19291981

1929–1981 is a span that covers a century of dramatic economic, political, and technological change. The period begins with the 1929 stock market crash and the ensuing Great Depression, which brought widespread unemployment and led to bold policy experimentation in many countries, most notably the United States with the New Deal. The 1930s also saw the rise of extremist movements in several nations and set the stage for World War II, which lasted from 1939 to 1945 and reshaped borders, alliances, and international institutions.

In the aftermath of World War II, reconstruction and growth transformed many Western economies, while the Soviet Union and the United States emerged as the principal rivals in the Cold War. The era witnessed decolonization across Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean, dramatically altering the global political map. Scientific and technological advances accelerated, including the space program, computer development, and breakthroughs in medicine and industry.

The 1960s and 1970s were characterized by social upheaval, civil rights movements, and changes in cultural norms, alongside economic volatility and energy concerns that culminated in the 1970s oil shocks. Globalization and consumer technology expanded, with rapid progress in communications, computing, and other information technologies laying groundwork for the late 20th century.

By 1981, the world had entered a new phase marked by geopolitical realignments and the early stages of the information technology era. The endpoints of 1929 and 1981 thus bracket a period of extensive modernization, conflict, and transformation that shaped much of modern history.