AP World HistoryPOD #24 – Europe Clings to Relevance

Post War Economics

Class Discussion Questions

McKay- “The Western Renaissance. 1945-1968”,

pp. 993-1001

How did the map of Europe change as a result of World War Two?

• Soviet Union’s border was moved far to the west

• Poland was compensated with land from Germany

• 13 million Germans were forced to resettle in a greatly reduced Germany

• Russians seized German factory equipment and railroads as reparations payments

What was the economic condition of Europe

following the war?

• refugee clogged Hungary, Europe was on the verge of collapse in 1947

• Europe as a whole was struggling to rebuild

What events helped prevent total economic collapse and depression in post war Europe?• Marshall Plan aid allowed the battered

European economies to recover• The Korean War (1950-1953) also helped

to stimulate the economy• The modern welfare state was created-

family allowance, health insurance, and increased public housing were enacted

• Keynesian economics were accepted- spend out of recession

Who were the Christian Democrats and in what new direction did they take Europe?

• people were willing to experiment with new leaders and political parties

• Christian Democrats (progressive Catholics) became very influential

• 1949 Konrad Adenauer began a long successful rule in West Germany

• the Christian Democrats of each European nation were unified by a common Christian and European heritage

• they rejected authoritarianism and narrow nationalism and placed their faith in democracy and cooperation

What is the Common Market (European Union)?

• the 1950s and 1960s brought a new era of consumerism

• 1948 Organization of European Economic Cooperation (OEEC) and Council of Europe

• European federalists turned towards economic interdependence as a way to promote peace

• 1957 Treaty of Rome created the European Economic Community

How has the European Union strengthened European peace?

– gradual reduction of tariffs among member nations

– free movement of capital and labor– common economic policies and institutions– Increased political stability / interdependence /

war in one nations is threatening to others

What is the most recent trend and opinion regarding European Union?

• European nationalism in on the rise again causing many nations to reevaluate participation in the European Union and community (France and Germany as the most recent examples)

What were the causes of European decolonization of the developing world?

• Causes– Rising demand of Asian and African national

self-determination, racial equality, and personal dignity

– World War Two destroyed European feelings of self-confidence, self-righteousness and national superiority

– Europe could no longer afford the colonies

What is neocolonialism?

• Neocolonialism- system designed to perpetuate western economic domination and undermine the political independence of Asia and Africa

• Desire to make Asia and Africa economically subordinate to western Europe- just like Latin America was to the United States in the 19th century

What is Big Science?

• “The spectacular results of directed research during World War II inspired a new model for science- Big Science. By combining theoretical work with sophisticated engineering in a large organization, Big Science could attack extremely difficult problems, from better products for consumers to new and improved weapons for the military. Big Science was extremely expensive requiring large scale financing from governments and large corporations.” (McKay)

How did socio-economic divisions and gender roles modify during this era?

• Class Structure- “Rapid economic growth went a long way toward creating a new society in Europe after the Second World War. European society became more mobile and more democratic. Old class barriers relaxed and class distinctions became fuzzier.”

• New Role for Women in the Workforce -strong economy created a need for new labor / rise of new “white-collar” jobs / women shared in the post-war education revolution

What was the energy crisis of 1973 and how did it impact the western world?

• OPEC- Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries put an embargo on oil shipments to the United States

• Oil Shock (oil used as a political weapon)• This crippled the American economy• The United States suspended the sale of American gold

as gold reserves declined sharply- this led to the fall of the American dollar and the rise of inflation

• The world economy suffered• Unemployment rose• Misery around the world- Western Europe was hit the

hardest• Fear that the European Common Market would collapse

(it held and eventually grew)