World Wars are overrated? - Page 2 - Politics Forum.org | PoFo

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#14685557
Sorry, but no.
The printing press was invented in the Holy Roman Empire by the German Johannes Gutenberg around 1440, based on existing screw presses. Gutenberg, a goldsmith by profession, developed a complete printing system, which perfected the printing process through all of its stages by adapting existing technologies to the printing purposes, as well as making groundbreaking inventions of his own. His newly devised hand mould made for the first time possible the precise and rapid creation of metal movable type in large quantities, a key element in the profitability of the whole printing enterprise.
#14686214
The term World War is just an arbitrary term that has been fixed to modern conflicts. As has been mentioned arguments could be made for the Napoleonic wars due to global naval engagements, as well as the British seizure of French and French allied colonies.

Arguments can easily be made for the War of the Spanish Succession, War of the Austrian Succession, and the 7 Years War. These conflicts saw land combat in Europe, North America, India, and naval engagements elsewhere. I've seen some historians refer to these as the 18th century World Wars. The only real difference between these earlier wars and the later ones are the presence of large scale industry, societal engagement and ideology. Earlier conflicts were mostly fought between relatively similar governments for limited, strategic gains. The Napoleonic wars are generally thought of as the birth of total war, and were ideological, but perhaps not to the extend of the 20th century world wars.
#14686229
The seven years war, or even War of Spanish succession, could be described as world wars. That is, they were european wars than extended to other parts of the world.

The Napoleonic wars introduced mass conscription and modern nationalism.

The world wars introduced the techlology and scale of mass production and industrialization. This didnt really make it any more global as such. Just that europeans had some more colonies and steam driven boats can get around better.
#14687503
Perhaps the "World" labels to the wars is earned because there were sovereign states from all over the world who directed a substantial part of their nation's energies (rather then a token effort) towards the war, and that areas the world over (be they sovereign states or imperial territories) were directly involved and in harms way by the war. The Boer war affected people and territories the world over, in that taxes and people from the British Empire were used, but those British territories outside South Africa were not in harms-way, so it does not apply.


Which sovereign non-European countries were involved in the Napoleonic wars? Was there such a presence from around the world?

The Seven Years war could be a world war given there were sovereign states in India and sovereign Amerindian tribes were involved. Nothing in East Asia and only paltry action in Africa. I don't believe there were sovereign states in South America at the time, but I don't believe there was action there either. So.. maybe Seven years war, but not Napoleonic, as a world war.
#14687770
Thunderhawk raises a valid point regarding the important issue of national sovereignty.

It is not difficult to construct a list of significant and unprecedented components of the thirty one year conflict, 1914-1945.

Firstly, the war involved unprecedented destruction of civilian property by air bombardment, coupled with the mass starvation of civilian population through maritime blockade. Secondly, vastly inflated state expenditures necessitated the introduction of modern taxation and central economic planning that was hitherto politically impossible. Thirdly, women were introduced into the armed forces and government controlled industries supplying the armed forces, to an unprecedented extent, shortly thereafter gaining the franchise. Fourth, the exchange of goods and flow of immigration was restricted and eventually total population control was introduced to prevent antagonists from sharing and trading ideas or commodities. Fifth, the colonies of the global empires were liberated following the outcome of hostilities. Sixth, international regulatory systems were established that could claim the title of proto-world government. Seventh, polygot geographicaly extent continental powers and hegemonic trading blocs replaced European nation-states as the global powers. Eighth, militarized states conducted mass wartime genocide of subject populations. Ninth, permanent wartime conditions relating to military intelligence, alliances, defence spending, and government control over scientific and technological innovation commenced. Tenth, labour and communist, and their fascist reaction ideologies emerged as legitimate governments.

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