The interbellum decades in 20th-century Europe were characterized by economic turmoil, political upheaval, and social unrest, predictable consequences of the lingering effects of the “War to End All Wars.” National borders were being redrawn and Lenin’s Communist movement threatened much of Europe, while the 1929 U.S. stock-market crash sent many Western economies into a devastating depression.  

This course will examine the conditions that allowed authoritarian leaders like Hitler, Mussolini, and Stalin to seize power. Their efforts to suppress modernist developments and dissent in the creative arts—particularly painting, music, film, literature, and design—will be highlighted. Similar dynamics are manifesting themselves in the U.S. today, where democratic principles have come under threat in many arenas. We will ask whether the history of the last hundred years can help us identify the causes, consequences, and possible ways to counteract these trends.   

Some readings will be required.