ABSTRACT
The 20th century does gain some coherence if it is seen as a century in which traditional systems were cast aside, extraordinary widely, and in which innovation had to ensue. With the major exception of a handful of Western democracies—the United States, Canada, Australia, Scandinavia, and the Netherlands—no major country has enjoyed the same basic political system through the whole 20th century. For world historians, the 20th century stands out as a major turning point in the relationships among the major societies of the world, a time when trends going back to the 15th century began to be reversed. The 20th century has seen a dramatic acceleration of the technical capacity for international exchange, a variety of organizations capable of promoting contacts in areas ranging from business through science to sports and popular entertainment, and something of an international culture.
