IV. Social and population unrest - led by the masses. Ethnic cleansing is not a phenomenon of the 15th, 16th and 17th century. It continued into the 18th & 19th century in Europe and their colonies in the Americas, Australia and New Zealand; and in the new countries of USA and Canada. The native populations were moved-off their land into reservations. Ethnic cleansing makes victims of the poor and further dispossess them of their homesteads. Previously we referred to the 'Peasant Revolt' in Lutheran Germany in 1524, with 100,000 killed and 50,000 left homeless. Ethnic cleansing continued into the 20th century in Armenia-Turkey, Germany prior to World War II, USA during World War II (Japanese interment), more recently South Africa and Israel. The greatest ethnic cleansing in the last century was in the Asian subcontinent in 1947, during Partition of India. An estimated 15 million people were displaced and 1 million people killed. Ethnic cleansing continues into the 21st century in the occupied West Bank-Gaza and in former Yugoslavian republics. Ethnic cleansing and persecution, for socio-economic reasons, is not a phenomenon of religion or inquisition. These have been used as a convenient way to smear one group; or present a group as the only / main victim of a universal phenomenon that affected all peoples, all religions and all across the world
Europe's population grew significantly in the Modern Age. From the colonies new crops of potato and corn increased agricultural yield in Europe and provided better nutrition to the farmers. The imported spices served as food preservatives which permitted soicety to store the excess food for the winter. There were several events in the Church after the Protestant Reformation Reformation of Church Administration. Flourishing of established and formation of new Religious Orders. Proliferation of Spiritual or "Born Again" Movements. Political Implications. The Counter-Reformation within the Catholic Church is dated from the start of the Council of Trent and ending with the 'Thirty Year War' (extending from 1545-1648). Yet many church leaders in various countries and dioceses started on the path of reformation lot earlier. Vocations blossomed with formation of many new religious orders - Capuchin, Trappist, Oratorian, Ursuline, Salesian, Theatine, Carmelite, Jesuit. Few of these religious orders had various off-shoots and many had divisions for women and lay people. Existing religious orders reformed themselves or reform divisions took root and formed separate congregations. Seminaries, monasteries and convents flourished with zeal. These religious groups started serving the poor masses in their own country and in the colonies. There was a proliferation of healthcare services and caring for the poor and downtrodden like hospitals, nursing homes, and schools for boys and girls. The proliferation of vocations was an outlet for the poor and lower strata of society to get an education and seek a career in the church in their own country or in the colonies. There were schools in every village and universities in all big cities across Europe. In the vanguard with education and lifting the lower class out of poverty and illiteracy were the Jesuits; both in their native countries all across Europe and in the colonies in Asia and Americas. The Jesuit order approved by the pope in 1534, was founded by Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556). By the time Loyola died, the organization grew from 6 to 1500 members in a span of 22 years. Until the 18th century, the Society of Jesus had a monopoly on under-graduate and post-graduate education in Spain and France and a major force in nearly all European countries (at that time there was no east or west) . Yet the Jesuits too were victims of the Inquisition in France, Spain and Portugal, once again demonstrating the power of the absolute monarchs and the socio-economic factors at work. 'Born Again' movements led to many leaders and followers of mysticism and asceticism in leading a life of poverty, purity of thought, action, literature and religious works. Mystics claim to have a direct connection of their soul with their divinity. Mystics and ascetics are found in all religions and they often have a profound influence on people around them; leading to a large following of devotees. Groups propounding heresies (their own version or interpretation of beliefs) are not new, and some exist today. They are often called Arianism after Arius of the Egypt around 300 AD. Some of these groups are what today are called cults.
