Answer (1 of 21): It's not. Although Europe represents only about 8 percent of the planet's landmass, from 1492 to 1914, Europeans conquered or colonized more than 80 percent of the entire world. Even in countries where governments reintroduced relatively strong restrictions in October, such as Slovenia and Lithuania, infections and deaths have remained high throughout November suggesting low compliance with the rules. All countries in the region have seen significant increases in cases and deaths. But that does not mean the former East and West Germany are on equal economic footing today. The former East Germany trails the former West in productivity. 1. What countries make up Eastern Europe? Greeks, Russians, Ukrainians, Belorussians, Bulgarians, Serbs, and a few others are traditionally Orthodox Christians. The Western European region is very much advanced in its economy. From the Reformation to the 20th century. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'questionscity_com-box-4','ezslot_1',110,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-questionscity_com-box-4-0'); Eastern Europe has a rich history with many cultures and languages. Tamara Popic and Alexandru D Moise do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointments. 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. 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. Romania is probably the most unusual country in this region. Eastern Europe was praised for being exceptional during the first wave of the pandemic. It also boasts some of the richest economies in the world with Germany being one of those countries at its forefront. Then all the wars with the Turks and having to pretty much defeat the Nazis on their own. We live much more better than Latin America, the Middle East, Africa or India for 2.Why is Eastern Europe Poorer than Western Europe? Get unlimited access to over 88,000 lessons. Make a list of at least seven of the largest cities in Eastern Europe. Both regions have different economic structures and political systems. Most of the Jews who live in the United States are the descendants of people who once lived in Eastern Europe. David has taught Honors Physics, AP Physics, IB Physics and general science courses. Of course not. Belgiums King Philippe is also Queen Mathildes husband. Are there any overarching themes to your work? 50 Mississippi. Summary: Despite all of the above, Eastern Europe is still not a poor region. There are many stereotypes about Eastern Europeans, however, these stereotypes do not always apply to all Eastern European people due to differing cultures within the region itself. The division of the Roman Empire occurred partially as a result of economic differences. Even before the Holocaust, Jews faced terrible discrimination from the Christian-majority populations in which they lived. Your email address will not be published. Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. Therefore, do not misunderstand the information. They were subjugated by, at war with, or were the front lines and battlefields of the austrian wars against the Ottomans for four and a half centuries. Most of Eastern Europe was not touched by any Ancient advanced civilisation, either - they had to develop their own, except for the South Slavs. On average, Eastern Europeans live longer than western Europeans because they smoke fewer cigarettes and drink less alcohol on average. Most Eastern European Jews spoke Yiddish, a language closely-related to German. Stringency of COVID-19 control measures in eastern and western Europe. (+1) 202-857-8562 | Fax Example: 1.56% of Eastern Europeans are atheist. Be sure to note on your list which countries these cities are found in. The spending on war gave leaders a chance to try out new weapons, new armed ships, and new tactics, and to learn from mistakes on the battlefield. 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. Greece is located in south-east Europe! crochet cardigan size chart on carolina thunderbirds salary; why is eastern europe poorer than western europe? If, for some reason, somebody was holding a gun to my head and demanding that we copy the policies of a nation from the European Union,the Nordic countries would be among my top choices. 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. - Definition & Laws, What Is Medicare? 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). 7. One final comment. These are the countries that are in Eastern Europe: Russia (Partly in Asia). Sorry anon point already proven . Breathtaking nature Last, but definitely not least, nature in Eastern Europe is stunning. Greece is in Eastern Europe. succeed. September 01, 2015. People speak languages with Slavic roots. Judaism - Eastern European Jews once numbered in the millions; however, they were nearly wiped out during the Holocaust. So as an explanation, industrialization doesn't work. Almost all the Muslims who live in Eastern Europe belong to the Sunni branch of Islam. When its easier to travel and grow food, its easier to sell the food at a greater. 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). Productivity in the East, in other words, was 75% of productivity in the West on a per-capita basis. Spain has more high-speed rail tracks than any other European country. Whats the difference between Eastern and Western Europe? This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except for material where copyright is reserved by a party other than FEE. A head start in the first wave. 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. For example, how did states get the ability to impose heavy taxes? One difference is that Eastern European countries were part of the Soviet Union for decades while Western European countries had more independence during this period. This is an excerpt from 'The Thomas Sowell Reader'-----------------------------------Relevant Books-----------------------------------Wealth, Poverty and Politics: https://amzn.to/3BHrsJrMigrations and Cultures: https://amzn.to/32rBemhThe Thomas Sowell Reader: https://amzn.to/3vpTuqR-------------------------------------------Support this Channel--------------------------------------------Become a Channel Member: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS67C1ChLicLkrp70mz7G7g/joinPayPal: https://paypal.me/SowellExplainsPateron: https://www.patreon.com/SowellExplainsSubscribestar: https://www.subscribestar.com/SowellExplains------------------------------------------Social Media------------------------------------------Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SowellExplainsTwitter: https://twitter.com/SowellExplainsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/SowellExplainsSubscribe for more Thomas Sowell videos! Therefore, there are a lot of contradictions in this country. Some argued that this was because of economics: that eastern European countries locked down early because they feared their economies would not be able to handle many people getting sick. What this Westerner refused to mention was all the wars and foreign occupations we went through all of our history (for Russia, a lot but not the entirety). Thanks! 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). Eastern Europe contained the virus so successfully in spring, it didnt experience the horrific hospital scenes seen in northern Italy, for example. Make sure to familiarize yourself with our rules and guidelines before participating. However, Poles, Croats, and other Catholic Slavs use the Latin alphabet (the same alphabet used by English). 525 lessons. and I thought it was because they just freed themselves from communism a few decades ago. Today, not a single east German company is listed on the DAX-30, the nations leading stock exchange index, the report notes. Western Europe: More Catholics and Protestant Christians can be seen. Romanian is a romance language. Western Europe: Western Europe is economically more advanced as well as prosperous. As always, excellently explained to be easily understood. In either event, the people of Romania and Moldova are closely related. You'll still need to back up the peace with armed forces, but you won't actually fight all that much, and that's a much better outcome. Being dominated for centuries has led to lingering inequality and long-lasting effects in many formerly colonized . Importantly, however, there have been major differences within eastern Europe too. 5. An error occurred trying to load this video. However, people in both areas work hard with about 40 hours per week spent working (the same amount). As its name suggests, Eastern Europe is the eastern part of the European continent. This One Major Factor Makes Germany Richer Than Italy. This is Part 6 of an 8-Part series on Geography and Culture. Eastern Europe squandered its spring gains and then repeated the mistakes made by the west in spring: waiting until cases and deaths are out of control before imposing controls. But a while ago I ran into this interesting post about the Romans in Eastern Europe: The Romans were mostly interested in conquering areas that had a high degree of self sufficiency which could provide a tax base for them to extract from. I am glad that a more vigorous race wasn't here as they would have truly dominated the world! 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. And I mean apocalyptic. They often wonder if theyre even in the same country when they arrive at their destination! | Thomas Sowell. lessons in math, English, science, history, and more. 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 . It is followed by a brief description of the four major religions in the region. Most of the countries in Eastern Europe, including Romania, were never part of the Soviet Union. Adjusting for population size, both cases and . The most widely-spoken Slavic language is Russian. 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. When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection. Less Diverse: Eastern European countries are less diverse. Great video. And, by extension, for the entire global West. One of the reasons for this, was that after WW II, parts of what were once considered to be Central and Western Europe, were taken over by a communist dictatorships aligned with the Soviet Union, and were classified as being part of Eastern Europe. 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. The impact of modernization and individualization can be clearly seen in the lifestyles of people. The 2018 version of the report is available here in English. Disease can't explain, for example, the colonization of India, because people in southeast Asia had the same immunity to disease that the Europeans did. See here for the complete series: I love listening to Dr. Sowell's wonderful explanations for everything. 9. Yes, their welfare states are too large, but they somewhat compensate for that mistake by having very pro-free market policies in other areas. 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. You can think of that as being much like a baseball team that hires better players to win more games, but in this case, instead of coaches, it's political leaders and instead of games there are wars. All of the countries of Western and Northern Europe are very close to the ocean, and largely surrounded by it. Eastern Europe: Eastern Europe refers to the eastern part of Europe. Being dominated for centuries has led to lingering inequality and long-lasting effects in many formerly colonized countries, including poverty and slow economic growth. People in the former East Germany are also less optimistic than their counterparts in the former West on a variety of measures, including whether children today will grow up to be better off financially than their parents. Create a poster, chart, or some other type of graphic organizer that lists and briefly describes the major geographical features of Eastern Europe. Hoffman's work is published in a new book titled Why Did Europe Conquer the World? Why did Eastern Europe lag behind Western Europe in terms of economic development? You dont become wealthy by attacking and taking over subsistence farmers. Also economically, the Western European countries are much more advanced than the eastern European countries. In the former East, 42% of adults say the next generation will be better off, compared with 50% in the West who say this. Read our research on: Congress | Economy | Gender. Youll get a better idea of how different cultures influence one another and why its difficult to generalize about either region. As a quick caveat, its worth noting that theres not a one-to-one link between gross domestic product and actual living standards. /r/History is a place for discussions about history. This is perhaps one reason why startup teams in Western Europe are much smaller than in Eastern Europe. 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. 2. But free markets and small government have produced decades of strong growth, and now these places are among the richest places on the planet. Today, both Judaism and the Yiddish language are scarce in this part of the world. About Pew Research Center Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. Western Europe refers to the western part of Europe. Most Slavic languages use the Cyrillic alphabet. Answer (1 of 7): The time lapse. Because at close to the end of WWII Stalin was fed up waiting for the ever delaying Normandy landing, wanted making peace with Hitler, and go home to carry on building communism. Eastern European death rates overtook those in the west in early October, but restrictions in the region which had eased after the first wave still lagged behind controls reintroduced in the west. | Thomas Sowell, What Makes Coastal People So Different? What kinds of factors are included in this model? Western Europe is a region in Europethat is associated with the western portion of the Eurasian landmass,as well as some countries on islands off its coast. I'd given it to him because the use of this technology is related to politics and fiscal systems and taxes, and as he was reading it, he noted that the book did not give the ultimate cause of why Europe in particular was so successful. Where Eastern Europe begins, however, is a matter of opinion. 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? Additionally, the ocean coast contributed to the early development of trade, and contributed to the development of cities (you can feed a large number of non-agricultural population due to fishing). You can designate these countries on your list with an asterisk or "s" in parentheses next to them. The Eastern and Western hemispheres of the world are vastly different in many ways. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Copyright 2010-2018 Difference Between. It's a sign of American prosperity that we can afford to buy more from other nations than they can afford to buy from us. 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"). So that's not the answerit's something else. Before that point, Western and Eastern Europe were relatively similar in prosperity. Example: Some people do not consider Russia to be part of 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. While each country in Western Europe has its unique landscapes, cultures, and traditions, all share a common history that can be traced back thousands of years ago when Rome was at its height. When we turn to the second wave (starting around September and ongoing), were faced with the opposite question: why did eastern European countries not act in spite of rapidly rising infections and deaths? The Slavic languages form a large branch of the Indo-European language family. It seems that at least some countries in the region have learned their lessons. An important factor was also the raids of nomads from the steppes, ravaged Eastern Europe. Despite this, the Soviet Union did play an important role in the regions history. The Chinese invented gunpowder, but Hoffman, whose work applies economic theory to historical contexts, argues that certain political and economic circumstances allowed the Europeans to advance gunpowder technology at an unprecedented rateallowing a relatively small number of people to quickly take over much of the rest of the globe. Nationalism, therefore, was an important element in the culture of Eastern Europe for a long time, sometimes leading to major wars. why is eastern europe poorer than western europe? This is a somewhat more serious subreddit compared to many others. However, unlike other Latin people, Romanians belong to the Eastern Orthodox faith, and unlike almost all other Eastern Orthodox countries, Romanians use the Latin alphabet. 9. Also, the people in Romania speak a language with romance roots, which is called the Romanian language. 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. Cheap travel Eastern Europe can be significantly less expensive than Western Europe. Western Europe is known for many things, but perhaps most famously it is the home of some of the worlds greatest tourist attractions. Those improvements can help at times when wars are necessaryfor instance, when we are fighting against enemies with whom we cannot negotiate. Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. Map of the spread of Catholicism and the Eastern orthodox faith. Scooby snacks for you! The highest mountain in eastern Europe is Mount Elbrus, which stands at 18,510 feet tall. Press J to jump to the feed. 47 West Virginia, and not too far above No. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you 6. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. Example: You could draw a long river to illustrate the blue Danube. Americans are not stupid, and when they complain about Europe, they are complaining about Western Europeans who are richer than Eastern neighbors yet less attentive to their own needs. Although they may be connected by us all being human beings, there is a lot that separates us as well. Russias GDP per capita (PPP) was $14,900 as of 2018. 5. Why Did Western Europe Dominate the Globe? Its easternmost border is the Ural mountains. For example, differences in economic strength could explain why the relatively richer Czech Republic waited to reintroduce restrictions (thinking it could bear the brunt of a high number of infections), but this doesnt account for the relatively poorer Romanias decision to do the same. spidey1z. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. The tendency to ignore Eastern Europe in favour of Western Europe is a holdover from the Cold War. There is also easier access to mineral resources the further west you go in Europe, so more western regions would develop stronger economies when the Industrial Revolution upped the demand for those resources, while the minerals of the east weren't tapped until later. A heretical Christian sect, known as the Hussites (named after Jan Huss), challenged the Catholic Church in part of Eastern Europe during the early 15th century, but they were stamped out by the Catholic political elite. The key difference between Western and Eastern Europe is that the name Eastern Europe is used to refer to all European countries that were previously ruled by communist regimes while the name Western Europe refers to the more economically stable and developed Western countries. Many of those that survived, emigrated to Israel or the US. When you go back that far, you need to use to use a proxy for human capital. 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. Well, Eastern Europe has always been less developed than the Western half. Eastern Orthodox - The Eastern Orthodox Faith is a branch of Christianity that formed in 1054 AD, when the Byzantine Empire officially broke away from the Roman Catholic Church. 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. Long-run growth matters. I wrote previouslythat many European nations are doomed bydemographics tofiscal chaos, but a lot of people dont care that much about the future. Of course being in the soviet bloc wouldnt help either.Ive seen pictures of Prague and warsaw before the war and they seemed pretty prosperous. Until 1991, the Soviet Union controlled everything from the Bering Strait to the Rhine. Oxford COVID-19 government response tracker, Committee Member - MNF Research Advisory Committee, PhD Scholarship - Uncle Isaac Brown Indigenous Scholarship. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts. Here are some notable geographic features in Easter Europe: Eastern Europe is the easternmost region in Europe. 3. People in the former East Germany earn less than their counterparts in the former West. Through this article, let us examine the differences further. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. How is your theory different? Historically, the culture of Eastern Europe has been closely linked to the history of the rest of the continent. A thousand years ago, no one would have ever expected that result, for at that point western Europe was hopelessly backward. For most of the Middle Ages, the West was dirt poor, and the real money was in the east. However "poverty" refers only to the revenues of States and the level of economic development. But one explanation that can probably be ditched is the culture argument mentioned previously. 8. One big factor that's important to the advancement of any defense technology is how much money a political leader can spend. In the Eastern European countries, the conservative ideas are more prominent in comparison to the Western region. The majority of western Europeans live within 50 kilometers (30 miles) from their place of birth. In this video, we will explore the reasons behind the economic gap between Western and Eastern Europe. They are found in their highest numbers in Bosnia, Kosovo, and Albania. For instance, Romanians speak a romance language. Amazing how so many refuse to acknowledge how climate and geography go hand and hand with a countrys economic development.