Student
Paper F992-4
Fall 1999, Section I
Differences in Opinion
Europe has faced many trials and conflicts throughout the ages, For
instance, there was a long-festering conflict between the French monarchy and
the aristocracy. There were also conflicts among the different governments,
people and Social classes in the different cities and towns. Gender inequality
was a major problem that caused many difficulties until people fought for their
rights and made a change. Many of the conflicts present in Europe were due to
people feeling more superior than others simply because they thought they were
better than the other. The whole survival-of-the-fittest type attitude caused
Europe and its people much turmoil.
As early as the 1500s there were conflicts between the church and
individuals in Society. At this time the Catholic Church mainly controlled the
laws and ideas. If someone went against the Church or had other ideas they were
in trouble. Galileo Galilee was a scientist and astronomer. Through many
experiments and observations, Galileo found out that the Earth revolved around
the sun as opposed to the sun around the Earth the way the Church stated. When
Galileo's theory spread, the Church was outraged. "The religious authorities were often critical of the
discoveries and theories of the 16th and 17th century
science."1 The Church condemned Galileo for his theory. He had
contended the scientific theory and religious piety were compatible.2 The
Holy Office declared that his theories were contrary to Holy Scripture.3 Much
commotion was caused because of Galileo's supposed opposition of the Church.
Another individual that was accused of going against the Church was Charles
Darwin. Darwin published "The Origin of Species" which was about the
mechanical interpretation of physical nature into the world of living things.4
This book spoke of evolution and natural selection, which also stirred up
the many churches that had since been formed as well as many of the Saint of
that time. Darwin was even a "church-going" man and in his
publications referred to God, the Creator and how these things in nature
happened because of Him. However, Darwin was still criticized because it was
not what and how the Church believed and interpreted the Bible.
Another big issue in European society was gender equality. Women
started out having very few if any rights. All women faced social and legal
disabilities in property rights, family law and education. Men felt and thought
that women should be on a lower "level" than themselves. Under the
Conservative theories it was believed that woman were not equal. These ideas
were also the same with the monarchy and the Catholic Church. Women, however,
did not want to be treated as less equal and soon began their pursuit to change
it. Women did not have the same opportunity to obtain an education as men. What
was available to them was poor compared to that of men. Eventually, through the
efforts of women, they Soon were able to be educated at the highest levels. A
woman speaking in church was also forbidden. "It had been an objection in
the minds of many, and several times had been objected by the Clergy, or
Ministers and others, against women's speaking in the Church; and So
consequently may be taken that they are condemned for meddling in the things of
God."5 Woman found many scriptures showing people that God had
created them equally. These scriptures indicated no distinctions or differences
in men and women, however, men did. Throughout the Bible there are many
references to women and since their roles and purposes in life. Margaret Fell
expressed her thoughts on this issue by saying "...let this Word of the
Lord, which was from the beginning, stop the Mouths of all that oppose Women's
Speaking in the Power of the Lord..."6 But because the Church
and most men felt that women were not equal to them they felt things to be a
certain way. That was the way it was to be and if anyone, especially women,
thought different, they were wrong. Women were willing to fight for their
equality. Many even died fighting for their rights. Many women starved to death
in prison just to get the point across to men and the government that they were
tired of being treated as less than the men. Olympe de Gouge stood up and spoke
out and was later executed by the guillotine. Finally, women slowly wore down
the system and began to receive more and more rights but only after much hard
work and serious consequences. Because of their hard work and persistence women
Soon got the right to vote, the right to own property, the right to go to
college, as well as many other rights that made them equal to men. One woman
even expressed "that since we are assured of our creation in the image of
God, and of an interest in Christ equal unto men, as also of a proportional
share in the freedoms of this commonwealth... "7 Just because
the Church or men felt that the Bible said that women were to be submissive to
men did not mean that women could not have equality. Women therefore fought to
gain their place in society. And they did.
Finally, there were many differences of opinion when it came to race.
One major example of this in the European society was in the early 1930s when
Hitler began to become more and more powerful. The group of people targeted by
the Nazi regime for most of their torture was the German Jews. Anti-Semitism
had been a key plank of the Nazi program and this dislike of Jews was more out
of racial issues than religious discrimination. 8 Hitler hated the
Jews and wanted to get rid of all of them. He felt that communism and Judaism
were linked; so to him Jews were the greatest threat in the world. Hitler felt
he and his "race" where superior to the rest. Hitler fit the mold of
imperialism that felt that the white European race was better suited to rule.
Over six million Jews had died simply because Hitler felt the Nazi race was
superior to all the rest. The Jews were not the only ones to suffer. Another
large group of people that were targeted was the Polish. Those of the Polish
community were not allowed to speak in Polish, young Polish men were forced to
join the German army, street signs, towns, and cities were changed to German
names, newspapers, schools, and churches were destroyed merely because they
were not German. It was Hitler's goal to obliterate all traces of Polish
culture and history. 9 Hitler also considered the Slavs as subhuman
creatures like beasts who need not be thought of or treated as people. 10
Many innocent people were killed and tortured merely because of the hate of
other humans simply because they were not white Germans.
Hate and difference of opinions were major factors in causing many
conflicts within the European Society. Most of the hate and dislike goes hack
to Darwin's theory and his thoughts on evolution. He felt that those that were
stronger would begin to take over. In ~me instances we can see that this is the
case. Men feeling more powerful than women, Hitler feeling the white Germans
should take over the world, people just thinking they are better than the other
caused many of the problems. Darwinism and imperialism played a big role in the
underlying causes of the conflicts in Europe.
1 Kagan, Ozmet, Turner, The Western Heritage,
Volume II Since 1648 (Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey) pg. 487
2 The Western Heritage, pg. 487
3 http://www.imss.firenze.it/museo/a/esenten.html
"Condemnation of Galileo"
4 The Western Heritage, pg. 880
5 http://www.voicenet.com/~kuenning/qhp/fell.html
6 http://www.voicenet.com/~kuenning/qhp/fell.html
7 http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/17women/html
Radical women during the English revolution
8 The Western Heritage, pg. 1012
9 http://remember.org/forgotten/index.html
10 The Western Heritage, pg. 1050
Bibliography
http://www.imss.firenze.it/museo/a/esenten.html
"Condemnation of Galileo"
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/17women/html
Radical women during the English revolution
http://remember.org/forgotten/index.html
Kagan, Ozment,
Turner, The Western Heritage, Volume II Since 1648 Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle
River, New Jersey 1998.