Europe's Golden age? 1890-1914

[Zanza]

This is a function of technology more the society.  If we use this criteria nearly all countries are in a golden age. Most Russians live better then their ancestors did, though this is hardly the golden age of Russia.

Fair enough. I don't put much value into empires and such.

I'm not sure if most European countries have been at peace for 66 years now.  Several European powers were engaged in an air war over Libya a few months ago.

The population at large was not really affected by this or other conflicts after the end of WW2. There are a couple of cases where you could say that European countries fought serious wars after WW2, e.g. the French in Algeria, the Yugoslavian Wars or the Portuguese in Africa. But mostly it was just small skirmishes that didn't really change much for the civilian population.

[crazy canuck]

1890-1914 is the time period during which both the maternal and paternal sides of my family pulled up stakes and came to North America.  Judging from the family stories, if this period was a golden age in Europe for some, there wasnt much in the way of a trickle down.

[alfred russel]

Europe's Golden Age was obviously the postwar and post-Cold War period. Most Europeans lived in peace for more than 66 years now and have unparalled prosperity. Having colonial empires and great power status is pretty meaningless for the average person.

This is a function of technology more the society.  If we use this criteria nearly all countries are in a golden age. Most Russians live better then their ancestors did, though this is hardly the golden age of Russia.  Hell, North Koreans probably have better amenities then their ancestors did under the Japanese or living in mud huts.  They don't have a lot of electricity but they had more then then they did 200 years ago.  I'm not sure if most European countries have been at peace for 66 years now.  Several European powers were engaged in an air war over Libya a few months ago.

Yeah, if living standards are the benchmark, almost every part of earth is in its golden age (maybe even North Korea). If the golden age of a continent is instead the period it reached its height of cultural and political power relative to the rest of the world, then 1890 - 1914 would seem like a good choice.


If we are to use relative living standards rather than cultural and political power, then I don't know. Maybe that would be now.

[Valmy]

Europe's Golden Age was obviously the postwar and post-Cold War period. Most Europeans lived in peace for more than 66 years now and have unparalled prosperity. Having colonial empires and great power status is pretty meaningless for the average person.

I guess I thought Golden Ages were marked by creativity and dynamism and not by being filled with society wide decadence.

[Neil]

Europe's Golden Age was obviously the postwar and post-Cold War period. Most Europeans lived in peace for more than 66 years now and have unparalled prosperity. Having colonial empires and great power status is pretty meaningless for the average person.

I guess I thought Golden Ages were marked by creativity and dynamism and not by being filled with society wide decadence.

You were right to think that.

[dps]

Europe's Golden Age was obviously the postwar and post-Cold War period. Most Europeans lived in peace for more than 66 years now and have unparalled prosperity. Having colonial empires and great power status is pretty meaningless for the average person.

This is a function of technology more the society.  If we use this criteria nearly all countries are in a golden age. Most Russians live better then their ancestors did, though this is hardly the golden age of Russia.  Hell, North Koreans probably have better amenities then their ancestors did under the Japanese or living in mud huts.  They don't have a lot of electricity but they had more then then they did 200 years ago.  I'm not sure if most European countries have been at peace for 66 years now.  Several European powers were engaged in an air war over Libya a few months ago.

Yeah, if living standards are the benchmark, almost every part of earth is in its golden age (maybe even North Korea). If the golden age of a continent is instead the period it reached its height of cultural and political power relative to the rest of the world, then 1890 - 1914 would seem like a good choice.

Agree.

[Razgovory]

Incidentally I think the US may be in it's Golden Age.  That's not to say we don't have problems.  There's nothing that says a Golden Age must be trouble free.

[Razgovory]

This is a function of technology more the society.  If we use this criteria nearly all countries are in a golden age. Most Russians live better then their ancestors did, though this is hardly the golden age of Russia.

Fair enough. I don't put much value into empires and such.

I'm not sure if most European countries have been at peace for 66 years now.  Several European powers were engaged in an air war over Libya a few months ago.

The population at large was not really affected by this or other conflicts after the end of WW2. There are a couple of cases where you could say that European countries fought serious wars after WW2, e.g. the French in Algeria, the Yugoslavian Wars or the Portuguese in Africa. But mostly it was just small skirmishes that didn't really change much for the civilian population.

I think you underestimate the troubles that many European states had with decolonization.  France nearly went into Civil war (instead their government simply collapsed), the Portuguese government collapsed in part because of the decolonization.  Germany was divided and partially occupied, and Eastern Europe was largely occupied in the post-war era.  Britain had some nasty bushfire wars, and the Troubles and the risk of nuclear devastation was shared by all.

[Ed Anger]

Incidentally I think the US may be in it's Golden Age.  That's not to say we don't have problems.  There's nothing that says a Golden Age must be trouble free.

Especially at 1700 dollars an ounce. 

[Ideologue]

Reasoning that no golden age would have the seeds of it's own destruction sown with in it

Isn't that the definition of a golden age?  I mean, at least implicitly, by the fact that a golden age is so-named only when compared to later, (supposedly) shittier ages?

Several European powers were engaged in an air war over Libya a few months ago.

Wars not fought on your own soil don't count much against peace, and they'd count even less if I were in charge, because they would only take a few days apiece.

[Eddie Teach]

Yeah, if living standards are the benchmark, almost every part of earth is in its golden age (maybe even North Korea). If the golden age of a continent is instead the period it reached its height of cultural and political power relative to the rest of the world, then 1890 - 1914 would seem like a good choice.

I'd probably put it a bit earlier. They were rapidly losing ground to the US and Japan in that period.

[Jacob]

I'd probably put it a bit earlier. They were rapidly losing ground to the US and Japan in that period.

To the US, yes. To Japan? How so?

[Siege]

Come on, everybody knows Europes Golden Age was between 1492 and 1945

Wars are not Golden Age Ending events. The resulting peace, and its conditions, is.

Besides, I would rather talk of golden ages for individual states than for the entire continent.
Otherwise Asia's Golden Age was between 333 BCE to 1492 CE.

[Neil]

Incidentally I think the US may be in it's Golden Age.  That's not to say we don't have problems.  There's nothing that says a Golden Age must be trouble free.

I think that's over with now.

[Razgovory]

Incidentally I think the US may be in it's Golden Age.  That's not to say we don't have problems.  There's nothing that says a Golden Age must be trouble free.

I think that's over with now.

Of course you'd say that.  You are insanely Jealous of the US.