Table of Contents

Boxes, Illustrations, and Maps
Preface and Acknowledgments
Introduction: Revolutionary Europe
Timeline of European History
1 The Old Regime and the Enlightenment
The Old Regime in France
The Enlightenment
The Impact of the Enlightenment
2 The French Revolution and Napoleon
1789: The Revolution Begins
The Radical Republic and the Terror
Napoleon and Europe
3 The Industrial Revolution and the Birth of Capitalism
Causes of the Industrial Revolution
Socioeconomic Consequences of Industrialization
The Impact of the Industrial Revolution
4 1848: The People’s Spring
Europe after 1815: Reaction
Liberalism and Nationalism in the Early Nineteenth Century
Precursors to 1848: The 1830 Revolution in France
The Revolutions of 1848
Revolt Spreads through Europe
Repression and Reaction
Consequences and Legacy of 1848
5 Marx, Marxism, and Socialism
Karl Marx
The Communist Manifesto
Marxist Theory
The Idea of Communism
The Legacy of Marxism
6 Darwinism and Social Darwinism
Charles Darwin
The Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection
Darwinism and Religion
Social Darwinism
Social Darwinism and European History
The Influence of Darwinism
7 The Unifications of Italy and Germany
Nationalism and the Nation-State
Prelude to Unification: The Crimean War
Mazzini, Cavour, and the Unification of Italy
Bismarck and the Unification of Germany
The Dual Monarchy of Austria-Hungary
Implications of Nationalism and Unification
8 The Age of Imperialism and the Scramble for Africa
European Expansionism before the Nineteenth Century
The Motivations for Imperialism
The Scramble for Africa
The Colonization of Asia
Patterns of Colonial Rule
The Legacy and Consequences of European Imperialism
9 World War I
Europe on the Eve of War
The Tinderbox: Nationalism in the Balkans
The Spark: The Assassination
The Escalation
The War
Versailles, the Peace Settlements, and the League of Nations
Consequences of the War
10 The Russian Revolution and Communism
Tsarist Russia
Hints of Change and Reform
1905: Prelude to Revolution
Marxism and Leninism
World War I and the Two Revolutions
Civil War, NEP, and Consolidation
Stalin and Totalitarianism
The Legacy and Meaning of the Russian Revolution
11 World War II and the Holocaust
Europe between the World Wars
The Rise of Militarism and Fascism
Hitler’s Aggression
The War
The Holocaust
The Consequences of World War II
12 Europe Divided, the Cold War, and Decolonization
The Division of Europe
The Onset of the Cold War
Decolonization
Postwar Western Europe
Eastern Europe after the War
Conclusions: From Cold War to Perestroika
13 1989: The Collapse of Communism and End of the Cold War
Before 1989: Soviet Hegemony and the Brezhnev Doctrine
Gorbachev and Perestroika
The Revolutions of 1989
The Disintegration of the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia
Transition from Communism to Market Democracy
Conclusions: The Impact of 1989
14 The European Union: Europe United and Free?
Origins of the Common Market
From Common Market to EU
Expansion to Eastern Europe
The European Superpower?
Growing Pains
Breaking Point? Immigration Crisis and Brexit
What Is Europe?
Conclusion: Europe in the Twenty-First Century
Russia’s Place in Europe and the Crisis in Ukraine
Europe’s Evolving Relationship with the United States
Glossary
Notes
Suggestions for Additional Reading
Index
About the Author

About the Author

David S. Mason is professor emeritus at Butler University.

Reviews

Mason's book is a gem: a succinct, comprehensive, and engaging introduction to modern European history.
*Alan Cafruny, Hamilton College*

Concise yet still comprehensive, this book not only sketches the broader contours of modern European history since the French Revolution but also provides students with much-needed context. Clearly and superbly written with judiciously chosen sources that lend themselves to the analysis of major events and ideas, this book is the perfect basic text for upper-division courses on modern Europe.
*Thomas Earl Porter, North Carolina A&T State University*