Ett amerikanskt korståg? En jämförelse mellan katolska kyrkans korståg under medeltiden och USA
s politik under kalla kriget.
Cold WarAmericaCommunismCatholic churchReligionCrusadesPolitical and administrative sciencesStatsvetenskapFörvaltningskunskapLaw and Political Science
The Catholic Church launched several crusades during the medieval ages in order to regainthe holy lands and spread the word of God. Their main enemy, the Muslims had grownstronger and needed to be suppressed. This common enemy united Europe under the banner ofthe Catholic Church. In order to fund these crusades the church turned to the wealthyEuropean kings and lords and asked for funding. In return the kings received an indulgenceletter, and also greater respect from their subjects because of their new appreciation from thepope. The Indulgence letters promise of salvation applied to the people as well as the kings.In return the people joined the armies and fought in the war against the Muslims. During theCold War American politics was partly concentrated on uniting the American people and theWest against the communist threat in the east. Due to the onset of modernization the start ofmass production many Americans were moving into the suburbs that were being built aroundthe cities. This led to a need for unity and security. The American public found this in religionwhile the state regained it from a common enemy, communism. These were the twoarguments used by the American government when it attempted to unite the American peopleand, on a worldpolitical arena,the West.