The Future Never Seen

Description

ost of us will have been told at least once in our lives how lucky we are to live today and not a hundred years ago when times were harder. But how much has really changed? Can we really say anything has got better? Or are we living in a world disillusioned by the past? Our own lives would have been so different so long ago; or would they? Since 100 years ago, two world wars have been fought killing millions and millions of people to change a failing society; a failing selfish attitude. Then, people refused to take responsibility for each other in a world led by the elite. Empire was the making of power and that was only achieved by brutally forced submission. These were the times when the lower-class listened and worked to the bone for the wealthy, to drive the economy; to make the rich richer and the poor poorer. People were marginalised for their race, colour, creed, gender and wealth. It was a society stuck in the ways of absolutism. There would be only one way: to break the people into fear. To rule unconditionally. There was seldom a chance for the average person to do well for themselves. To make a positive change in their everyday life. Four countries: Russia, Germany, the UK and the USA all began like this. However, even as soon as 20 years since the turn of the 20th century, this had changed. Russian monarchy had been overthrown by a brutal revolution and now Russia was ruled by the people; with those people being brutal Communist thugs. Germany's Kaiser had been overthrown to lead into a new equality-found Democracy. Britain had given women the vote and was, as it had been for over 200 years, a Constitutional Monarchy within a Democracy. Likewise, the USA had remained like it had been; ready to forget the horrors of the past for a new sense of prosperity. As the changes of the decades continued to go on, more people were questioning what it meant to be human. The horrors of the Holocaust brought to light what humans were capable of doing to each other. From then on, people were set on bringing about equality. From the legalisation of homosexuality and the abolition of segregation, citizens would take absolute rule no longer. They had seen the mistakes of their parents and grandparents and vowed that such abhorrent things would serve as testament to what can happen if compassion is not shown. In today's "modern age" we are reminded that we have come so far from where we used to be; but, in fact, we have hardly changed.