europe after the cold war

• Russia• United Germany• Eastern Europe• European Union

Europeafter theCold War

• 1990s…finding its bearings– Wealth inequality– Corruption in the gov– Learning to live under democracy

• 1999 to today…Putin – Improved the economy– Centralized power in the gov – Restricted 1st amendment rights

• Russia is an unfinished story…– 2006

• 66% of Russians regret end of USSR!

• Wished to leave the Russian Federation in 1991– Not allowed by

Russia• Oil infrastructure

needed • 2 wars fought

from 1991-2009– Ugly death total

Russia vsChechnya

• Signs of Unification– Deutsche mark of West

made currency for East too– Germans = at unification

• Unification Problems – East Germany in shambles

• Gov-run factories close• Unemployment high

– Prosperous West Germans force to pay higher taxes to rebuild East Germany

– Rebuilding debt led to cutback on social benefits

• Joined NATO• Most joined EU in

2004 & 2007• Ask for aid from West

to rebuild• Some countries keep

falling apart– Czechoslovakia splits

peacefully 1993– Yugoslavia

• Tito dies 1980• Ugly split in 1990• “Ethnic Cleansing” 1993

a. Lesson from WWI and WWII– showed Europe

needed to unite and stop competing economically

b. USA teaches Europe a lesson after WWII– Marshall Plan =

European economic cooperation

• Intergovernmental and supranational union of 27 democratic member states from the European Continent–Federation/

Confederation

• What issues did the 13 colonies have in 1776 that European countries had in the past few decades?

• Managed the joint production of basic resources– Set prices on coal & steel– Regulated coal and steel

industries– West Germany’s coal and

steel managed to create economic growth for all

• Cooperation > Competition– No more war…

• Promoted free trade amongst the 6 original nations– Reduced Trade

Barriers (Tariffs)• Created European

Parliament• All 6 nations’

economies benefit• Goal = “prevent

the race of…”

Why no?

• Schengen Agreement of 1985 abolished passport control and customs checks at many of the EU’s internal borders

• Created single space of movement for EU citizens

• Erasing borders = what problem?

Security

• Three Pillars– European communities

• Economic, Social & Environmental policies to follow

– Common Foreign & Security Policy• foreign policy & military

matters– Police & Judicial Co-

operation in Criminal Matters• fight against crime &

terrorism

• Created the Euro

Onlysomein the

EUusetheEuro

• 27 members today

• Small % of world’s population

• If considered a single unit, has one of the largest economies in the world

• Nationalism for your own country stronger than nationalism for Europe

• You are only as strong as your weakest link – http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watc

h/?id=7404666n&tag=pop;videos

• Together 50+ years…but…