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1970s

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The 1970s was a decade of massive global shifts. It began on January 1, 1970, and ended on December 31, 1979.

Line at a gas station, June 15, 1979
Line at a gas station, June 15, 1979

Historians often call this decade a "pivot of change." This means the world was moving away from the economic boom that followed World War II. Instead, the world entered a period of great uncertainty. Many regions faced political upheavals and armed conflicts. These struggles often involved decolonization or the Cold War tensions between NATO and the Warsaw Pact.

Cold War alliances mid-1975
Cold War alliances mid-1975

Economic stability changed during this time due to an energy crisis. The Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) implemented oil embargoes. These embargoes caused an oil crisis in many industrialized nations. This led to a difficult economic condition called stagflation. Because of this, many governments moved away from Keynesian economic theory. They began to adopt neoliberal economic theory instead. The first neoliberal government rose to power following the 1973 Chilean coup d'état.

Junta Militar argentina 1976
Junta Militar argentina 1976

While some nations struggled, others saw massive growth. Japan experienced a large economic boom during the 1970s. Japan eventually overtook West Germany to become the second-largest economy in the world. In the developing world, the Green Revolution helped economies make steady progress early in the decade. However, the oil crisis eventually slowed this growth. During these ten years, the global population grew from 3.7 billion to 4.4 billion people. There were approximately 1.23 billion births and 475 million deaths during the decade.

Technology and science underwent a profound transformation. In 1971, Intel released the Intel 4004, the first commercial microprocessor. This invention changed computing units from large, spacious machines into portable tools. This shift made computing more accessible to people in their homes. In physics, scientists consolidated the Standard Model in 1975. This model helps explain how the universe works at a tiny level. Scientists confirmed the existence of quarks and detected new gauge bosons. These particles included the photon, the Z boson, and the gluon.

Political landscapes shifted significantly across different continents. In the West, social progressive values from the 1960s continued to grow. Women gained more economic liberty and political awareness.

Leffler - WomensLib1970 WashingtonDC
Leffler - WomensLib1970 WashingtonDC

In the United Kingdom, Margaret Thatcher won the 1979 election. She became the first female British prime minister. In Asia, the People's Republic of China saw major changes. China gained recognition from the United Nations. Following the death of Mao Zedong, his successors began market liberalization.

Conflict and revolution shaped many nations during this era. The United States withdrew its military from the Vietnam War.

Nixon-depart
Nixon-depart

In 1979, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, starting the Soviet–Afghan War. In the Middle East, the Yom Kippur War occurred in 1973.

Egyptianbridge
Egyptianbridge

However, Egypt and Israel later signed a peace treaty in 1978.

Camp David, Menachem Begin, Anwar Sadat, 1978
Camp David, Menachem Begin, Anwar Sadat, 1978

In Iran, the 1979 revolution overthrew the Pahlavi dynasty. This established an Islamic republic led by Ayatollah Khomeini.

1979 Iranian Revolution
1979 Iranian Revolution

In Africa, the decade was marked by both independence and instability. Angola and Mozambique gained independence from the Portuguese Empire in 1975. This followed the Carnation Revolution in Portugal. Spain also withdrew its claim over Spanish Sahara in 1976. This event marked the formal end of the Spanish Empire. However, the continent also faced military coups and civil wars. For example, the Emperor of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie, was removed from power. In Cambodia, the Khmer Rouge took power in 1975. Their radical policies led to the deaths of as many as 3 million people.

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🖼️ Images & Media (40)
File:Cold War alliances mid-1975.png
Cold War alliances mid-1975.png
File:DakToVietnam1966.jpg
DakToVietnam1966.jpg
File:1971 Instrument of Surrender WaPo.jpg
1971 Instrument of Surrender WaPo.jpg
File:Egyptianbridge.jpg
Egyptianbridge.jpg
File:1979 Iranian Revolution.jpg
1979 Iranian Revolution.jpg
File:Selassie restored.jpg
Selassie restored.jpg
File:Nixon-depart.png
Nixon-depart.png
File:Junta Militar argentina 1976.png
Junta Militar argentina 1976.png
File:Carter Brezhnev sign SALT II.jpg
Carter Brezhnev sign SALT II.jpg
File:Camp David, Menachem Begin, Anwar Sadat, 1978.jpg
Camp David, Menachem Begin, Anwar Sadat, 1978.jpg
File:Nixon and Zhou toast.jpg
Nixon and Zhou toast.jpg
File:Idi Amin at UN (United Nations, New York) gtfy.00132.jpg
Idi Amin at UN (United Nations, New York)...

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