You can designate these countries on your list with an asterisk or "s" in parentheses next to them. 9. Shifting to a different topic, Mark Perry also takes a shot at Donald Trump, who seems to think that other nations are winning over America because of trade. Their situation relative to Western Europe has not become better 70 years after WWII. 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. It was politically weak, it was poor, and the major long-distance commerce was a slave trade led by Vikings. In other words, continuing in a successful manner the integration of the Eastern European member states with Western Europe has always been and will always be the single most important thing (factor, challenge, decision, area, you name it) for the EU as a whole. Create your account. Since there is no exact definition of Eastern Europe, be sure your list includes countries that are sometimes included as part of Eastern Europe. This has led to higher levels of entrepreneurship in the west while greater collectivism in the east. Well, it depends on the parameters. For most of the Middle Ages, the West was dirt poor, and the real money was in the east. The Slavic languages form a large branch of the Indo-European language family. It is related to Italian, Spanish, French and Portuguese. Before 1800, Europe had already taken over at least 35 percent of the world, but Britain was just beginning to industrialize. Among people ages 15 to 24, for example, the average unemployment rate in the former East Germany was 7.7% in 2018, compared with 4.1% in the former West. Answer (1 of 7): The time lapse. You dont become wealthy by attacking and taking over subsistence farmers. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy: Legal. For example, that Europe became industrialized more quickly and therefore became wealthier than the rest of the world. Your email address will not be published. There are over 500 different languages spoken in the region of eastern Europe. Ukraine was the home and originator of "Rus" civilization pre-Mongol conquest with Kiev being a strong city when Moscow was a backwater. Eastern Europe Lives And Breathes History. I don't discount Mr Sowell's argument, I would add a major game changer was between the eastern and the western doctrine of the Trinity. Albanian forms its own branch of the Indo-European language family. The fall of the Berlin Wall 30 years ago this week brought far-reaching social and economic changes to communist East Germany, and people on both sides of the former barrier say the changes that have occurred since 1989 have had a positive influence on living standards in their country, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey. 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"). I received my bachelor's degree in history from George Washington University and later earned a master's degree in the same subject from Uppsala University in Sweden. Create a poster, chart, or some other type of graphic organizer that lists and provides statistics for the religions of Eastern Europe. Many theories purport to explain how the West became dominant. With so much diversity within this region, its easy to see why people from around the globe flock here every year. Others suggested this eastern European exceptionalism could be explained by culture, with success in limiting the first wave being down to a mentality of fear and readiness to follow harsh rules stemming from the communist era. The terrible assumption you have made so far is Eastern Europe was always poor. 20 Reasons Why Eastern Europe Is Extremely Underrated (And - TheTravel On average, Eastern Europeans live longer than western Europeans because they smoke fewer cigarettes and drink less alcohol on average. Most of the major periods in European history (Middle Ages, Scientific Revolution, the Enlightenment), also affected Eastern Europe. Some of the economic activity in energy-rich states such as North Dakota, for instance, translates into income for shareholders living elsewhere in America. Coronavirus: why is eastern Europe's second wave so much worse than its 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. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Even the Catholic Church held a different view from the eastern church. 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. | Thomas Sowell, What Makes Coastal People So Different? Of course not. Why is Eastern Europe Poorer than Western Europe? | Thomas Sowell When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection. 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. Hungarian, Romanian, Albanian, Roma, and Turkish are the three Eastern European languages that are not Slavic. This has helped them recover from the damage done during their communist past. 5. A long line of horse-lords swept west from the steppe into eastern europe, and would generally displace the tribes living there - all the way up to the Mongols. Language spoken in most eastern European countries includes Russian and Ukrainian. Has Eastern Europe always been poorer than Western Europe, and if so, why? Therefore, do not misunderstand the information. QuotidianPain 2 yr. ago I don't think Atlantic trade is the sole reason though. We live much more better than Latin America, the Middle East, Africa or India for 2.Why is Eastern Europe Poorer than Western Europe? - Definition & Process, Largest Revenue Sources for the Federal Government, What Do Archaeologists Study? That being said, Ireland and the United Kingdom have the most economic freedom among EU nations, andSwitzerland would be at the top if the choice was broadened to non-EU nations in Europe. Here are some notable geographic features in Easter Europe: Eastern Europe is the easternmost region in Europe. Manage Settings The Western European region is very much advanced in its economy. Answer (1 of 3): The main reason is the Atlantic conveyor. They were part of large empires, such as the Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman, and Russian empires. Eastern Europe contained the virus so successfully in spring, it didnt experience the horrific hospital scenes seen in northern Italy, for example. Despite this, the Soviet Union did play an important role in the regions history. Also, the people follow many religions such as Orthodox Christianityand also Islam. After the sack of Constantinople in 1204, however, the eastern economy was permanently disrupted, and wealth began to shift westward. Why are Eastern European countries colder than Northern ones? Its a sign of American prosperity that we can afford to buy more from other nations than they can afford to buy from us. Summary: Despite all of the above, Eastern Europe is still not a poor region. People speak romance languages and those with Germanic roots as well. Im simply making the modest yet important argument that Europeans would be more prosperous if the fiscal burden of government wasnt so onerous. 8. Both regions have a history of being ruled by powerful empires that brought change to the area. Then you have more capital to invest, which allows for . Speaking of European prosperity, heres a fascinating map I saw on Twitter. 1615 L St. NW, Suite 800Washington, DC 20036USA Total compensation, gross wages and salaries, and disposable (or after-tax) income have long been lower in the former East Germany than in the former West, according to the governments report. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts. Why are countries in eastern Europe poorer than in western Europe? And I mean apocalyptic. One lesson the book teaches is that actions involving war, foreign policy, and military spending can have big, long-lasting consequences: this is a lesson that policy makers should never forget. @media (max-width: 1171px) { .sidead300 { margin-left: -20px; } } You want areas that produce finished products that are part of external trade systems. How is your theory different? An important factor was also the raids of nomads from the steppes, ravaged Eastern Europe. This is a somewhat more serious subreddit compared to many others. 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. Today, both Judaism and the Yiddish language are scarce in this part of the world. The Hagia Sophia is now a mosque. Why are Eastern European men so much better than western men? Why are countries in eastern Europe poorer than in western Europe Mountain ranges - Urals, Apls, Musala (Tallest Mountain range in the region, located in Bulgaria), Carpathians, Balkan Mountains, Rivers - Volga, Danube (longest), Dnieper, Oder, Don. Or, that when Europeans began to travel the world, people in other countries did not have the immunity to fight off the diseases they brought with them. Eastern Europes pandemic experience has been dramatically different this autumn. But if these factors were at play in the first wave, they havent had the same effect in the second. What are the Five Themes of Geography? Explore Eastern Europe. Transport, accommodation and food tend to take a smaller bite out of your wallet, without compromising on history, culture, and experience. The majority of western Europeans live within 50 kilometers (30 miles) from their place of birth. why is eastern europe poorer than western europe? Judaism - Eastern European Jews once numbered in the millions; however, they were nearly wiped out during the Holocaust. 10. This One Major Factor Makes Germany Richer Than Italy. Cheap travel Eastern Europe can be significantly less expensive than Western Europe. But that does not mean the former East and West Germany are on equal economic footing today. Why was Western Europe more developed than Eastern Europe? What were the politics and the political context of the economy that resulted in this ability to tax? 2. The theology of the Eastern Orthodox faith is very similar to the theology of the Catholic religion. Western Europe is wealthier than Eastern Europe. Why? - YouTube I love that I get smarter everytime I listen to or read anything from Thomas Sowell. England in 1800 was the richest country in the world, but the population lived in terrible poverty), Easter Europe always got the brunt of the migrant waves for almost all of recorded history, it didn't really begin to stabilize until the 900s so it had some catching up to do. Also economically, the Western European countries are much more advanced than the eastern European countries. 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. From West to East the climate, becoming more severe (in Siberia - almost impossible for an agricultural civilization) because decrease in influence of the Gulf stream. Difference Between Coronavirus and Cold Symptoms, Difference Between Coronavirus and Influenza, Difference Between Coronavirus and Covid 19, Difference Between Motorola Droid Bionic and Droid HD, Difference Between Coherence and Consistency, What is the Difference Between PEP and PrEP, What is the Difference Between Syphilis and Chancroid, What is the Difference Between Open and Closed Mitosis, What is the Difference Between Typical and Atypical Trigeminal Neuralgia, What is the Difference Between Menactra and Menveo, What is the Difference Between Soft Skills and Technical Skills, What is the Difference Between Idiopathic Hypersomnia and Narcolepsy. Then you have more capital to invest, which allows for growth of the countrys industry. 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. Hungarian is a Finno-Ugric language that is distantly related to Finnish and Estonian. When examining the culture and society of the countries of Eastern Europe, a clear difference can be seen in family structures. 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). He has a Masters in Education, and a Bachelors in Physics. These differences between eastern and western Europe will help you understand the magnitude of these differences better than before.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'questionscity_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_5',109,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-questionscity_com-medrectangle-4-0'); Western and Eastern Europe are on opposite sides of the continent. Nordstream pipeline story is not over | Fox News' Tucker Carlson asks While its per-capita productivity remains lower than that of West Germany, the former East Germany has made major gains since unification. Western European countries are generally considered to include Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland (Republic of), Italy(although it could also be grouped with Central/Eastern European nations), Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. Read our research on: Congress | Economy | Gender. 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). Heres another map, concentrating just on Northern Europe. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. The Netherlands is the country with the most time off in the world. Additionally, some definitions include Greece as part of Eastern Europe, while others maintain that Greece is, in fact, part of Southern Europe. Romanian is a romance language. Yes, their welfare states are too large, but they somewhat compensate for that mistake by having very pro-free market policies in other areas. 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. Hoffman's work is published in a new book titled Why Did Europe Conquer the World? Eastern Europe was praised for being exceptional during the first wave of the pandemic. 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. Although they may be connected by us all being human beings, there is a lot that separates us as well. Where is Eastern Europe? /r/History is a place for discussions about history. 9. Cultural Syncretism Definition & Examples | What is Religious Syncretism? 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. Eastern Europe is home to a number of mountain ranges, including the Musala, the region's tallest mountain. 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. The economic model then connected that spending to changes in military technology. The reason . Constantinople is now the city of Istanbul in Turkey, and the greatest church of the Eastern Orthodox faith, the Hagia Sophia, is located there. Eat: Eastern Europeans eat a lot of meat and potatoes while western Europeans eat more fruits and vegetables. Most of the people who live here speak a Slavic language and belong to the Eastern Orthodox Church. Europe's 'food apartheid': are brands in the east lower quality than in 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. What led you to investigate the global conquests of western Europe? succeed. I wish we did live in that world, but unfortunately it's not realistic. [CC BY-SA 3.0] via Commons, Filed Under: Countries Tagged With: Eastern bloc, Eastern Europe, Eastern Europe characteristics, Eastern Europe definition, Soviet bloc, Western and Eastern Europe compare, Western Europe, Western Europe characteristics, Western Europe definition, Western vs Eastern Europe. Be sure to note on your list which countries these cities are found in. Between these two regions, a myriad of differences can be viewed regarding the geographical location, culture, economy, etc. Eastern Europe: (Still) the Most Crucial of All Challenges Facing the It is followed by a brief description of the four major religions in the region. >Eastern European men >Like seriously, they are so formal, handsome, and respectful.. 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. - Definition & Laws, What Is Medicare? I mean, as a Brit, I can see how our island had the best of it regarding no land border and access to the sea! Even much of Russia is located in Asia. The continent of Europe can be divided into two regions as the western and eastern Europe. For Western Europe, it was the Scandinavian Vikings who preyed upon river cities and traffic. They are found in their highest numbers in Bosnia, Kosovo, and Albania. Example: You could draw a long river to illustrate the blue Danube. Western Europe's Weakness Provoked Putin? 1. Electoral politics could explain the reluctance of the two countries to enter another lockdown with politicians seeing it as an unpopular measure that would also delay elections. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over 88,000 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? There are some exceptions, however. 9 Reasons Why I Like Eastern Europe Better Than Western Europe!