PSIR 206 Political History of Europe II 1

  • Slides: 36
Download presentation
PSIR 206 Political History of Europe II 1

PSIR 206 Political History of Europe II 1

The following slides ARE NOT a sufficient basis for the study of this course.

The following slides ARE NOT a sufficient basis for the study of this course. While they can be used as a framework for study, students MUST ALSO follow all lectures & complete assigned readings. 2

3

3

� Not such a simple question to answer! � We could just ask «Where

� Not such a simple question to answer! � We could just ask «Where is Europe? » , geographically it’s a continent, though even this has shifted over time and where exactly to draw the lines of the continent can be debated too. Basically, however, in the North, South and West the continent is confined by the Arctic Ocean, Mediterranean & Black Seas, and Atlantic Ocean. Conventionally, to the East it is taken as beeing separated from Asia by the mountain ranges of the Urals and Caucasus that run through the middle of Russia. 4

http: //graphics 8. nytimes. com/images/2012/01/09/opinion/09 borderlines-map 1 -blog 427. jpg 5

http: //graphics 8. nytimes. com/images/2012/01/09/opinion/09 borderlines-map 1 -blog 427. jpg 5

� «Europe» is not just geography, however. Europe is also a heavily debated «concept»

� «Europe» is not just geography, however. Europe is also a heavily debated «concept» , arguably based upon various combinations of factors such as culture, religion, and; legal, political, economic and military-strategic association and the states of this area are associated in overlapping international organizations and levels of association and integration, none of which can be considered to have comprehensive «European» membership. (For a graphical representation of just some of the complexity see the diagram on the following slide) � For different dimensions to the debate regarding what «Europe» is, examine the following opinions: http: //blogs. telegraph. co. uk/news/charlescrawford/100260793/ ukraine-vladimir-putin-and-the-new-face-of-europe/ http: //www. economist. com/node/280547 http: //opinionator. blogs. nytimes. com/2012/01/09/where-iseurope/? _php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0 http: //www. theguardian. com/world/2004/dec/17/eu. turkey 1 6

http: //www. hubertlerch. com/images/Supranational_European_Bodies. png 7

http: //www. hubertlerch. com/images/Supranational_European_Bodies. png 7

8

8

� «Scandinavia» refers to the 3 North European kingdoms of Norway, Sweden and Denmark

� «Scandinavia» refers to the 3 North European kingdoms of Norway, Sweden and Denmark that have a close cultural-linguistic and historical relationship. Finland, Iceland the Faroe Islands are sometimes also referred to as Scandinavia, though their cultural/language characteristics differ and they are more properly included within the term of «Nordic Countries» 9

http: //www. corbacho. info/finlandia/2009/07/finlandia-suomi-laponia-vikingos-paises-nordic-escandinavia/ 10

http: //www. corbacho. info/finlandia/2009/07/finlandia-suomi-laponia-vikingos-paises-nordic-escandinavia/ 10

� The 3 Baltic States, to the south of Finland, north of Poland East

� The 3 Baltic States, to the south of Finland, north of Poland East of Russia, bordering the Baltic Sea, consist of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Estonia has a particularly close cultural association with Finland Lithuania with Poland, but aside from their obvious geographic relationship (and other historical features) the most important association of the 3 states in more recent history was the fact that they gained independence from the Russian Empire at the end of WWI only to be re-occupied annexed by the Soviet Union at the start of WWII in accordance with the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact made with Nazi Germany. 11

http: //www. langdale-associates. com/baltics_2011/prologue/resources/baltic-sea-map. gif 12

http: //www. langdale-associates. com/baltics_2011/prologue/resources/baltic-sea-map. gif 12

� The Balkans is a region of Southeastern Europe, with a complex array of

� The Balkans is a region of Southeastern Europe, with a complex array of ethnic, religious and language groups sharing various cultural features and geographical proximity. It is usually taken to chiefly comprise most of the modern-day states of Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia and sometimes Slovenia and northern Greece. It was for much of the late 19 th and early 20 th centuries a region of conflict between the Austria, Russian and Ottoman Empires as well as numerous nationalist movements. It continued to witness serious political instability and war at the close of the Cold War. 13

http: //wikitravel. org/en/File: Balkans_regions_map. png 14

http: //wikitravel. org/en/File: Balkans_regions_map. png 14

� http: //wikitravel. org/en/Benelux The Benelux countries are a grouping of 3 smaller European

� http: //wikitravel. org/en/Benelux The Benelux countries are a grouping of 3 smaller European states between France and Germany, with historical association and more recently (following WWII) economic union (signed in 1944). They constituted an integral part of the original ECSC & EEC upon which today’s EU is founded. Cooperation has expanded to other areas beyond the purely economic. 15

16

16

� The process of German national unification led by Otto von Bismarck was completed

� The process of German national unification led by Otto von Bismarck was completed in 1871, creating a new giant power in the centre of Europe. The resulting shift in the balance-of-power was found particularly disturbing by France. By the beginning of the 20 th century tensions among the European states had escalated & rival alliances had been formed in preparation for a long expected Great War. 17

� World War I had catastrophic consequences for most of the continent & other

� World War I had catastrophic consequences for most of the continent & other regions of the world too, & while the rising German power had been defeated militarism was again soon on the rise in Germany that came under the even more extremist leadership of Adolf Hitler and his Nazi Party. By 1939, Nazism had once again pushed the continent into a Second World War, tearing apart European (and other) societies in all their physical, social, economic and political dimensions. 18

19

19

� Donald Sassoon highlights that the settlement of World War II (unlike WWI) ccan

� Donald Sassoon highlights that the settlement of World War II (unlike WWI) ccan be considered to have been successful, in that the defeated states (Germany and her allies) were «integrated into the values of the victors, thus precluding a return match. » � Though a new ideological division of Europe was to emerge, German militarism, Nazism or its variants found no substantial support on either side of this divide. 20

� Post-WWII Europe was remarkably stable until the collapse of communism towards the end

� Post-WWII Europe was remarkably stable until the collapse of communism towards the end of the 20 th century. � Compared to the past, there were no fundamental changes in borders; no substantial civil strife; no «mass terror by the state» or «quasi-official terror gangs» (with the exception of Stalin and his purges & deportations); no substantial change in internal regimes (except the generally relatively peaceful shifts to parliamentary democracy in Spain, Portugal and Greece in the mid-1970’s, and eventually likewise the shift in Eastern and Central Europe in the 1990’s – former Yugoslavia being the key exception); no significant political change resulting from terror (despite wave of terror faced in some states during the 1970’s and 1980’s). 21

� Despite the unprecedentedly wide ideological division of Europe following WII, by the end

� Despite the unprecedentedly wide ideological division of Europe following WII, by the end of 20 th the degree of convergence between the European states (accompanied by an increase in the number of states) was also unprecedented. � Sassoon points out that further fragmentation in this respect can not be ruled out either (e. g. Scotland? See http: //www. scotreferendum. com/ ) 22

Czechoslovakia Yugoslavia USSR* Czech Republic Slovenia Estonia Slovakia Croatia Latvia Bosnia & Herzegovina Lithuania

Czechoslovakia Yugoslavia USSR* Czech Republic Slovenia Estonia Slovakia Croatia Latvia Bosnia & Herzegovina Lithuania Macedonia Moldova Montenegro Ukraine Kosovo Belarus * The break-up of the USSR also led to the creation of other states, though their European credentials can be considered more doubtful Serbia Russia 23

� Shortly after WWII The Cold War division of Europe saw the continent sharply

� Shortly after WWII The Cold War division of Europe saw the continent sharply divided into 2 sections usually referred to as Western Europe and Eastern Europe (though the latter also included most of the continent’s central space). Western Europe Eastern Europe Capitalism Communism Liberal multiparty democracy One party rule Atlantic Alliance (NATO under US Leadership) Warsaw Pact (under Soviet Union’s leadership) 24

http: //mikelanceworldhistory. wikispaces. com/file/view/Cold_War_Map_Europe. jpg/334655824/Cold_War_Map_Europe. jpg 25

http: //mikelanceworldhistory. wikispaces. com/file/view/Cold_War_Map_Europe. jpg/334655824/Cold_War_Map_Europe. jpg 25

At the center of the Cold War division in Europe was Germany. Originally after

At the center of the Cold War division in Europe was Germany. Originally after it’s post-War defeat it was occupied in 4 zones, though by the 1950’s it had developed into 2 separate states of West and East Germany (aka FRD – Federal Republic of Germany and GDR – German Democratic Republic) http: //lisahistory. net/hist 104/pw/images/berlinmap. gif 26

� Unlike in central and Eastern Europe, (with Czechoslovakia an important exception) where prior

� Unlike in central and Eastern Europe, (with Czechoslovakia an important exception) where prior to WII experiments in political democracy had generally failed, in Western Europe the institutions of political democracy already generally had a relatively solid pre-War basis. � Now after WII, for the first time, universal suffrage encompassing women too, also became the firmly established norm. (Switzerland was an exception till 1971!) � Immediately after WWII parties of the «left» began to make considerable advances taking close to half the vote in many parts of Europe. 27

� Older political cleavages between e. g. Supporters of centralization vs. decentralization or clericalism

� Older political cleavages between e. g. Supporters of centralization vs. decentralization or clericalism vs. anticlericalism replaced by «that of left versus right, that is between parties inspired by socialism & those committed to a capitalism tempered by traditional values» �. . . but though this was the key ideological cleavage, it was one that was broadly maintained «within an overarching consensus» that included the «enlargement of the sphere of the state into welfare» and adherence to the principle of competitive multiparty politics. 28

Nearly all Eastern European states had authoritarian regimes before the War. � Compared to

Nearly all Eastern European states had authoritarian regimes before the War. � Compared to the West eastern states had larger agricultural sectors and were more devastated by the impact of the War � Most significantly, all except Albania and Yugoslavia were liberated from the Nazis by the Soviets. Thereafter comming under its strong influence. � The typical progression was for communist parties to push for governments of national unity and gradually, without first pushing for radical change, and with the help of the Soviet Union, expand their share of power in government until all significant opposition was undermined. By 1948 throughout, central and eastern Europe, the Communist parties were dominant. � 29

� Sassoon suggests that so long as their were friendly regimes in central and

� Sassoon suggests that so long as their were friendly regimes in central and eastern Europe, the Soviet Union was not actually initially that concerned about communism dominating the Eastern half of the continent, but that it pushed in this direction when, with the Truman Doctrine (setting out hundreds of millions of dollars in support for Greece & Turkey – while Greece was in the middle of a civil war between leftists and rightists – in order to stop them falling under communist influence), and the Marshall Plan, (in which the US provided billions of dollars to help Europe recover from the devastation of war), the USSR felt the US was trying to reduce its power in this region. 30

� Though principal division was between «east» & «west» Europe, the 2 blocs were

� Though principal division was between «east» & «west» Europe, the 2 blocs were not fully united internally either & varying levels of disharmony were observable. � While liberal multiparty democracy characterized most of western Europe, authoritarian dictatorships persisted in Spain and Portugal and ruled for part of the 1960’s and 1970’s in Greece. � Ireland, Sweden, Finland, Austria and Switzerland, though economically, socially and politically more integrated with the west, retained a neutral status rather than join NATO � Different trade associations emerged in the West, principally EFTA (European Free Trade Area) and the EEC (European Economic Community). 31

� In Eastern Europe too distinctions emerged with Yugoslavia & Albania (which had not

� In Eastern Europe too distinctions emerged with Yugoslavia & Albania (which had not been liberated by the Soviet «Red Army» ) not comming under the Soviet orbit and following a more independent route to socialism; Poland (unlike other eastern european states) keeping a large proportion of its agriculture under private (rather than collective/state) control; Hungary eventually developing a substantial market economy with relatively less state involvement, &; Romania following a largely independent foreign policy. 32

� Russia � Former USSR Republics � Former Warsaw Pact States � Former Communist

� Russia � Former USSR Republics � Former Warsaw Pact States � Former Communist Regimes http: //upload. wikimedia. org/wikipedia/commons/b/bc/Eastern-Europe-small. png 33

� Despite certain oscilating features, by the 1980’s, the characteristic feature of the divide

� Despite certain oscilating features, by the 1980’s, the characteristic feature of the divide & fracturing of Europe appeared to be changing. More and more western European states began to join the EEC (later to become the EU), the authoritarian states of the West shifted to liberal democracy, and ultimately, (after the comming to power of Gorbachev in the USSR in 1985), the communist regimes of the East began to collapse, with the former Communist states largely turning to the liberal market economy and parliamentary democracy models prevalent in the West, many themselves ending up as members of the EU and NATO. 34

� While somewhat symbolic, the following recent image of Berlin from space, cautions us

� While somewhat symbolic, the following recent image of Berlin from space, cautions us not to exagerrate the degree to which division and instablity has been overcome in Europe. The war in Bosnia (the first extended european war since WWII) may have ended, but parts of the former. Yugoslavia (not least Bosnia itself) remain unstable, turmoil has been witnessed in Ukraine & the Russia Federation itself sometimes appears volatile. Economically too, the unprecedented level of economic integration brought partially through monetary union and the adoption of the Euro as the currency of nearly all EU states, has proven to be problematic, as witnessed by the Eurozone crisis that began in 2009. 35

Berlin from space, April 2013 http: //www. telegraph. co. uk/news/worldnews/europe/germany/10003467/Berlin -satellite-image-reveals-stark-east-west-divisions. html 36

Berlin from space, April 2013 http: //www. telegraph. co. uk/news/worldnews/europe/germany/10003467/Berlin -satellite-image-reveals-stark-east-west-divisions. html 36