The Byzantium empire which included the Balkans, and Greece were the richest part of Europe prior to Ottoman conquest. The Western European region is very much advanced in its economy. Your email address will not be published. It was politically weak, it was poor, and the major long-distance commerce was a slave trade led by Vikings. spidey1z. Why Did Western Europe Dominate the Globe? 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. The standard of living of the population until the mid 19th century was about the same. 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. 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. Before World War II, there were large pockets of German speakers scattered throughout parts of Western Europe. Sorry anon point already proven . But that does not mean the former East and West Germany are on equal economic footing today. Cases and deaths have not been spread evenly across the region. So now I wonder why India, which is by the ocean, has a warm climate, natural wealth, and at the same time is much poorer than those poor Eastern European countries? Your email address will not be published. Create your account. The following blog post will discuss some common misconceptions about Eastern Europeans and provide insight into their culture based upon personal experience living there for an extended time. For example, if I am fighting you and you figure out a better way to build an armed ship, I can imitate you. After the sack of Constantinople in 1204, however, the eastern economy was permanently disrupted, and wealth began to shift westward. | Thomas Sowell, What Makes Coastal People So Different? Oxford COVID-19 government response tracker, Committee Member - MNF Research Advisory Committee, PhD Scholarship - Uncle Isaac Brown Indigenous Scholarship. Mountain ranges - Urals, Apls, Musala (Tallest Mountain range in the region, located in Bulgaria), Carpathians, Balkan Mountains, Rivers - Volga, Danube (longest), Dnieper, Oder, Don. Eastern Europe was praised for being exceptional during the first wave of the pandemic. And all of this describes Europe. They have distinct cultures, languages, traditions, and cuisine. 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. The influence of the ocean. Hoffman's work is published in a new book titled Why Did Europe Conquer the World? 5. 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 2018 version of the report is available here in English. Some people include Greece and the Baltic countries, as well. 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! Has Eastern Europe always been poorer than Western Europe, and if so, why? Others include Polish, Bulgarian, Czech, Slovak, Serbian, Slovenian, Croatian, Macedonian, Belorussian, etc. All rights reserved. Bohemia and Hungary were also quite powerful, and only the Russian states could be considered poor. This is a problem in an age of common migration because the educated and talented are migrating from Eastern to Western Europe. 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. It is related to Italian, Spanish, French and Portuguese. As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over 88,000 Eastern Europes pandemic experience has been dramatically different this autumn. Germans in both areas say living standards in the former East have not yet caught up with those in the former West. You dont become wealthy by attacking and taking over subsistence farmers. Love Sowell. This is why Eastern Europe, in general, is poorer than countries in Western, Central, and Northern Europe. All countries in the region have seen significant increases in cases and deaths. what does cupid want to control; best tattoo shops in alabama; why is eastern europe poorer than western europe? When its easier to travel and grow food, its easier to sell the food at a greater. In this region may Catholics and Protestant Christians can be seen. Most of these people migrated to Germany after the war. Communist regimes were politically repressive, and stifled the economic development of the region. 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. 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. We spoke with him recently about his research interests and what led him to study this particular topic. 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. Example: Some people do not consider Russia to be part of Europe. For example, that Europe became industrialized more quickly and therefore became wealthier than the rest of the world. Western Europe refers to the western part of Europe. What can we learn from the differences between Eastern and Western Europe? Gunpowder was really important for conquering territory; it allows a small number of people to exercise a lot of influence. Heres another map, concentrating just on Northern Europe. Breathtaking nature Last, but definitely not least, nature in Eastern Europe is stunning. 1615 L St. NW, Suite 800Washington, DC 20036USA Well, it depends on the parameters. Even the Catholic Church held a different view from the eastern church. The economy is comparatively lower and less stable than in Western Europe. Things are much better if the conflict concerns something that can be split upsuch as money or land. They mostly had industry in the western part of the empire while the east was sparsely populated, large parts of the population were seen as unreliable (= suspected tsar sympathisers) and it was expected that the most eastern parts would get ruined by the next war with Russia so there wasn't much work to improve anything. The impact of modernization and individualization can be clearly seen in the lifestyles of people. Western Europe: Western Europe refers to the western part of Europe. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. These two regions consist of a large number of countries that enrich the diversity of the two regions. Hong Kong and Singapore, for instance, used to be poor jurisdictions. Western European countries differ from each other in terms of their history, languages, religions, and political systems. But if you look at the US average ($54,629), it obviously is higher than economic output in European nations. 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. | Thomas Sowell. Spain has more high-speed rail tracks than any other European country. 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. A head start in the first wave. 9. The countries in western Europe have a more individualistic culture, with people caring about their success. Also economically, the Western European countries are much more advanced than the eastern European countries. You have been on the Caltech faculty for more than 30 years. Central American Countries & Facts | People, Tribes & Culture of Central America, Central America Geography | Map, Physical Features & Examples, Physical & Human Features of Europe | Mapping the Features of Europe, Comparing Life in Different Locations in Europe, Latin America | Population, Ethnic Groups & Demographics, Physical Features of Russia & Central Asia | Map, Characteristics & Geography, Where is Latin America? Well, Eastern Europe has always been less developed than the Western half. Here is an Eastern Europe religion map that depicts the split of Christianity after the Great Schism of 1054. 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? And almost no major companies have their headquarters in East Germany. The political dominance of western Europe was an unexpected outcome and had really big consequences, so I thought: let's explain it. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7s6piXiFK-TaMDsKM4I7IS7iaNiyONEM, How Geography Shaped Africa | Thomas Sowell, Why Cultures Are So Different? (+1) 202-419-4300 | Main You also have more free time to learn other skills and trades. From the Eiffel Tower in Paris to The Great Wall Of China, these landmarks are instantly recognizable and attract millions of visitors each year. | Thomas Sowell 6,459 views Aug 4, 2022 Thomas Sowell Explains how geographical differences between Eastern and Western Europe played a key. Richer not only than Europe, but even more prosperous than the United States. People speak romance languages and those with Germanic roots as well. For Western Europe, it was the Scandinavian Vikings who preyed upon river cities and traffic. Daily new COVID-19 deaths per million inhabitants, second wave, eastern Europe. The former East Germany trails the former West in productivity. She has a Master's degree in History. 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. The spread of communism during the beginning and middle of the 20th century had a devastating effect of the culture and economy of Central Europe. 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. However "poverty" refers only to the revenues of States and the level of economic development. A thousand years ago, no one would have ever expected that result, for at that point western Europe was hopelessly backward. 10. With so much diversity within this region, its easy to see why people from around the globe flock here every year.