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Chapter 29. Economic Recovery. Economic Growth. Postwar Europe provided economic opportunities New Technologies Atomic Power, Jet Engine, Television, Frozen Foods Rebuilding Rebuilt factories and transportation networks adopted most efficient methods and newest machinery. Economic Growth.
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Chapter 29 Economic Recovery
Economic Growth • Postwar Europe provided economic opportunities New Technologies • Atomic Power, Jet Engine, Television, Frozen Foods Rebuilding • Rebuilt factories and transportation networks adopted most efficient methods and newest machinery
Economic Growth Labor • Displacement of millions led to increased amounts of available skilled labor Birthrates • Baby boom 1947-1963 helped replace losses of war, • grow domestic markets
Economic Growth Stimulus from U.S.S.R • Soviet Union provided a market and economic stimulus for countries of the Communist Bloc • Eastern European Nations organized economies of the Soviet model - Five-Year plans, collectivization of farms
Economic Growth Stimulus from U.S.A. • $4.4 billion in long term credit to Great Britain • $1.2 billion in long term credit to France Marshall Plan • $15 billion to Europe • Administered by the Organization for European Economic Cooperation (OEEC) - 8 nations European Payments Union • Regulated currency exchanges
Economic Growth • OEEC nations GNP increased 25% annually from 1948-1950 • By 1952 it was half again the 1938 level • Per capita income was 33% higher • “Economic Miracle”
The Economic Role of the State Increased role of the government in the economy • Britain and France nationalized heavy industry, banks • Italy inherited conglomerates of the Fascist system • West German government helped coordinate economic growth Monnet Plan 1946-1950 • nonpolitical “technocrats” to run the economy
The Economic Role of the State Creation of the “welfare state” • Assumed medical, dental and hospital care for every citizen • Universal Health Care • Housing programs • Social Services • To pay for these programs, governments increased taxes
The Soviet Union • Stalin died of a stroke in 1953 - Question of succession • After 4 years of collective leadership, Nikita Khrushchev became the dominant figure • Khrushchev attacked the “cult of personality” of Stalin • Attacked his excesses, paranoia, purge trails of 1930’s, interference in the war
Soviet Bloc • Resentment of the USSR’s exploitation became more public after death of Stalin Workers of East Berlin began a General Strike - Protesting increased quotas • Russian tanks put down the revolt • Walter Ulbricht became new leader of East Germany • Began program of better wages, living conditions • Expanded trade with West Germany • Strengthened dictatorship
Soviet Bloc Workers protest in Poland, 1956 • Soviet forces intervened • Wlayslaw Gomulka elected by Communist party in preference to pro-Soviet candidate • Negotiated reparations from Germany • Received aid from U.S. • Mitigated repression of Catholic Church, intellectuals
Berlin Wall • Eastern Germany built a wall across the center of Berlin • Extended along East Germany’s entire Western border
Soviet Bloc Anti Russian uprisings in Hungary, 1956 • Soviet troops withdrew from Budapest • Imre Nagy, who had been arrested as a “right-wing” leader became premier • Replaced alliance with Russia with policy of neutrality • Soviet leadership sent army to crush rebellion, Nagy executed
Toward European Union • OEEC – handled money of the Marshall Plan • European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC)- administered coal and steel resources of member states - Treaty of Rome (1957) established the European Economic Community (EEC) also called the Common Market, which lifted trade restrictions among member states • European Single Act (1986) free movement of labor, capital, and services such as banking and insurance
Toward European Union Maastricht Treaty (1992) • led to creation of common currency, the Euro • Went into circulation in 2002 (exception of Denmark, Sweden, U.K.) • Cooperation in defense, justice and environmental affair • EEC renamed the European Union (EU)