The 1990 Contract

The 1990s or the decade of 1990 is a decade from the Gregorian calendar that began on January 1, 1990 and ended on December 31, 1999.

Overview
Culturally, the 1990s are characterized by a cultural renaissance and alternative media, which continued until the first and second decades of the 21st century. Music genres such as grunge, electronic music concerts, and hip-hop spread around the world in this decade, supported by technologies that were new at the time, including cable television and the World Wide Web.

In the absence of global communism, which collapsed with the first two years of the decade, the political definition of the 1990s was a movement leaning towards the right, which included an increase in support for far-right parties in Europe. In addition to the progress of the nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party in India and the reduction of social welfare programs' funding in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. The United States saw a revival of the use of capital punishment during the 1990s, which was abolished at the beginning of the 21st century.

During the 1990s, the European Union and the Euro were formed, and they were established in the European Union treaties.

Factors that led to these developments include:

* Continuous popular mobilization for capitalist markets through neoliberal economic policies
* The end of the Cold War, which lasted for decades
* The beginning of widespread dissemination of new media such as the Internet from mid-decade onwards
* Increased distrust towards governments
* The dissolution of the Soviet Union and a reorientation and reform of economic and political power around the world and within countries

The Internet bubble that extended between 1997 and 2000 created wealth for some businesspeople before its collapse at the beginning of the millennium in 2000-2001.

The 1990s saw unprecedented technological developments, including:

* The launch of the World Wide Web
* The first gene therapy experience
* The design and improvement of the first child in 1990

New ethnic conflicts emerged in Africa, the Balkans, and the Caucasus. Conflicts in Africa and the Balkans led to the Rwandan and Bosnian genocides, respectively.

In the Middle East, despite progress made by the Oslo Agreement, signs of a solution to tensions between Israel and the Arab world remained elusive. In Europe, problems in Ireland ceased in 1998 through the Good Friday Agreement after 30 years of violence that plagued Ireland.

Politics and Wars

Wars
The most notable armed conflicts during this decade include:

International Wars

* The Congo Wars:
+ The First Congo War took place between 1996 and 1997 in Zaire, leading to the overthrow of dictator Mobutu Sese Seko on May 16, 1997, ending his 32-year rule. Zaire was renamed the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
+ The Second Congo War began in 1998 in central Africa and involved 50 ethnic groups and seven countries. It lasted until 2003.
* The Gulf War: Iraq was heavily indebted after the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s. Saddam Hussein accused Kuwait of flooding the oil market and lowering prices. As a result, Iraqi forces invaded and occupied Kuwait on August 2, 1990. The United Nations condemned this act immediately, and a coalition force led by the United States was sent to the Persian Gulf (Arabian Gulf). Air strikes against Iraq began in January 1991 (see also the Gulf War).
* Other conflicts:
+ The Yugoslav Wars:
- The Bosnian War (1992-1995)
- The Croatian War of Independence (1991-1995)
+ The Somali Civil War (1991-2006)
+ The Sierra Leone Civil War (1991-2002)