Academic Scientific JournalsECONOMICALLY DIVERSE EUROPE – HISTORICAL CONTEXT
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26881/wg.2025.1/S.11Keywords:
GDP per capita, economic differences, economic history, European countriesAbstract
Purpuse. European countries are economically diverse, taking into account such values as the level of GDP, GDP per capita, share in world GDP. Understanding the causes of economic differences that influenced this situation became the aim of the work. The factor analyzed was the economic history of Europe since 1500, with particular attention paid to the so-called industrial revolution and the division of Europe into two hostile blocs after World War II (capitalist and communist). The hypothesis was accepted that historical conditions (political, social and economic) influenced the subsequent economic position of individual countries.
Methodology. Review and systematization of literature on the economic history of Europe. Analysis of the trend in the economic situation of European countries based on GDP per capita and share in the world economy. Critical analysis of the causes of economic disparities in Europe based on historical events.
Findings. The social, economic and political changes that began at the end of the Middle Ages contributed to the diversification of the economic development of Europe. Conditions such as: departure from serfdom, feudalism, absolutism of power, the emergence of municipal governments, economic freedom, industrialization (industrial revolution of the 19th century), technological innovations and the foundations of a market economy resulted in a clear division into Western and Eastern Europe. Countries representing Western Europe mostly used and adopted the given conditions. The functioning of the communist system in Central and Eastern Europe perpetuated the above-mentioned division. The effects of the indicated factors are noticed today (the second decade of the 21st century).
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