The Modern World Universal Declaration of Human Rights

The Modern World

• Universal Declaration of Human Rights • Passed by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948 • Based on experiences during WWII • Reflects growing acceptance of the importance of social and economic equality – Article 1 All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

• Berlin Wall falls in 1989 • In 1991, the Soviet Union is dissolved • Boris Yeltsin becomes the leader of the new Russia • In 2000, Vladimir Putin is elected

South Africa

Apartheid • 1910 - S. Africa wins self-rule from Britain • Freedom limited to white settlers (20%) • Whites pass racial laws to keep black majority subordinate

• The “whites only” parliament implemented a plan of racial segregation • All S. Africans registered by race: black, white, colored, Asian

• Non-whites had to carry “pass” books and could not travel w/out permission • Blacks assigned to “homelands” located in the most unproductive parts of the country

• Apartheid laws set up segregated restaurants, schools, beaches, and forbade intermarriage. Blacks were paid less than whites for the same work

Nelson Mandela • Throughout this time, black resistance was strong (African National Congress, ANC) • A young lawyer, Nelson Mandela, joins the fight and leads demonstrations • Arrested and put in jail for life

• The world condemns S. Africa • 1989, new pres. F. W. de Klerk frees Mandela and ends apartheid- together, they return S. Africa to majority rule • 1994 - Nelson Mandela is elected as the first black president of South Africa

Rwanda- early 90 s • • Hutus Tutsis Genocide How is this situation indicative of other problems in Africa after decolonization? What is the root cause?

Persian Gulf War-1990 -1991 • Saddam Hussein orders an attack on Kuwait • Debt; oil fields • U. S. gets involved

Yugoslavia • Serbia – Kosovo, 1998 • Slobodan Milosevic • Genocide “ethnic cleansing” • Ethnic strife continues in Kosovo • Russia and Africa have also experienced ethnic problems

Latin America • Emphasis on exports like coffee make some Latin American countries dependent on the U. S. and Europe • U. S. and European companies also controlled many of the major industries in Latin America • Brazil begins to industrialize • Big issue for Latin American countries in the 20 th century is economic independence from U. S. and Europe

Latin America cont. • Large scale wars and famine have not been an issue, but political freedom has… • Govts. dominated by conservative, elite, and authoritarian dictatorships • Indigenous people and descendants of slaves have had comparatively little influence in building L. A. nations • Rapid urbanization and pop. growth

China After Mao • Deng Xiaoping 1978 -1997 - relaxed state economic control – One Child Policy • Jiang Zemin – Economic growth • Hu Jintao • Xi Jinping

Israel and Palestine • Roots of the conflict • 1948 -49 war of Independence • 1967 Six Day War • 1973 Yom Kippur War • Fighting continues into the present

Women • First international conference on women’s rights- Nairobi, Kenya, 1985 • By the 21 st century, almost all women in the world have achieved the right to vote • Despite legal equality, women rarely have equal opportunity in jobs, education, and politics

Globalization • Free markets, new technologies, increased communication • The Internet • U. S. culture; English • Transportation • Spread of democracy- how’s it going? • Economics- Japan and Russia experience economic downturns in the 90 s

Population • Populations continue to grow, especially in large parts of Africa, Latin America and Asia • Effects of population growth: – Damages rural environments – Leads to violence over scarce resources (Africa) – Cultural and religious beliefs

Migration • Most significant pattern is from developing to developed countries (opportunity)

Rich and Poor • The gap between rich and poor continues to widen • The wealthiest 20% of humans consume 80% of the goods and resources