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In modern capitalism, credit is the foundation that supported the entire system. Despite it being the core of consumption throughout history(not money indeed, if you think about it, the credibility of something, be it object or humans, determines its worth, not the price tag per se), it is only materialised in the early 20th century. Consumers can now "buy now, pay later". This allowed for active consumption, which brought the US to its "Roaring twenties" days. Unfortunately, due to the "unlimited wants" in human nature, consumers start biting more than they chew, and end up being unable to pay back the debts. They went into backruptcy. A collective phenomenon of such and you get the Great Depression.

Moving into the 21st century, the shape of credit system in the previous century can still be seen in today's world. Indeed it is the basis of almost all consumption, especially in this pandemic where nations strive to go cashless. However, it is also the core factor of various economic crisis. Thus, credit is a blessing that many appreciate for its convenience, but also a ticking bomb, or a economic bubble which can pop from an exaggerated minute trigger.

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In 1872, Susan B. Anthony was arrested and fined $100 for casting an illegal vote in the presidential election at a Rochester, New York polling place. This would be unimaginable today, but women had no right to vote then. This gave birth to the suffrage movement which fought for women’s civil liberties. The ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment in America was arguably the most important event of the 20th century as it granted American women full voting rights, and would set the precedence for other nations around the world to grant suffrage to women. This was a watershed moment in the history of the suffrage movement, that took almost a century to achieve success. The success in the suffrage movement had a far greater impact on the world, it encouraged the world to work towards to attaining universal suffrage. It was significant in changing societal mindsets, advocating equality and increasing societal expectations for women, allowing for women to receive higher education, economic progress and fairer wages. It was the first step to equalizing the playing field for women and would give them the political rights that would help to pass legislative laws on their reproductive rights, legalizing abortion and contraception. Although domestically limited to America, the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment kickstarted a wave of feminism and has enabled progress in women’s rights globally. Without it, the women reading this may not have been able to comprehend these very words, highlighting the significance of the event.

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"The most important human endeavor is the striving for morality in our actions." This was stated by Albert Einstein, arguably the greatest man of the 20th century.  The roaring twenties was an era of extravagance and glamour, fueled by the financial boom. However, the moral decadence observed greatly shapes humanity and the ethics we possess today. Hence, the culturally rich roaring twenties followed by the subsequent depression, is conceivably the most important event that happened in the 20th century as it saw the propagation of the rights and freedom of individuals, yet simultaneously raised awareness regarding the moral corruption and hedonistic behavior present in mankind. Furthermore, the economic depression that followed indirectly acts as a catalyst for the many disasters that humankind face in the 21st century.

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Konrad Zuse was one of the many famous people in the 20th century. He earned the semiofficial title of "inventor of the modern computer" for his series of automatic calculators, which he invented to help him with his lengthy engineering calculations. In 1936, he created the first freely programmable computer that is commonly known as Z1. This invention  is significant in the 20th century as Z1 helped engineers  to be more efficient while working and has allowed him to further improve his invention, in his following creations of the more advanced models,  Z2, Z3 and  Z4, which is the first commercial computer in the world. The creation of Z1 and subsequent  commercial computerS during the 20th century, allowed for faster transmission of information and has also kickstarted The Information Age in the late 20 Century.

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In the 20th century, there were many remarkable inventions of which some are dangerous, while there are some that were ingenious and beneficial to society.  The first 'functional modern computer' was an astounding invention that
was one of the forerunners of the digital revolution. There was a sudden advancement in
technology with a shift  from analogue to digital, accompanied by the proliferation of digital computers. It increased the speed and extent in which information could be transmitted. The processing and analysis of information greatly improved as well and increased productivity. With the creation of the computer and its incorporation in many fields, it has become integrated in people's lives and is an essential component in our working force. It brought about the digital age which has greatly influenced the 21st century and greatly sped up the advancement of technology.

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There were many significant events that took place in the 20th century, leaving indelible marks in the course of human history. The one most important event that shaped the century is, in my opinion, the Cold War.

Europeans countries got a major head start over the rest of the world because of their naval powers, exemplified by Spain and Portugal in the 15th century. The Industrial Revolution spearheaded by Britain served as a great impetus for its continual colonization, pillaging the world of resources, and expanding power wherever it can. Sooner or later, the majority of European countries followed suit, giving rise to centuries of European domination. After World War II, however, the pecking order changed. The two super powers under the limelight, fighting for hegemony for decades, would be US and the Soviet Union, starting the Cold War era. After a series of failed policies as well as major screwups by Gorbachev, USSR lost control over Eastern Europe, and disintegrated into many countries, plunging into a state of chaos. The fight between these two countries is not merely over military strength, but on the supremacy of each’s ideology over the other. The collapse of USSR was a near fatal blow to Communism, reducing the number of Communist countries around the world to 5 and crippled its influence. US also successfully portrays Communism as the “red devil”, stigmatizing it and assumed moral high ground because of its questionble “freedom and democracy”, paving the way to its monopolization of ideologies (freedom and individualism), economics (free market capitalism) and political systems (democratic governance and voting rights) globally. After the fall of its greatest rival, US undertook an ambitious project of “Western Universalism” through globalization, meddling in the affairs of other countries and importing its political systems to other countries. The number of wars it’s been involved in, particularly those in the Middle East, is staggering. The victor mentality of the US compelled it into a state of over-confidence, claiming that Western values, ideas and culture would one day become global, illustrating an overwhelmingly Western-centric perspective. The book “The end of History and the Last Man”by Francis Fukuyama went as far as to put forth the argument, as captured in the title, that democracy is the final answer and most advanced form of human civilization.

As two decades of the 21th Century went by, we are seeing massive changes year after year, witnessing history unfold before our eyes on a daily basis in 2020. It is reasonable to say that after the 2008 financial crisis, US and its Western allies had not entirely recovered from the setback. With financial slowdown, polarization of ideas and disparity of wealth, the very fabric of US society as well as many European countries have been threatened, showing the world how fragile and fallible their system is. With the rapid rise of China, there will be a huge shift in power from Europe to Asia, which unnerves US to its allies to no end. Bringing the question back on point, the fall of USSR pushed the US into a state of arrogance (无敌是多么寂寞), prompting it to try to shape the world in its image (simply unfeasible) , leading to disastrous consequences, most notably in Iraq and Ukraine. As US-China relations cooled, many have started to speculate then rise of a new form of Cold War. The rise and fall of great powers and change in power dynamics in the 21th century is a result of Cold War to a large extent. Its effects are widespread and can be felt up to this day. In fact, US still possesses a Cold War mentality whereby its instincts is competition, not cooperation. It is likely that Cold War would continue to impacts geo-politics for the foreseeable future.

Pic: the fall of Berlin Wall

Sorry, not following the format!

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picture of Martin Luther King Jr, with reference to my post here

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The 20th century was marked by significant changes all over the world in various aspects - ranging from political movements, world wars, social movements and the rapid development of science and technology, as well as the arts. It also saw a massive move for civil rights, as blacks, women, gays and other people fought against discrimination. Arguably, the most significant person of the 20th century was Martin Luther King Jr., the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize winner who was one of the principal leaders of the American civil rights movement and a prominent advocate of nonviolent resistance to racial oppression. He is famous for his “I have a dream” speech, which still resonates in the world today and continue to inspires blacks to fight for equality, as seen through the recent shooting of George Floyd which once again brought the #BlacksLiveMatter movement into public limelight.

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From Oppenheimer’s development of the atomic bomb, to Einstein’s proposal of the theory of relativity, the 20th century saw  technological and scientific progress with no historical precedent. Social mores of the century underwent a paradigm shift, with astounding advancements in politics, ideology, economics, society, culture, science, technology, and medicine. However, the most significant event of the twentieth century, arguably, was the discovery of Penicillin.

Penicillin curbed the rampant, fatal application of ineffectual medicine during a time of brutality and mass killings. This is epitomised by the sheer difference in medical efforts in WWI, when antiseptic was liberally applied for wounded soldiers, and WWII, when Penicillin was democratised. Alexander Fleming found that antiseptic was killing more soldiers in WWI than infection itself, as antiseptic stripped patients’ beneficial agents, while leaving harmful bacteria in deep wounds untouched, leading to sepsis and ineluctable death. This is in stark contrast with the treatment of soldiers during the Normandy Landings in WWII, in which shiploads of Penicillin demonstrated the miraculous ability to prevent and treat infections of wounded Allied soldiers, which was previously deemed fatal. It is evident that Penicillin saved innumerable lives in the midst of savage genocides and vicious warfare.

Penicillin revolutionised the course of medical history, and paved the way for modern medicine. To date, Penicillin has become the most-widely used antibiotic. In addition, after the miraculous discovery of Penicillin, a number of pharmaceutical industries began to screen a variety of other natural products for antibacterial activity, leading to the subsequent discovery of a host of new antibiotics. It introduced humanity to the wider study of bacteriology, and has thus served as an indispensable instrument in furthering humanity’s medical knowledge.

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Out of all the technology, AI is by far the most mysterious and controversial in terms of application and development. It is a singularity point to artificially create humans intelligence, and with which, makes cloning of humans possible. After the development of the very first AI in th 1950s, it has not disappointed us, and grew to be the a revolutionary technology, which changed humans lifestyle, and even our worldview. AI indeed, has promised a sustainable technological development, and improved humans life. However, the ethical issues that its prevalence brought about, caused us to leave a thought about the true meaning of humans' existence, and also the true definition of life, whether its the heartbeat that counts, or the intelligence.

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The 20th century was no stranger to war- World War I, World War II certainly not long after, followed by a show of might in the Cold War. Many have been speculating the World War III in the 21st century though, it certainly has not come to fruition and for that, we have World War II to thank. The death toll from this painstaking war was tremendous- 20 million in USSR, 11 million from the Axis, and 44 million from the Allied. The loss from war although great, served us all a painful lesson that we all know too well. History teaches us not to make the same mistakes, and World War II has taught us if anything, that fighting a war simply is not worth it. This can hence be shown through renewed efforts at diplomatic ties, and despite tensions countries refusing to wage war.

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(Sorry, this is adding on to my post as I can’t upload the picture there for some reason!)

This is a photograph of the day Ho Chi Minh declared independence for Vietnam.

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Many resist Penicillin due to their self-proclaimed allergies as well as the effect of “antibiotic-resistance”, where the increase usage of antibiotics will make them less effective when bacterial evolve the defense against antibiotics. In fact, Penicillin allergy is one of the most commonly reported drug allergy. However, research has shown that only 90% of the people who claim to be allergic aren’t actually allergic to Penicillin and 80% of the people with actual Penicillin allergy can outgrow their allergy within ten years. In addition, “antibiotic resistance” is not an issue as long as doctors are responsible in their prescriptions. Since the 1940s, when the commercial production of Penicillin first began, it has saved billions of lives around the world and it remains as one of the most important life saving antibiotics until today. Penicillin was seen as a miracle drug when its invention cured some of the deadliest diseases such as Scarlet fever, the 19th century version of “Covid-19”, also a world pandemic but much worse when people can just die within 48 hours after infection. Today, Penicillin remains commonly used in surgeries and the treatment of many respiratory infections. Undoubtedly, it is one of the most significant discoveries of the 20th century.

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The Space Race was a 20th century competition between the Soviet Union and United States. While some may argue that it was simply a product of superpower rivalry during the Cold War, it was arguable the most significant event of the 20th century because it reflected which country had the best science, technology and economic system. There were far reaching impacts on all sectors of society which can still be seen today, in terms of space research and the search for national security.

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In 1969, musician John Lennon and artist Yoko Ono participated in an unusual protest against the then escalating Vietnam War, sitting in bed peacefully for two weeks. Though the world in the 20th century experienced a wide scale of political upheaval, cultural developments and economic transformation, the most significant event occurring between 1900-1999 was the Vietnam War (1955-1975). While its origins as a civil war suggest a limited significance in terms of its international impact, over the century, the Vietnam War was politically, economically and culturally significant. It bred the rise of pacifism and paved the way for the downfall of American supremacy, contributed to the economic miracles of several nations in the region as well as inspired unique music, literature and art distinctive of the century.

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In one of his typically crude, expletive-laden motivational speeches in 1944, General George Patton of the United States said, "The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his." The Second World War caused great loss of human life and laid waste to the entire continent of Europe. Though some may say that these effects were also seen after the First World War, the aftermath of the Second birthed the bipolar division of the world that we now look back upon as the Cold War, thus making the Second World War the most significant event of the 20th century.

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The 20th century marked the emergence of formidable leaders, revolutionary inventions and world-changing ideological developments. The struggle for independence, however, was unrivalled in its significance, as it is indispensable in its role in shaping the world order of today, and was a watershed in the political and social histories of the colonised. Although the world wars could be argued to mark the decadence of previously great powers, it was ultimately the worldwide struggle for colonisation that was the direct trigger for the demise of empires.

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Civil rights movements were rife in the 20th century. Nonetheless, feminism was imperative in changing societal values and treatment towards women. In the previous epoch, women were objectified and deemed as inferior to men. Thus, the first wave feminism was integral in fighting for women’s suffrage and espousing women’s expression of nationalistic identity. Their right to vote then cemented their position in society. The second wave continued to push for gender equality and was successful in compelling governments to put in place laws that safeguard the interests of women. These enabled women to gain more rights and be recognised as official members of society. Therefore, the feminist wave was a revolutionary event in the 20th century.

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Albert Einstein is the most important person of the 20th century. His revolutionary work on relativity did not just influence the field of physics but with it the world. There may be critics who underestimate the value of his contributions, but in reality, Albert Einstein’s work became the basis for  other scientific discoveries which propelled human civilisation forward. He made massive contributions  towards the improvement of human living standards. And he became an inspirational figure that motivated countless others in the world.

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20th century is considered as an era of bold and risk loving leaders, with many formidable character appearing in the public’s eyes, leading them towards whole new experience.  They could be leading their country towards independence, leading their country to a whole new system like socialism, or they could lead revolution to make the country better. I think that one significant person of the century would be our own late Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew. He had manage to lead Singapore towards independence, use his economic reforms to change our economy to the better and together with his team provide all Singaporean’s with a higher standard of living. There however have been doubts on some of his political actions for being too harsh on the opposition. However, I still agree that he is a significant figure of that century due to his success in transforming Singapore to its better self.

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Common appreciation for music has been a major push factor in bringing people of the 20th century closer despite cultural differences. The 20th century has seen revolutionary development in music, from classical to rock and roll, reggae, country amongst others, eventually shaping music into the widely accepted form it is today.
While narrow-minded views criticise music of the 20th century as deviating from its previous decadence, or being less pleasant to the ears, one could say that this has reflected a massive shift in society's tastes and preferences, bringing on a welcome wave of new culture. Furthermore, this development in music has significantly modified the world's social structure, and brought about a soft power source of globalisation.

(e.g. hip-hop music originating from black culture, allowing greater exposure and influence in the Western world)

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The 20th century was a significant period of time, witnessing rapid developments of technology and global economic growth. In particular, the films industry was what really expanded during this period. In fact, it could be argued that the history of motion pictures was shaped by the improved technology and increased cultural appreciation in the 20th century. And the innovation and progress in the film industry is really the most significant development of the 20th Century. As what the famous film director Nicholas Ray has said, "Films recognizes neither time nor space, only the limits of man's  imagination". The visual media is a representation of the humanities, and the evolution of its genres and themes portrays the human culture. From simple scripts and settings to thought-provoking films, the growth of the film industry in the 20th century accurately demonstrates the capabilities of the human's mind. 20th Century also was a time of instabilities due to the multiple wars and conflicts ongoing. Films thus provides a source of entertainment for the people. And most importantly, they provide individuals the opportunity to fantasize and grasp the glimmer of hope amidst the seemingly never-ending chaos. While some might propose technology as the most significant development of the 20th Century, the importance of arts and culture should never be ignored. They argue that films are simply fantasies, never really providing the world with actual benefits. Yet back in the 20th century and even now, films are in fact major contributors to the world economy. Therefore, the progress of the film industry is the most significant development of the 20th Century, for it provided humans with both emotional and physical comfort, also proving the uniqueness of the humans' minds.

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The golden age of the 20th Century was marked by both metamorphic evolution of life as we knew it and spiraling regression of morality. The 20th Century might have been marked by an indiscriminate number of turbulent events that shook the world, however, the most significant of them all was the monumental movements for civil rights for discriminated peoples. The civil rights movements of the 20th Century sparked the world's propensity to take action and finally speak out against discrimination, inciting the creation of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights which aimed to reinforce the concept that "human beings have inalienable rights and liberties that cannot justly be violated by others or by the state". This was also the inauguration of protests against black discrimination, something that affects society till today as Americans march for the unjustified murder of George Floyd and many other black people who have suffered at the hands of white supremacy. Women also broke the records of history, ultimately seized suffrage and liberalised women in society. The 20th Century also marked the liberalisation of gay rights which saw the removal of the criminalisation of homosexual relations, making way for gay marriage and free love in the 21st Century today. Ultimately while others may laud the successes of the industrialised world and the growth of science and technology, the amelioration of unjust discrimination contributed to the moral evolution of mankind, something much more important than physical successes.

Below is a picture of four men peacefully protesting by staging a sit-in at a segregated Woolworth’s lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina, and refused to leave after being denied service. They would be known as the Greensboro Four, known for their tenacity even as insults and slurs were hurled at them. They later inspired many others to do the same, some having to bear the insults alone, which shatters the hearts of many even today.

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The 20th century was a watershed moment in human history marked by spells of moral decadence. However, it was also the dawn of epochal events that would go on to chart the course of human progress. Some believe that the Roaring Twenties in the US was incredibly significant as it engendered The Great Depression, shattering the illusion of "The American Dream". Others also point out that the 2 World Wars serve as  morbid reminders of the deep abyss of human nature, and the urgent need to prevent such calamities from ever breaking out again. While these are undoubtedly import affairs, I believe that the emergence of communism is the most significant event of the 20th century. Critics may point out that communism, arguably, has been virtually eradicated from our modern society. It is therefore no longer relevant to our contemporary world, and all anybody needs to know about it is that "it is bad". Yet, I disagree with this assessment. This is because understanding the rise and fall of communism and its conflict with the ideology of liberalism allows us to make sense of the current world order, the remnants of communism still exist in China, plausibly the most influential country of the 21st century, and that communist thinking influenced many seminal thinkers like Marx and Engels.