Siglo XX: aperturas y exclusiones

Abstract

This article draws a balance between the promises and hopes of the 19th century optimism and the contrasting reality of our era, with its unquestionable peaks —progress— and its frightening troughs —setbacks. The writer points out to the contrasting —bright and dark— game within which the 20th century history involved and how, in its final years, it is debating between the social acceptance or rejection of its main characters. The author makes clear the “failure” of the expectation for progress, for, in revealing the unfulfilled hopes, as well as the achievements gained during this century, it shows they have placed and end to any future illusionary project. After criticizing “post-modernity”, he advances a methodology —the “sociological observation”— capable of building truly, not imaginarily, a setting for future societies.