The late 19th and the early 20th centuries were marked by significant economic, social and cultural transformations.

During the Second Industrial Revolution, advances in production technology and improvements in worker efficency (Taylorism) increased the productivity dramatically. Energy innovations (petroleum and electricity), new materials (chemicals, steel), advances in telecommunications (telegraph, radio, telephone),  transport (plane, automobile) and new forms of business management led to a world economy controlled by some powers like Great Britain, United States, Germany, France and Japan, and capitalism became the dominant economic system.

Industrial expansion and population growth radically changed the face of cities under the dynamism of the prospering bourgeoisie.

In this Age of New Imperialism, the world was dominated by the industrialised countries that established vast empires mainly in Africa, but also in Asia and the Middle East.

But the rapid economic, technological and colonial changes increased the rivalry between powerful states and the escalating tensions led to the outbreak of  World War One (1914-1918).