Rear Vision — How History Shaped Today

Rear Vision puts contemporary events in their historical context.

100 years ago there were more electric vehicles on the road than gasoline or petrol cars. 

Last Sunday a far-right anti-European candidate won the first round of the Romanian presidential election with 40 per cent of the vote. The stage is now set for the second-round runoff between the far-right candidate George Simion and the progressive pro-European Mayor of Bucharest Nicusor Dan. So why has a far-right candidate done so well in Romania and how might the election result reshape Romania and possible the European Union?

Kashmir is a mountainous region bordering India and Pakistan. The Pakistanis will tell you that Kashmir is in the north east corner of Pakistan. The Indians, that it is in the north west corner of India. Today on Rear Vision we take a look at the long history of this dispute. 

As the world becomes an increasingly dangerous and uncertain place – how prepared are we in Australia to face these new challenges?  This week on Rear Vision the story of one nation that take security and preparedness very seriously – Finland.  

Chocolate is one of our most popular indulgences but there is a darker side to the industry – one connected with colonialism, the industrial revolution and modern-day slavery.

Is the liberal international rules-based order – that has underpinned international relations for the past 80 years - about to collapse. The United States once its greatest champion is withdrawing funding from hundreds of international organisations, and at the same time unending the global economy by imposing of tariffs across the board. What might this mean for global security, and the global economy and can we blame Donald Trump and his wrecking ball or are there deeper forces at play?

While many children miss out on vaccines due to poor health services, some parents choose not to have their children vaccinated. This Rear Vision  looks at the political history behind this trend.

President Trump not only want to make America great, he also wants to make it bigger and incorporating Canada as the 51st state would certainly do that – except for the fact that Canada is a sovereign nation. The story of Canada and the United States and why President Trump wants to turn Canada into the 51st States of the Union.

President Trump loves tariffs but most economists hate them.We look at how tariffs work and what history can tell us about their impact on economies. And the industries protected by them.