The worst Century?

[privatehudson]

A upcoming TV series on terrestial UK television concentrates on the 1300s, titling it as the worst century to be alive in (presumably from the trailers it is mainly about Europe). What do the Civ Fanatics think of this?

 

[Reno]

Well let's see 14 centuary... Failed crusades, 100 Years war, Plagues, The Golden Horde (Mongol empire reaching to Hungary), Inguisitors & Witch Hunts, and other crasy stuff happening back then...

So i would say that was one of the worst decades to live in but not the worst.

 

[privatehudson]

I guess I should have added, which do you think was the worst if not the 14th, and why

 

[Reno]

20'th centuary World War 1 & World War 2, Iron Curtain, Vietnam, Korea, Falk Land War, Afganistan (both 1979 and 2001), Irag (1991 and 2003-04), Holocaust, 9/11 (and other terror attacks), and lot more wich i dont have now time to write about... Although i think we are still living in a more advanced and better world thant in 14 centuary so i really dont know wich was the worst centuary, it depends on whose perspective do you look at it.

 

[Ancient Grudge]

When is the tv series beginning ph?

 

[Yuri2356]

20'th centuary World War 1 & World War 2, Iron Curtain, Vietnam, Korea, Falk Land War, Afganistan (both 1979 and 2001), Irag (1991 and 2003-04), Holocaust, 9/11 (and other terror attacks), and lot more wich i dont have now time to write about... Although i think we are still living in a more advanced and better world thant in 14 centuary so i really dont know wich was the worst centuary, it depends on whose perspective do you look at it.

Er, 9/11, The second Afghan conflict, and the surrent Iraq war are all 21st Century events. Otherwise, I agree that the 20th ranks quite highly as the worst century to date. But then, the 21st will likley be filled with even more more evil events...

 

[Birdjaguar]

How do we measure?
Most people died?
Worst Living conditions?
Most misery without death?
Quantity of misery and destruction or quality?
Do those of European descent count more than those of "other" origin?
Once we know the scale we can discover tha answer.

 

[privatehudson]

That would be up to each poster I imagine

 

[Mongoloid Cow]

I also reckon that the 20th Century was the worst century in the history of the world, and I'm pretty sure that when this one is done with, the 21st will trounce that.

 

[privatehudson]

When is the tv series beginning ph?

Not sure, but it's on Channel 4, and they advertise it all the time

 

[stormbind]

Oh, it would be terrible to live with the Black Death and Witch Hunts. The fear of being killed by either is almost as bad as the fear of witnessing your home being nuked while you're still in it

 

[Birdjaguar]

Because we have such far reaching communications today, there are few surprises any more (9/11 was the exception that now raises expectations). The further you go back in time, the uncetainty goes up and complete surprises become more frequent. The lack of knowledge about when you might face some invadiing horde would increase the anxiety and seemingly random pillaging of fields and towns would raise the misery index a lot. Ignorance about disease and weather would do the same. Imagine living in the ganges delta and being inundated by typhoons with little anticipation.

 

[jonatas]

the worst century could very well be this one, after we screw up the environment so bad that we really get ourselves in trouble....

 

[Knight-Dragon]

For the Chinese, the 12th-13th was certainly the worse. Invasions and border raids by powerful nomadic states - the Khitans, Jurchens, Xixia and finally the Mongols.

Much worse than the Japanese invasion in the 20th, which only lasted a bit in comparison.

 

[Xen]

the 13th century was ****ty for everyone; trounces the 20th century by a long shot.

 

[blindside]

Every century is worse than the previous one.

 

[Lonkut]

Every century sucks.

 

[Moss]

Well my scope of history is very limited so I'll just go with the century that comes to my mind first.

And that is the 19th century for the United States. I know this wasn't the worst, but it is the one that came to my mind.

 

[Mescalhead]

The 20th century had more death, but not per capita. It is al in proportion. For instance, the Flu of 1918 killed more people than the bubonic plague, but a much lower percentage of the entire population. Not to mention all of the comforts of modern life, medicine, civil rights, universal suferage. At least for many countries, the 20th made up for the wars. I agree that the 14th century was worse.

 

[luiz]

For Europe, the worst was probably the 6th or 7th Century.

Rome had fallen, order had collapsed, barbarians were pillaging every city and anyone with 30 years was considered an elder.