Shifting Power After 1900 Practice Test

After 1900, global power shifted as the United States and the Soviet Union emerged from World War II with unmatched military capacity and competing ideologies. In many regions, proxy conflicts and aid programs replaced direct colonial rule, while international institutions tried to manage security and development. Which statement best describes how the Cold War contributed to changing political authority in formerly colonized regions?

A 1989 student manifesto from a communist-ruled country argues that one-party rule has produced economic stagnation, censorship, and corruption. The authors demand competitive elections, free speech, and integration into global markets, claiming that the state’s legitimacy has collapsed. Which global development most directly aligns with the manifesto’s context of shifting power after 1900?