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Introduction

In 1900, the chances were that you lived in one of the world's empires – British, Russian, Austro-Hungarian, Chinese or Turkish – and that your ruler was an absolute monarch. Only the lucky few enjoyed a liberal democracy. Even those, however, had few rights if they happened to be women or black or gay. If you felt strongly about injustice, you could join a group fighting for independence from imperial rule or plotting a revolutionary coup.

In 2000, you were probably living in some form of democratic state, in which most groups had at least nominal civil rights. But there was still plenty of injustice in the world. You could find yourself protesting against American intervention in the Third World, or joining an anti-capitalist demonstration, or trying out an alternative lifestyle. And women were as vocal as men.

During the 20th century, powerful nations and individuals used new technology and ancient prejudices to oppress their peoples and exploit other cultures.

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