• 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…
