The Age of Catastrophe: Eric Hobsbawm and the Crisis of the Liberal Order

2026-02-09

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Episode Summary:In this episode of Explaining History, Nick continues his exploration of Eric Hobsbawm’s seminal work, The Age of Extremes.We focus on the first part of Hobsbawm's "historical triptych"—the Age of Catastrophe (1914–1945). Nick argues that this period was essentially a European Civil War, where the violent techniques of imperialism—gas, machine guns, and racial extermination—boomeranged back onto the continent itself.From the collapse of the liberal order in 1914 to the rise of totalitarian regimes in the 1930s, we...

Episode Summary:

In this episode of Explaining History, Nick continues his exploration of Eric Hobsbawm’s seminal work, The Age of Extremes.

We focus on the first part of Hobsbawm's "historical triptych"—the Age of Catastrophe (1914–1945). Nick argues that this period was essentially a European Civil War, where the violent techniques of imperialism—gas, machine guns, and racial extermination—boomeranged back onto the continent itself.

From the collapse of the liberal order in 1914 to the rise of totalitarian regimes in the 1930s, we examine how the certainties of the 19th century were shattered. We also critique Hobsbawm’s Eurocentric view, asking: Was the post-war "Golden Age" truly golden for the colonized peoples of Vietnam, Kenya, or Algeria? Or was the Second World War merely the moment when the violence of empire finally came home?

Plus: A final call for history students! Our Russian Revolution Masterclass is on Sunday, January 25th. Book your spot now for a deep dive into essay technique and historical argument.

Key Topics:

The European Civil War: Viewing 1914-1945 as a single, devastating conflict.
The Imperial Boomerang: How colonial violence returned to Europe.
The Collapse of Liberalism: Why democracy nearly vanished from the map between the wars.
Hobsbawm’s Blind Spot: Critiquing the Eurocentric view of the "Golden Age."

Books Mentioned:

The Age of Extremes by Eric Hobsbawm
Blood and Ruins by Richard Overy
The Origins of Totalitarianism by Hannah Arendt (referenced via the "boomerang" thesis)

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