Post-Cold War Economic Integration

Paper Summary:

This essay identifies and explores some of the major challenges to European economic integration in the post-cold war era. It also traces the development of the European Union from the years following World War Two to the groundbreaking Maastricht Treaty.

From the Paper:

"At the close of the Second World War, Heads of State from around the globe came together with the goal of ensuring that the devastation seen in that violent conflict would never again be repeated. One of their primary goals was to reinforce the European economy so that the continent could rise from the ashes of their broken cities and achieve the eminent philosopher Immanuel Kant's dream of perpetual peace. The U.S. Secretary of State, George C. Marshall, devised a plan that would give Europe the aid it so desperately needed but only if the individual countries pulled together and launched a joint effort to revitalize their continent. This measure would ensure the impecunious economic conditions that indirectly brought Hitler, Mussolini and Franco into power would be avoided. As the years progressed and the wounds of war slowly healed, Western European economies began to integrate their coal and steel markets."

More papers on Post-Cold War Economic Integration:

• Essay # 43207 : "Post Cold War Stability"
• Essay # 3028 : "Post WWII European Economic Integration"
• Essay # 64694 : "Security Post Cold War"

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