We can also compare how restrictive the two regions disease-prevention measures were during the first wave using the Oxford COVID-19 government response tracker (OxCGRT). Great work Dr. Sowell. (+1) 202-419-4300 | Main It also boasts some of the richest economies in the world with Germany being one of those countries at its forefront. Are there any overarching themes to your work? So that's not the answerit's something else. The continent of Europe can be divided into two regions as the western and eastern Europe. Eastern Europe: Albania, Bosnia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Georgia, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, Russia, Romania, Turkey, Ukraine, Serbia, Slovakia, Moldova, Lithuania are some countries of Eastern Europe. However, people in both areas work hard with about 40 hours per week spent working (the same amount). They vary from culture to language, religion, and even government systems. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Western Europe is a region that includes many countries with diverse populations and cultures. Since there is no exact definition of Eastern Europe, be sure your list includes countries that are sometimes included as part of Eastern Europe. Example: Much of Eastern Europe's population has Russian ancestry. For instance, Romanians speak a romance language. In 1914, really only China, Japan, and the Ottoman Empire had escaped becoming European colonies. And almost no major companies have their headquarters in East Germany. As a quick caveat, its worth noting that theres not a one-to-one link between gross domestic product and actual living standards. This tool measures the stringency of efforts to control the virus on a scale of 0-100, with 100 being the most restrictive. When examining the culture and society of the countries of Eastern Europe, a clear difference can be seen in family structures. And if you prefer direct measures of living standards, then data on consumption from the OECD also shows that America is considerably more prosperous. Therefore, there are a lot of contradictions in this country. Well, Eastern Europe has always been less developed than the Western half. | Latin America Countries, Physical Features & Facts, South Asia Geography & Culture | Physical Features & Human Characteristics, Canada Geography: Physical & Human | Landscape, Impact & Overview, West Africa: People, Culture & History | West African Countries, States' Rights & the Civil War | History, Role & Examples, Boundaries Overview & Types | Physical, Political & Cultural Boundaries. 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. Before 1800, Europe had already taken over at least 35 percent of the world, but Britain was just beginning to industrialize. Yes, there are lots of conventional explanationsindustrialization, for examplebut on closer inspection they all fall apart. Western Europe is a major tourist attraction with over 100 million visitors per year. From the Reformation to the 20th century. Thanks! Per-capita gross domestic product was 32,108 in the former East German states in 2018, compared with 42,971 in the former West German states. Be sure to note on your list which countries these cities are found in. [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. For example, how did states get the ability to impose heavy taxes? The reporter from the Wall Street Journal who shared it remarked that Purple areas are rich as US states. Importantly, however, there have been major differences within eastern Europe too. Look again at the second graph above. These countries have several different borders with Russia, as well as other European nations such as Germany or Poland. 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. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. 50 Mississippi. This is why Eastern Europe, in general, is poorer than countries in Western, Central, and Northern Europe. In fact, the Ottomans once controlled a large chunk of this region. Spain and Portugal are often included in definitions of Western Europe despite not bordering any other country that belongs to the group. Eastern Europe: Eastern Europe is comparatively less advanced regarding the economy. Most European countries (including Germany, Sweden, Denmark and Belgium) if they joined the US, would rank among the poorest one-third of US states on a per-capita GDP basis, and the UK, France, Japan and New Zealand would all rank among Americas very poorest states, below No. 8. I feel like its a lifeline. Breathtaking nature Last, but definitely not least, nature in Eastern Europe is stunning. Hungarian is a Finno-Ugric language that is distantly related to Finnish and Estonian. And I mean apocalyptic. This has led to higher levels of entrepreneurship in the west while greater collectivism in the east. Write an essay of approximately one to two paragraphs that explains the Soviet Union's influence on certain countries of Eastern Europe. Also, the people follow many religions such as Orthodox Christianityand also Islam. Poland and eastern europe (as well as parts of Germany) did not have the higher level of urbanism at this time as in comparison with some Celtic Gallic settlements, which were in many ways already integrated into the Roman trade network in the case of southern Gaul. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. The longest river in the region is the Danube. All findings are based on data from the German governments 2019 report, as well as the Centers recent survey. Greeks, Russians, Ukrainians, Belorussians, Bulgarians, Serbs, and a few others are traditionally Orthodox Christians. spidey1z. Authors compilation. - Quora Answer (1 of 107): If you had a world atlas in 1350, you'd see an apocalyptic wasteland where Western Europe is now. Many of the countries of Eastern Europe did not exist before the 20th century. In the former East, 42% of adults say the next generation will be better off, compared with 50% in the West who say this. 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. Islam - Islam came to Eastern Europe via the Ottoman Empire. They are languages that descend from Latin, the language of the Romans. It seems that at least some countries in the region have learned their lessons. 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. The Hagia Sophia is now a mosque. Last Updated on March 19, 2022 by QCity Editorial Stuffif(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'questionscity_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_2',107,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-questionscity_com-medrectangle-3-0'); Foreigners visiting Europe often find themselves wondering what the differences are between Eastern and Western Europe. 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 . Europe Climate Zones & Classifications | What Is the Climate In Europe? Western Europe: More Catholics and Protestant Christians can be seen. South Asian Countries | Religion, Culture & Countries List. Gunpowder was really important for conquering territory; it allows a small number of people to exercise a lot of influence. Over the years I've been interested in a number of different things, and this new work puts together a lot of bits of my research. Austria-Hungary is partially to blame. 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. An important factor was also the raids of nomads from the steppes, ravaged Eastern Europe. From the Eiffel Tower in Paris to The Great Wall Of China, these landmarks are instantly recognizable and attract millions of visitors each year. Feeding the YouTube algorithm. You also have more free time to learn other skills and trades. The tendency to ignore Eastern Europe in favour of Western Europe is a holdover from the Cold War. 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. Despite these differences, the former East has narrowed the gap with the former West substantially in recent decades. Although they may seem like completely different worlds at first glance, there are some striking similarities between eastern and western European countries that can help travelers decide where to go on vacation or which country to live in after college graduation. For Western Europe, it was the Scandinavian Vikings who preyed upon river cities and traffic. ------------------------------------------------------------ Which is mostly Southern Europe and Anatolia (under the Macedonian dynasty at least). Greece is in Eastern Europe. SUU Macroblog - A Living Textbook: Why Is Eastern Europe Poorer? Cross-posted from the International Libertyblog. (+1) 202-857-8562 | Fax The economy is comparatively lower and less stable than in Western Europe. Continue with Recommended Cookies. 7. Using GDP per capita as a measure of both economic output per person and of a countrys standard of living, America is winning quite handsomely. See less Comments 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. When it's easier to travel and grow food, it's easier to sell the food at a greater. The standard of living of the population until the mid 19th century was about the same. This shows that eastern European countries took the opportunity to act quickly. QuotidianPain 2 yr. ago I don't think Atlantic trade is the sole reason though. Muslims are a minority in most parts of Europe. Whats the difference between Eastern and Western Europe? Coronavirus: why is eastern Europe's second wave so much worse than its People speak romance languages and those with Germanic roots as well. Mark Perry of the American Enterprise Institute has put together some apples-to-apples data suggesting the answer is no. Has Eastern Europe always been poorer than Western Europe, and - Reddit Spain has more high-speed rail tracks than any other European country. I dont have a policy lesson here: simply an observation that the United Kingdom has one really rich region (Greater London) and quite few relatively poor regions. 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. Why is Eastern Europe Poorer than Western Europe? : r/AskEconomics - Reddit - Definition, Eligibility & Coverage, What Is Medication Reconciliation? While its per-capita productivity remains lower than that of West Germany, the former East Germany has made major gains since unification. 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. This is a problem in an age of common migration because the educated and talented are migrating from Eastern to Western Europe. 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. Also economically, the Western European countries are much more advanced than the eastern European countries. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy: Legal. However, over the past 20 years, most of the nations of Eastern Europe have joined the . 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. Germany has a higher percentage of its population living in urban areas than any other European Union member state. 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. This button displays the currently selected search type. Press J to jump to the feed. The Byzantium empire which included the Balkans, and Greece were the richest part of Europe prior to Ottoman conquest. 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. What led you to investigate the global conquests of western Europe? However, most central and eastern European countries have been gradually converging towards western Europe countries over the past few decades after the transition to market economies, the introduction of democracy, and the formation of the European Union. 7. David has taught Honors Physics, AP Physics, IB Physics and general science courses. As always, excellently explained to be easily understood. Were Gaining Vitality on Key Measures, 60% of Americans Would Be Uncomfortable With Provider Relying on AI in Their Own Health Care, Gender pay gap in U.S. hasnt changed much in two decades. By introducing very strict prevention measures early on, countries in the region had significantly fewer COVID-related deaths than their western European counterparts.. crochet cardigan size chart on carolina thunderbirds salary; why is eastern europe poorer than western europe? Eastern Europe: (Still) the Most Crucial of All Challenges Facing the Example: 1.56% of Eastern Europeans are atheist. There have been many periods where the Polish/Baltic/Ukraine/Belarus area was very wealthy. But if these factors were at play in the first wave, they havent had the same effect in the second. 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. Summary: Despite all of the above, Eastern Europe is still not a poor region. Many of those that survived, emigrated to Israel or the US. A thousand years ago, no one would have ever expected that result, for at that point western Europe was hopelessly backward. - Definition & Process, Largest Revenue Sources for the Federal Government, What Do Archaeologists Study? Mr. Demian Hammock on LinkedIn: Why is Eastern Europe Poorer than However, Poles, Croats, and other Catholic Slavs use the Latin alphabet (the same alphabet used by English). | Thomas Sowell. The division of the Roman Empire occurred partially as a result of economic differences. In eastern European cultures, there is an emphasis on family and community life. 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. A head start in the first wave. 2023 Sowell.org. So as an explanation, industrialization doesn't work. Long-run growth matters. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. What explains this reluctance to reintroduce restrictions? 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. Therefore, do not misunderstand the information. We can see from the next graph that, at the same time in the spring, the two regions introduced measures that were similarly strict. Here, we take a look at why this has happened. Eastern Europe was praised for being exceptional during the first wave of the pandemic. I'm from Balkan, we have to translate Thomas Sowell in albanian, serbo-croatian, bullgarian, rumunian, greec .. lessons in math, English, science, history, and more. With so much diversity within this region, its easy to see why people from around the globe flock here every year. 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. One big factor that's important to the advancement of any defense technology is how much money a political leader can spend. 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). What are the Five Themes of Geography? When you go back that far, you need to use to use a proxy for human capital. Seldom do you hear an average American complain about Poland or Estonia for not spending enough into defending Europebecause those countries, despite being . These are the countries that are in Eastern Europe: Russia (Partly in Asia). On average, Eastern Europeans live longer than western Europeans because they smoke fewer cigarettes and drink less alcohol on average. 6. The Slavic languages form a large branch of the Indo-European language family. Some of the countries that fall under this category are United Kingdom, Norway, Portugal, Spain, France, Switzerland, Vatican City, Netherlands, Sweden, Malta, Italy, Iceland, Germany, Greece, Finland, etc. 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. The countries in western Europe have a more individualistic culture, with people caring about their success. Western Europe's Weakness Provoked Putin? Also the Danube is a big invasion route from the Black Sea to Germany. The highest mountain in eastern Europe is Mount Elbrus, which stands at 18,510 feet tall. Thomas Sowell Explains how geographical differences between Eastern and Western Europe played a key role in the economic differences between the two regions, which caused Eastern Europe to be historically poorer than Western Europe. why is eastern europe less developed 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 was praised for being exceptional during the first wave of the pandemic. You want areas that produce finished products that are part of external trade systems. Its like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. 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. There's a brain drain. 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. What kinds of factors are included in this model? Has Eastern Europe always been poorer than Western Europe, and if so, why? Lesley has taught American and World History at the university level for the past seven years. Most Eastern European Jews spoke Yiddish, a language closely-related to German. Resource 01: https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Eastern_EuropeResource 02: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Europe, Differences Between Eastern And Western Europe, Differences Between Eastern And Western Culture, Differences Between Eastern and Western Roman Empire, Differences Between Eastern And Western Religions, https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Eastern_Europe, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Europe. They have distinct cultures, languages, traditions, and cuisine. Usually, when this question is asked, the response is that WWII and the Cold War ruined Eastern Europe, or that the agricultural and industrial revolutions began in Britain and not in Eastern Europe. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. In 1991, per-capita productivity in the former East was less than half (43%) of productivity in the former West. 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 expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection. Turkish belongs to the Turkic language family. Love Sowell. As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over 88,000 For that to happen, the countries have to be small and close to one another. Why are post-communist states still much poorer than Western Europe But one explanation that can probably be ditched is the culture argument mentioned previously. Coronavirus: why is eastern Europe's second wave so much worse than its Constantinople is now the city of Istanbul in Turkey, and the greatest church of the Eastern Orthodox faith, the Hagia Sophia, is located there. 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. Western Europe has the most Nobel Prize, winners. 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. - Definition & Types, Ad Hoc Balancing Theory: Definition & Examples, English Common Law System: Definition & History, Jeremy Bentham: Biography, Theory & Ethics, Working Scholars Bringing Tuition-Free College to the Community. Generally speaking, Slavic languages that use the Cyrillic alphabet are found in countries that practice the Eastern Orthodox faith. Great video. Slovenia is the latest country in eastern Europe to carry out extensive tests in an effort to prove that multinational companies have been fobbing off eastern consumers with poorer-quality .