why is eastern europe poorer than western europe?

No major city is near the Danube until Belgrade. Daily new COVID-19 deaths per million inhabitants, second wave, eastern Europe. What led you to investigate the global conquests of western Europe? Spain and Portugal are often included in definitions of Western Europe despite not bordering any other country that belongs to the group. I wrote previouslythat many European nations are doomed bydemographics tofiscal chaos, but a lot of people dont care that much about the future. Tamara Popic and Alexandru D Moise are collaborators on the project "Responding to COVID-19: Government Action, Government Rhetoric, and Public Trust", which is funded by the European University Institute (EUI) in Florence. You can designate these countries on your list with an asterisk or "s" in parentheses next to them. He has a Masters in Education, and a Bachelors in Physics. Youll get a better idea of how different cultures influence one another and why its difficult to generalize about either region. Western Europe: Western Europe refers to the western part of Europe. So as an explanation, industrialization doesn't work. Long-run growth matters. 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The vast majority of the region is covered by Russia, which spans roughly 40% of the continent's landmass while accounting for approximately 15% of its total . Yes, their welfare states are too large, but they somewhat compensate for that mistake by having very pro-free market policies in other areas. There are some exceptions, however. For Western Europe, it was the Scandinavian Vikings who preyed upon river cities and traffic. In 2018, the average unemployment rate was 6.9% in the six states of the former East Germany, compared with 4.8% in the 10 states of the former West Germany. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Western Europe has l. Hello and welcome to our channel. Its also a sign of prosperity that, when they do earn American dollars, foreigners often choose to invest those funds in the American economy (remember, the necessary flip side of a trade deficit is a capital surplus). Heres another map, concentrating just on Northern Europe. From the Eiffel Tower in Paris to The Great Wall Of China, these landmarks are instantly recognizable and attract millions of visitors each year. Please, enable JavaScript and reload the page to enjoy our modern features. Western Europe is incredibly rich in culture from rich cuisine (French cuisine is divine and Im going to include Portuguese cuisine too) to traditional festivals still being held. Maybe we should remind him that Mexico and China, as US states, would both be far below our poorest state Mississippi by 51% and 62% respectively for GDP per capita; and Japan would be barely above our poorest state Mississippi. Has Eastern Europe always been poorer than Western Europe, and if so, why? The key difference between Western and Eastern Europe is that Eastern Europe consists of countries that once belonged to the Soviet block, unlike the Western European countries. (In all economic statistics in this analysis, Berlin is counted in East Germany, even though the city was divided during communism and is not directly comparable to other parts of East Germany.). Most people in western Europe speak at least two languages, one of which will be English. Western Europe: People speak romance languages and languages with Germanic roots. Conclusion paragraph: The differences between Eastern and Western Europe are vast, but there is one important similarity. Since there is no exact definition of Eastern Europe, be sure your list includes countries that are sometimes included as part of Eastern Europe. If you think about it, you realize that advancements in gunpowder technologywhich are important for conquestarise where political leaders fight using that technology, where they spend huge sums on it, and where they're able to share the resulting advances in that technology. Excellent point. Where is Eastern Europe? 3. The GDP of Romania in year 2017 is $467 billion and PPP is approximately $25000. This One Major Factor Makes Germany Richer Than Italy. The highest point in Eastern Europe is Mount Elbrus, which stands at 5642 meters high. 50 Mississippi. One thing is clear: eastern Europe exited the first wave at the end of June in much better shape than western Europe. Central and East Europe were simply geographically unfortunate as wave after wave of immigrants and invaders moved through the region from China and were stopped before they made it into W Europe. The climate varies greatly from country to country because it encompasses such a large area of land for an area thats not very populated which leads to different types of vegetation across the region. The impact of modernization and individualization can be clearly seen in the lifestyles of people. Thomas Sowell Explains how geographical differences between Eastern and Western Europe played a key role in the economic differences between the two regions, which caused Eastern Europe to be historically poorer than Western Europe. There is a very important ocean . However, over the past 20 years, most of the nations of Eastern Europe have joined the . They vary from culture to language, religion, and even government systems. The highest mountain in eastern Europe is Mount Elbrus, which stands at 18,510 feet tall. Speaking of European prosperity, heres a fascinating map I saw on Twitter. We spoke with him recently about his research interests and what led him to study this particular topic. Feel free to submit interesting articles, tell us about this cool book you just read, or start a discussion about who everyone's favorite figure of minor French nobility is! Example: Much of Eastern Europe's population has Russian ancestry. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'questionscity_com-banner-1','ezslot_10',113,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-questionscity_com-banner-1-0'); Western Europe has been characterized by its diversity as well as its commitment to democracy and human rights. Communist regimes were politically repressive, and stifled the economic development of the region. Slovenia is the latest country in eastern Europe to carry out extensive tests in an effort to prove that multinational companies have been fobbing off eastern consumers with poorer-quality . Western Europe is a major tourist attraction with over 100 million visitors per year. Oxford COVID-19 government response tracker, Committee Member - MNF Research Advisory Committee, PhD Scholarship - Uncle Isaac Brown Indigenous Scholarship. Around three-quarters of people in the former East Germany (74%) and around two-thirds of those in the former West (66%) say the East still has not achieved the same living standards as the West, according to the Centers recent survey, which was conducted among representative samples of adults in both areas as part of a larger study of Europe. Unemployment is persistently higher in the former East Germany than in the former West. See less Comments Roma is an Indo-European language that originated in India. Eastern Europe is home to a number of mountain ranges, including the Musala, the region's tallest mountain. Hungarian, Romanian, Albanian, Roma, and Turkish are the three Eastern European languages that are not Slavic. People speak romance languages and those with Germanic roots as well. The Eastern European area bore the brunt of the Asian invasions too as first the Huns, then Avars, Slavs, Bulgarians, Hungarians, Mongols, and Turks all swept into the Balkans, Carpathian Basin, and the lands between the Black and Baltic seas each time wiping out native political powers. Additionally, some definitions include Greece as part of Eastern Europe, while others maintain that Greece is, in fact, part of Southern Europe. When examining the culture and society of the countries of Eastern Europe, a clear difference can be seen in family structures. Very hard for a country to be doing well after all those struggles. Western Europe: United Kingdom, Norway, Portugal, Spain, France, Switzerland, Vatican City, Netherlands, Sweden, Malta, Italy, Iceland, Germany, Greece, Finland are some examples for countries that belong to Western Europe. You can refer to the lesson, but try to recall as many from memory as you can. Yellow areas poorer than Mexico. In other words, the few dark areas (a handful in Germany and one each in a few other nations) are the only parts of Europe that are economically equal or better thanthe United States. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. By the way, the economy in some eastern European countries (Poland, Romania and Hungary) is relatively close to the Italian, Spanish and Portuguese or Scandinavian countries economy. September 01, 2015. 3. All of the countries of Western and Northern Europe are very close to the ocean, and largely surrounded by it. Eastern Europe: Eastern Europe is comparatively less advanced regarding the economy. Why is the Eastern Europe Poorer than the Western Europe?There are many reasons, the main ones are : location (Western Europe discovered new lands, Eastern Europe faced nomads), religion, the ottomans and the communism. Map of the spread of Catholicism and the Eastern orthodox faith. In addition to historic sites, Western Europe also houses some of the most beautiful cities on earth with London being one such place. That was a really great question and it got me interested. Even the Catholic Church held a different view from the eastern church. Understanding why eastern European countries chose to respond differently during the second wave is complicated, though. Western Europe: More Catholics and Protestant Christians can be seen. As always, excellently explained to be easily understood. This is perhaps one reason why startup teams in Western Europe are much smaller than in Eastern Europe. Sorry anon point already proven . More specifically, the Eastern orthodox Church is the branch of Christianity with the largest number of adherents in this region. - Definition & Process, Largest Revenue Sources for the Federal Government, What Do Archaeologists Study? They were part of large empires, such as the Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman, and Russian empires. So, I put together an economic model of how this technology has advanced to come up with what I think is the real reason why the West conquered almost everyone else. I wish we did live in that world, but unfortunately it's not realistic. Its easternmost border is the Ural mountains. - Definition, History & Criticism, Chaos Theory: Definition, History & Examples, What is a Pre-Existing Condition? The book also reminds us that in a world where there are hostile powers, we really don't want to get rid of spending on improving military technology. Roman Catholicism - Roman Catholicism is the largest branch of Christianity on Earth. Some of the countries that belong to Eastern Europe are Albania, Bosnia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Georgia, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, Russia, Romania, Turkey, Ukraine, Serbia, Slovakia, Moldova, Lithuania, etc. the Ukraine, Belarus, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Turkey (western-most part). | Themes of Geography: Examples, 6th Grade Life Science: Enrichment Program, 7th Grade Life Science: Enrichment Program, 8th Grade Life Science: Enrichment Program, NY Regents Exam - Global History and Geography: Help and Review, NY Regents Exam - Global History and Geography: Tutoring Solution, Introduction to Political Science: Help and Review, Introduction to Political Science: Tutoring Solution, Intro to Criminal Justice: Help and Review, Introduction to Criminal Justice Syllabus Resource & Lesson Plans, Common Core History & Social Studies Grades 11-12: Literacy Standards, Instructional Strategies for Teachers: Help & Review, OSAT Psychology/Sociology (CEOE) (032): Practice & Study Guide, NMTA Social Science (303): Practice & Study Guide, Create an account to start this course today. Eastern Europe religion is dominated by the Eastern Orthodox Church. As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over 88,000 Also Austria and Hungary drained ressources from the other areas (Bohemia being one of the few parts that was actually rather well off with a lot of industry). - Definition & Types, Ad Hoc Balancing Theory: Definition & Examples, English Common Law System: Definition & History, Jeremy Bentham: Biography, Theory & Ethics, Working Scholars Bringing Tuition-Free College to the Community. Judaism - Eastern European Jews once numbered in the millions; however, they were nearly wiped out during the Holocaust. Here are some notable geographic features in Easter Europe: Eastern Europe is the easternmost region in Europe. Western Europe has the most Nobel Prize, winners. lessons in math, English, science, history, and more. Politics might provide a hint: the Czech Republic held regional elections in October, while Romania voted in local elections in September and is about to vote in national elections in December. 10. Serbia was especially rich in mineral wealth and with trade from Adriatic to Aegean during the Middle Ages. what does cupid want to control; best tattoo shops in alabama; why is eastern europe poorer than western europe? The former East Germany trails the former West in productivity. Some people include Greece and the Baltic countries, as well. Great work Dr. Sowell. 9. You have been on the Caltech faculty for more than 30 years. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Philip Hoffman, Rea A. and Lela G. Axline Professor of Business Economics and Professor of History, Credit: Courtesy of Philip Hoffman/Caltech, Click here to open the "Quick Links" submenu, Click here to open the "Research" Submenu, Click here to open the "Academics" Submenu, Click here to open the "Admissions & Aid" Submenu, Click here to open the "Campus Life & Events" Submenu, Technology Transfer & Corporate Partnerships, Hundreds of Copies of Newton's Principia Found in New Census. Over the years I've been interested in a number of different things, and this new work puts together a lot of bits of my research. Eastern Europe was praised for being exceptional during the first wave of the pandemic. None of this suggests that policy in America is ideal (it isnt) or that European nations are failures (they still rank among the wealthiest places on the planet). I am glad that a more vigorous race wasn't here as they would have truly dominated the world! Adjusting for population size, both cases and . For example, if I am fighting you and you figure out a better way to build an armed ship, I can imitate you. The key difference between Western and Eastern Europe is that Eastern Europe consists of countries that once belonged to the Soviet block, unlike the Western European countries. The head of the Orthodox faith is the Patriarch of Constantinople. I dont have a policy lesson here: simply an observation that the United Kingdom has one really rich region (Greater London) and quite few relatively poor regions. Create a poster, chart, or some other type of graphic organizer that lists and provides statistics for the religions of Eastern Europe. Make a list of at least fifteen countries that are part of Eastern Europe. Today, not a single east German company is listed on the DAX-30, the nations leading stock exchange index, the report notes. Lesley has taught American and World History at the university level for the past seven years. In either event, the people of Romania and Moldova are closely related. Answer (1 of 21): It's not. It's also a sign of prosperity that, when they do earn American dollars, foreigners often choose to invest those funds in the American economy (remember, the necessary flip side of a "trade deficit" is a "capital surplus"). The technology grew to include more than just guns: armed ships, fortifications that can resist artillery, and more, and the Europeans became the best at using these things. But Im digressing. Mark Perry of the American Enterprise Institute has put together some apples-to-apples data suggesting the answer is no. Eastern Europe: Eastern Europe refers to the eastern part of Europe. It severely inhibited political and economic development. South Asian Countries | Religion, Culture & Countries List. This is probably the biggest reason I prefer Eastern Europe over Western Europe. The majority of western Europeans live within 50 kilometers (30 miles) from their place of birth. Required fields are marked *. What the data says about gun deaths in the U.S. This is interesting because it shows that the wealth divide between Eastern and Western Europe existed long before the modern era. I'm from Balkan, we have to translate Thomas Sowell in albanian, serbo-croatian, bullgarian, rumunian, greec .. - Definition, Eligibility & Coverage, What Is Medication Reconciliation? This is Part 6 of an 8-Part series on Geography and Culture. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Why are countries in eastern Europe poorer than in western Europe? And while 7.5% of East Germans ages 55 to 64 were unemployed in 2018, the share was 5.3% among West Germans in the same age range. Bohemia and Hungary were also quite powerful, and only the Russian states could be considered poor. Here, we take a look at why this has happened. It is followed by a brief description of the four major religions in the region. Western Europe: Western Europe is economically more advanced as well as prosperous. Scooby snacks for you! The economy is comparatively lower and less stable than in Western Europe. The Western European region is very much advanced in its economy. Made it more difficult for lasting civilizations. Spain has more high-speed rail tracks than any other European country. That comes down to the political costs of raising revenue and a leader's ability to tax. By introducing very strict prevention measures early on, countries in the region had significantly fewer COVID-related deaths than their western European counterparts.. That percentage has changed little in recent years, but is far higher than in 1991, when per-capita disposable income in the former East was only 61% of that in the former West. Then all the wars with the Turks and having to pretty much defeat the Nazis on their own. Before World War II, there were large pockets of German speakers scattered throughout parts of Western Europe. We live much more better than Latin America, the Middle East, Africa or India for 2.Why is Eastern Europe Poorer than Western Europe? The Czech Republic acted very late, for example, imposing stricter measures at the end of October, even though cases and deaths had been soaring upwards during the month. Cross-posted from the International Libertyblog. I'm thinking the USSR isn't the reason why the non-Balkan east is poor, so from a wider historical perspective, what's the real reason? However, the South Slavs themselves didn't have it easy, being subjugated by Franks, Bulgars and Byzantines, and later Magyars, Ottomans, Romanians, Austrians, Soviets, etc. If we look at the stringency of control measures, we can also see that not all countries acted in the same way. Pandemic fatigue is present across the entire continent, and may be especially present in the east, where some people may have felt that they went into a lockdown for nothing. But something like the smallpox epidemic that ravaged Mexico when the Spanish conquistador Hernn Corts overthrew the Aztec Empire just isn't the whole story of Corts's victory or of Europe's successful colonization of other parts of the world. Also economically, the Western European countries are much more advanced than the eastern European countries. And Im debunking the argument that we should copy nations such as Denmark by allowing a larger government in the United States (though I do want to copy Danish policies in other areas, which generally are more pro-economic liberty than what we have in America). copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. Continue with Recommended Cookies. The economic model then connected that spending to changes in military technology. They are languages that descend from Latin, the language of the Romans. Please do not edit the piece, ensure that you attribute the author and mention that this article was originally published on FEE.org, Living Standards Are Markedly Higher in the United States, are doomed bydemographics tofiscal chaos, America should copy their expansive welfare states. Up until the beginning of November, the spike in the death rate was largely driven by the Czech Republic. why is eastern europe poorer than western europe? But free markets and small government have produced decades of strong growth, and now these places are among the richest places on the planet. In fact, the Ottomans once controlled a large chunk of this region. The former East has a much smaller population than the former West (about 16 million people, compared with about 67 million), but its productivity is also lower when adjusted for population differences. ------------------------------------------------------------ The Polish Lithuanian commonwealth was extremely powerful and wealthy by controling the rivers and by extension farmland and trade between Baltic and Black Seas. The theology of the Eastern Orthodox faith is very similar to the theology of the Catholic religion. Then you have more capital to invest, which allows for growth of the countrys industry. It started after I gave an undergraduate here a book to read about gunpowder technology, how it was invented in China and used in Japan and Southeast Asia, and how the Europeans got very good at using it, which fed into their successful conquests. But if these factors were at play in the first wave, they havent had the same effect in the second. However, Poles, Croats, and other Catholic Slavs use the Latin alphabet (the same alphabet used by English). Western Europe is a region that includes many countries with diverse populations and cultures. Such enemies existed in the pastthey were fighting for glory on the battlefield or victory over an enemy of the faithand one could argue that they pose a threat today as well. What explains this reluctance to reintroduce restrictions? You dont become wealthy by attacking and taking over subsistence farmers. For instance, Romanians speak a romance language. Before 1800, Europe had already taken over at least 35 percent of the world, but Britain was just beginning to industrialize. Bohemia (Czech lands) was one of the biggest and most developed economic centers of the Holy Roman Empire. 1. Although they may be connected by us all being human beings, there is a lot that separates us as well. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Copyright 2010-2018 Difference Between. Example: You could draw a long river to illustrate the blue Danube. East-West differences in unemployment rates cut across demographic lines including age and gender. For example, how did states get the ability to impose heavy taxes? However, people in both areas work hard with about 40 hours per week spent working (the same amount).