long 19^th century¶

Historians previously coined the term "long 19^th century" to refer to an extended period between the French Revolution and the outbreak of WWI. This is in reference to both the ideas and material conditions that predominated that period, ending abruptly during the Great War. Later thinkers coined "short 20^th century" for the period following the war, and ending with the dissolution of the Soviet Union--again, due to a distinct global social character.

I would argue differently. The "20^th century" social order HAS lasted for a whole century. This "normal 20^th century" could then be identified as beginning with WWI, continuing through the various geopolitical struggles between capitalism and socialism, the neoliberal evolution of capitalism in a post-Soviet world, and concluding... Now. The onset of the pandemic is a very clear demarcation of the ushering in of the next stage of history. The way states around the world have reacted to this society-warping force has both altered the material conditions and exacerbated geopolitical shifts already in progress. While I obviously can't predict exactly how things will go, I can offer this: societies that experience sustained drops in life expectancy tend to not have very long life expectancies themselves.