4.3 Eastern Europe: development and migration

• Aardrijkskunde
• Middelbare school
• havo, vwo
• Leerjaar 3

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4.3 Eastern Europe: development and migration

• East & West
• Part of Europe
• Growth & Stagnation
• To Western Europe 

Key terms

Capitalist country with a free market economy = country in which production is in the hands of private companies, which decide themselves what they produce and which services they offer.

Communist country with a planned economy =country in which production is run centrally by the State. The State decides what is produced and which services are offered.

--> Can you think of advantages and disadvantages of the two systems?

What are the advantages & disadvantages to a planned economy

What are the advantages & disadvantages to a free market economy

Western Europe

Iron Curtain

Eastern Europe

capitalist

free market economy

hardly any exchange between east & west

communist

planned economy

The East & West

The planned economy of Eastern Europe had two main disadvantages:

1 there was no demand for the products that were made

2 poor-quality products 

    --> less prosperity

   --> most basic necessities provided

Part of Europe

After the fall of the Iron Curtain, the borders between Eastern and Western Europe were opened --> political and economic partnerships:

European Union (EU) --> peace and prosperity

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) --> military

Growth & stagnation

In Eastern Europe there are a lot of multinationals.

Two favourable location factors:

1 low wages and longer working hours --> low-wage countries

2 good level of knowledge

Big cities evolve as a result of economies of agglomeration

Countryside lags behind --> unemployment, poverty

Village life

City life

Knowledge check:
After WW2 which part of Europe was communist?

1. Western Europe
2. Eastern Europe

Why was it almost impossible for people, goods, ideas and capital to move between the East and West?

1. Tin Blinds
2. Copper Net
3. Iron Curtain
4. Bronze Blanket

Why did multinationals set up in Eastern European countries?

1. They were in NATO
2. Location factors - including low wages & long work hours
3. Wages are high
4. People are well educated

Why are the cities much richer than the villages in Eastern Europe?

Recap:
How was Europe divided in the past?

Describe the prosperity of Eastern Europe

Why are there so many multinationals set up in Eastern European cities?

Why is there a contrast between the capital cities and the rural areas in Eastern Europe?

Why have migration patterns in Europe changed since the 1990's?