18901937

1890–1937 denotes the years from 1890 through 1937, a period of rapid change in many regions of the world. The era began with continued industrialization, urban growth, and imperial expansion, and it concluded on the eve of broader global conflict. It encompasses both the height of modernization and the storms of war and economic disruption that followed.

The early decades saw rapid technical and scientific progress, along with expanding education and increasing mass mobilization. International tensions escalated, culminating in World War I (1914–1918), which redrew borders and reshaped political systems. The 1917 Russian Revolution produced the first major socialist state and inspired political movements worldwide. The postwar era featured political experimentation, economic volatility, and social reforms. The 1920s brought cultural dynamism and new technologies, while the 1930s were marked by the Great Depression, the rise of authoritarian movements in parts of Europe and Asia, and intensifying geopolitical rivalries. In many countries, governments expanded public works, welfare programs, and regulatory controls as responses to economic and social upheaval.

By 1937 the international order was increasingly unsettled, with conflicts and alliances signaling the approach of a broader crisis. The period 1890–1937 thus set the stage for the mid-20th century, shaping political borders, economic policy, technology, and social change for decades to come.