ascetics who, in many different times and places, have attempted to eliminate the influence of civilization over thei ...

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Civilization, Civilization - Senses of the word, Civilization - 1: Literal and technical definitions, Civilization - 2: Broader sense, Civilization - 3: Human society as a whole, Civilization - 4: A standard of behavior, Civilization - 5: Superior vs. less complex societies, Civilization - What characterizes civilization, Civilization - Civilization as a cultural identity, Civilization - Civilizations as complex systems, Civilization - The future of civilizations, Civilization - Negative views of civilization, Civilization - Problems with the term civilization, Civilization - Early civilizations, Civilization - Mesopotamia, Civilization - Egypt, Civilization - India, Civilization - China

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The concept of inalienable rights was criticized by Jeremy Bentham and Edmund Burke as groundless. Bentham and Burke, writing in the eighteenth century, claimed that rights arise from the actions of government, or evolve from tradition, and that neither of these can provide anything inalienable. (See Bentham's "Critique of the Doctrine of Inalienable, Natural Rights", and Burke's "Reflections on the Revolution in France"). The signers of the Declaration of Independence deemed it a "self evident truth" that all men are "endowed ...

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Inalienable rights, Inalienable rights - Origins, Inalienable rights - Criticism

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Civilization - 1: Literal and technical definitions. By the most minimal, literal definition, a civilization is a complex society. Technically, anthropologists distinguish civilizations in which many of the people live in cities and get their food from agriculture, from band and tribal societies in which people live in small settlements or nomadic groups and subsist by foraging, hunting, or working small horticultural gardens. When used in this sense, civilization is an exclusive term, applied to some human groups and not others.

Civilization, Civilization - Senses of the word, Civilization - 1: Literal and technical definitions, Civilization - 2: Broader sense, Civilization - 3: Human society as a whole, Civilization - 4: A standard of behavior, Civilization - 5: Superior vs. less complex societies, Civilization - What characterizes civilization, Civilization - Civilization as a cultural identity, Civilization - Civilizations as complex systems, Civilization - The future of civilizations, Civilization - Negative views of civilization, Civilization - Problems with the term civilization, Civilization - Early civilizations, Civilization - Mesopotamia, Civilization - Egypt, Civilization - India, Civilization - China

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Political scientist Samuel P. Huntington has argued that the defining characteristic of the 21st century will be a clash of civilizations. According to Huntington, conflicts between civilizations will supplant the conflicts between nation-states and ideologies that characterized the 19th and 20th centuries. Currently, world civilization is in a stage that has created what may be characterized as an industrial society, superseding the agrarian society that preceded it. Some futurists believe that civilization is undergoing another transformation, ...

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Civilization, Civilization - Senses of the word, Civilization - 1: Literal and technical definitions, Civilization - 2: Broader sense, Civilization - 3: Human society as a whole, Civilization - 4: A standard of behavior, Civilization - 5: Superior vs. less complex societies, Civilization - What characterizes civilization, Civilization - Civilization as a cultural identity, Civilization - Civilizations as complex systems, Civilization - The future of civilizations, Civilization - The Fall of Civilisations, Civilization - Negative views of civilization, Civilization - Problems with the term civilization, Civilization - Early civilizations, Civilization - Mesopotamia, Civilization - Egypt, Civilization - India, Civilization - China

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Westernisation - America. Due to the European colonization, the American continent has gradually assimilated the European languages. In the U.S.A., Canada, Argentina and Uruguay almost the entire population has been replaced by European (and African) immigrants. In these countries there are thus almost no traces left of other cultures or languages. In countries like Mexico and Peru substantial indigenous populations were incorporated, though there remain so ...

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Westernisation, Westernisation - Definition of the West, Westernisation - Territorial, Westernisation - Personal, Westernisation - Differences, Westernisation - Process of Westernization, Westernisation - Colonization 1492-1960s, Westernisation - Globalization 1960s-now, Westernisation - Consequences, Westernisation - America, Westernisation - The West, Westernisation - Cultural influence, Westernisation - Other

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Westernisation - Colonization 1492-1960s. Main article: Colonialism From 1492 onward, European imperialism and colonialism spread gradually over the world, colonizing almost every part of the world. During this period a strong influence was exerciced on the indigineous cultures. During this period, many colonies indingenous populations have willingly or have been forced to assimilate certain elements of European culture, like the language of the European motherland or the Christian religion. In many cases the indigenous population was supp ...

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Westernisation, Westernisation - Definition of the West, Westernisation - Territorial, Westernisation - Personal, Westernisation - Differences, Westernisation - Process of Westernization, Westernisation - Colonization 1492-1960s, Westernisation - Globalization 1960s-now, Westernisation - Consequences, Westernisation - America, Westernisation - The West, Westernisation - Cultural influence, Westernisation - Other

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After the coup, the military is faced with the issue of the type of government to establish. In Latin America, it was common for the post-coup government to be led by a junta, a committee of the chiefs of staff of the various armed forces. A common form of African post-coup government is the revolutionary assembly, a quasi-legislative body made of members elected by the army. In Pakistan, the military leader ...

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Coup d'état, Coup d'état - History, Coup d'état - Recent forms of coup, Coup d'état - Types of coups, Coup d'état - Post-military-coup governments, Coup d'état - Important coups in the 19th century, Coup d'état - Important coups in the 20th century, Coup d'état - Recent coups and coup attempts, Coup d'état - Currently-serving leaders who came to power via coups, Coup d'état - Reference

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The concept of inalienable rights has often been criticized for being largely groundless, since no explanation is given as to where these rights come from. The Declaration of Independence claims that these rights are endowed by the "Creator". If they are indeed based on theological principles (as in "God-given rights"), one may ask which theological principles those are (since none of the major religions of the world confirm the existence of inalienable rights), or why those theological principles should be accepted by people who do not adh ...

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Inalienable rights, Inalienable rights - Origins, Inalienable rights - Criticism, Inalienable rights - Sources & further reading

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In recent years, the traditional military coup has declined massively in use. A new, more contemporary form of military intervention which some regard as a coup d'état is simple threat of military force to remove a particularly unpopular leader. This has occurred twice in the Philippines. In contrast to previous coups d'état, the military does not directly assume power, but rather serves as an arbiter for civilian leaders. In recent years mass street protests have also often been able to force unpopular and corrupt leaders fr ...

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Coup d'état, Coup d'état - History, Coup d'état - Recent forms of coup, Coup d'état - Types of coups, Coup d'état - Post-military-coup governments, Coup d'état - Important coups in the 19th century, Coup d'état - Important coups in the 20th century, Coup d'état - Recent coups and coup attempts, Coup d'état - Currently-serving leaders who came to power via coups, Coup d'état - Reference

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Samuel P. Huntington has divided coups into three types (ignoring Luttwak's non-military coups) Breakthrough coups - In which a revolutionary army overthrows a traditional government and creates a new bureaucratic elite. Breakthrough coups are generally led by non-commissioned officers (NCOs) or junior officers and only happen once. Examples include China in 1911, Egypt in 1952, Greece in 1967 and Liberia in 1980. Guardian coups - These coups have been described as musical chairs. The stated aim ...

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Coup d'état, Coup d'état - History, Coup d'état - Recent forms of coup, Coup d'état - Types of coups, Coup d'état - Post-military-coup governments, Coup d'état - Important coups in the 19th century, Coup d'état - Important coups in the 20th century, Coup d'état - Recent coups and coup attempts, Coup d'état - Currently-serving leaders who came to power via coups, Coup d'état - Reference

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The twentieth century saw a remarkable shift in the way that vast numbers of people lived, as a result of technological, medical, social, ideological, and political innovations. Terms like ideology, world war, genocide, and nuclear war entered common usage and became an influence on the lives of everyday people. War reached an unprecedented scale and level of sophistication; in the Second World War (1939-1945) alone, approximately 57 million people died, mainly due to massive improvements in weaponry. The trends of mechanization of goods and ...

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20th century, 20th century - Overview, 20th century - Important developments events and achievements, 20th century - Science and technology, 20th century - Wars and politics, 20th century - Culture and entertainment, 20th century - Disease and medicine, 20th century - Natural resources and the environment, 20th century - Significant people, 20th century - World leaders, 20th century - Scientists, 20th century - Humanities, 20th century - Business, 20th century - Aerospace pioneers, 20th century - Spiritual figures, 20th century - Artists, 20th century - Music, 20th century - Film, 20th century - Writers and poets, 20th century - Sports figures, 20th century - Decades and years

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20th century - Science and technology. The assembly line and mass production of motor vehicles and other goods allowed manufacturers to produce more and cheaper products. This allowed the automobile to become the most important means of transportation. The invention of heavier-than-air flying machines and the jet engine allowed for the world to become "smaller". Space flight increased knowledge of the rest of the universe and allowed for global real-time communications via geosynchronous satellites ...

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20th century, 20th century - Overview, 20th century - Important developments events and achievements, 20th century - Science and technology, 20th century - Wars and politics, 20th century - Culture and entertainment, 20th century - Disease and medicine, 20th century - Natural resources and the environment, 20th century - Significant people, 20th century - World leaders, 20th century - Scientists, 20th century - Humanities, 20th century - Business, 20th century - Aerospace pioneers, 20th century - Spiritual figures, 20th century - Artists, 20th century - Music, 20th century - Film, 20th century - Writers and poets, 20th century - Sports figures, 20th century - Decades and years

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Fukuyama's thesis consists of two main elements.[1] First, there is an empirical argument. Fukuyama points out that since the beginning of the Nineteenth Century, democracy, which started off as being merely one amongst many systems of government, has grown until nowadays the majority of governments in the world are termed "democratic". He also points out that democracy's main intellectual alternatives (which he takes to be various forms of d ...

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The End of History and the Last Man, The End of History and the Last Man - Fukuyama's thesis, The End of History and the Last Man - Misinterpretations, The End of History and the Last Man - Support, The End of History and the Last Man - Criticisms, The End of History and the Last Man - Notes, The End of History and the Last Man - Publication history, The End of History and the Last Man - External sources

Read more here: » The End of History and the Last Man: Encyclopedia II - The End of History and the Last Man - Fukuyama's thesis