An enduring issue is a prominent problem that has affected or been affected by people throughout history. The ongoing issue of inequality is the state of being unequal. One group has more power than the others. There have been many instances of inequality in years past, such as the Treaty of Nanjing. The Treaty of Nanjing was established after the opium wars between China and Great Britain (OI). The treaty was intended to be a resolution, and agreement of peace, but the treaty was actually very unfair towards China (Doc 1). Another unfair treaty is the Treaty of Berlin, this treaty divided Africa among European powers (Doc 2). At the conference they discussed how they would split up Africa without consulting the Africans (OI). Lastly, at the …show more content…
Africa was split between European countries with no regard for the African people, making this a prime example of inequality. Lastly, the Treaty of Versailles caused much distress. The Treaty of Versailles was supposed to be a peace agreement at the end of WWI, but many believe it led to the cause of WWII (OI). The Treaty of Versailles read, “Germany accepts the responsibility of Germany and her allies for causing all the loss and damage to which the allied and associated governments and their nationals have been subjected as a consequence of the war” (Doc 4). Germany was required to take full war guilt, and pay the reparations that went along with it (OI). This eventually led to harsh economic conditions for Germany, leading to the start of WWII (OI). The Berlin conference also left Africa in a harsh state (Doc 3). The Berlin Conference was where European countries including Germany, France, Italy, and more met to discuss how they would divide up Africa (Doc 3). In the end, this left Africa in a weak state, making it an unequal …show more content…
The main reason why the UN was written stems from the Treaty of Versailles (OI). The Treaty of Versailles was an unequal treaty that led to even bigger conflicts such as WWII (Doc 4 + OI). The Treaty of Nanjing, similar to the Treaty of Versailles, left tension between two countries, Great Britain and China. After the opium wars, the Treaty of Nanjing was written due to the unfair treatment of China by Great Britain (Doc 1). The fifth article of the UN states that “No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment” (Doc 5). Thanks to the creation of the United Nations, most conflicts can be talked over and solved in order to avoid violent solutions (Doc 5). As you can see, the ongoing issue of inequality has changed over time. In conclusion, inequality is a grave issue that, while negatively affecting people, has changed over time. Many conflicts have occurred throughout history, most coming to an end through a peace treaty, or meeting between nations. Not all treaties, or agreements, are fair, many result in unequal treatment to one