Abstract
This paper explains why economic development was such a crucial question in Eastern Europe during the period 1918-1939. The three countries discussed are Hungary, Poland, and Romania.

Tags:EUROPEAN STUDIES (HISTORY, CULTURE) / EASTERN EUROPE, RUSSIA, development eastern europe

Abstract
This paper analyzes Georgia in the context of Eastern Europe, through an assessment of hot spots in the region, Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Ajaristan, and then within the context of Georgia's involvement with Romania, Poland and Bulgaria. The paper attempts to determine the role that Poland, Romania and Bulgaria will play in the independent development and stabilization of Georgia, following Russia's recognition of Georgia's contested regions, Abkhazia and South Ossetia, as independent nations. The paper includes a color map of Georgia.

Outline:
Georgian Hot Spots
Attitude of Poland, Romania and Bulgaria to Georgia
Conclusion

From the Paper
"Some believe that the actions of Russia including the most recent invasion in 2008 are a concerted effort on her part to destabilize the nation and allow it to voluntarily reassert itself as a protectorate of Russia. More diplomatic methods, such as Georgia's entrance in the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) a loose organization of former Soviet nations including Russia seems not to have been enough for Russia in the long term, especially as Georgia increasingly flirts with rival social and economic interests such as asking for and achieving support from future European Union members Poland, Romania and Bulgaria for sponsorship and support for entrance into the EU, an organization that mirrors Russian desires for its own coalition organization the CIS, of which Georgia is a part."

Tags:Abkhazia, South, Ossetia, Ajaristan, Romania, Poland, Bulgaria

Abstract
The devolution of the Soviet Union and the abandonment of command economies throughout Eastern Europe was one of the most profound developments in the last half of the twentieth century. A dozen years after the 'transition' began the results are still both tentative and mixed. This paper assesses the process with a broad, holistic perspective emphasizing both economic and non-economic factors.

Tags:communism, to, capitalism

From the Paper
"The period between 1870-1939 was an era of radical change for East and Central Europe. Throughout the early part of the period, this region developed in response to the Industrial Revolution, with most of the countries becoming peripheral to the core nations of Western Europe. The period of development ended with World War I. The interwar era was characterized by reconstruction, fueled by foreign capital. The redrawing of national boundaries during the early interwar period left East and Central Europe in the throes of societal conflict, a prelude to World War II.

Politically, the period between 1870 and 1918 was characterized by international stabilization. Alliances between the so-called central powers--Germany, France, and Austria-Hungary--were forged using the diplomacy of Germany's Otto von ..."

Abstract
This paper presents four potential dangers to banks in emerging markets and relates them to the lessons of the founding banking system of the United States: Macroeconomic volatility, connected lending, political involvement and financial liberalization. This paper discusses that the emerging banking industries in Eastern Europe must learn to operate in an objective environment free from burdensome and often disastrous government control; just as, the ever-present tension in the United States between government policy and banking policy ensured the banking industry's objectivity. This paper argues that the primary cause of the banking crisis in Eastern Europe was the banks' decision to allow financiers with little experience and even less capital to set up their own banks.

Table of Contents
Introduction
European Economies and the Evolution of the U.S. Banking Industry
Macroeconomic Volatility
Connected Lending
Government Involvement
Financial Liberalization
Conclusion

From the Paper
"The insistence by the American chief executive in the mid 18th to mid 19th century to keep separate government policy from banking policy has not been demonstrated in the communist economies of Eastern Europe. The second major crisis factor for these economies has been connected (or insider) lending, particularly in Russia. Though not unheard of in rich countries, connected lending is a more serious problem in emerging countries, where supervisors are less rigorous about rooting it out. The Economist maintains that connected lending has recently caused serious problems where unscrupulous businessmen have found it easy to set up banks simply to finance their other companies' pet projects. Thus, at many Russian banks, the personal ambitions of owners and managers still come before the prudent assessment of lending risks. Loans to related companies are rarely made on an arm's length basis and tend to be granted at below-market rates, with scant credit vetting."

Tags:banker, private, government, volatility, lending

Abstract
This paper discusses how Eastern and Western Europe have always been different from each other, both politically and socially. Clear distinctions have always been drawn between the two areas. It shows how from their ancient beginnings, shrouded in the mists of history to modern times, Eastern and Western Europe have followed different paths in their development. Even today, the political and social climate in these two areas is distinctly different, and it is obvious to a traveler that they are in one or the other without being told. This paper explores the divergent developments of Eastern and Western Europe and looks for the various factors that contributed to the different paths each region has taken.

From the Paper
"Eastern Europe is a region that traditionally encompasses all of the land from the Balkans to Czechoslovakia to Poland. Eastern Europe today is just beginning to recover from decades under Communist rule, and capitalism is beginning to re-emerge. There is a highly concentrated number of working class people in Easter Europe, one of the highest concentrations of any area in the world. However, despite this high concentration of working people, there is still a large amount of collectivized state property, a remnant of communism. Any strike or disruption in the workforce in Eastern Europe is automatically a political situation, because the employer is the state. There is also a high degree of pollution in Eastern Europe, caused by the rapid push toward industrialization forced on it by the communists. This pollution has lead to environmental degradation and a high number of people operating at less than optimal health in the region. Eastern Europe today is struggling; it is not thriving, but it has not yet bowed down its head in defeat."

Tags:poland, france, romania, italy, communism

Abstract
This paper explains that the most potent and lasting legacy of East Central Europe is nationalism. The author focuses on differences in terms of national-states and ethnic minorities. The paper relates the political and economic legacies; however, the paper contends that, during and after the Soviet era, the national element had a greater effect on the development of this region.

From the Paper
"In the area of East Central Europe, the most potent and lasting legacy is national, centering on differences in terms of national-states and ethnic minorities. What held much of this region together as a nation-state for much of the twentieth century was Communism, not as an ideology but as the external power that kept the ethnic minorities in check by means of force. The peoples of Yugoslavia were linguistically and culturally differentiated after they had migrated to the Balkan Peninsula in the sixth and seventh centuries A.D.."

Tags:eastern, central, europe

Abstract
The relationship between Ukraine and Russia is arguably the most important factor in the future politics of Eastern Europe. Thus, Ukraine serves as a beacon for alternative nation-building strategies in former countries of the Soviet Union. As these countries move towards democratic governments, other influential countries begin to get involved with their election process, such as the United States. This paper shows that the prospects of political stability and the formation of a democratic government are vital issues for Eastern Europe that are being resolved in Ukraine. The election of Viktor Yushchenko, as the President of Ukraine, has become a symbol for the possibility of the establishment of a democracy in Ukraine. The paper, therefore, addresses the question whether the election of Viktor Yushchenko was a product of Ukrainian democracy or whether the United States was directly involved.

From the Paper
"Chossudovsky also provides another possible reason justifying United States involvement in the Ukraine election. The notion that the United States supported the election just to undermine Russia has credence. Vladimir Putin publicly endorsed Viktor Yanukovych, who favored stronger ties with Russia (Calvary Chapel Mission, 2005, p. 10). This alone would give the United States a reason to push for the successful election of the pro-western candidate. The United States hoped that with the election of Yushchenko, the democratic and free-market societies of Russia and Ukraine would overcome their history and become successful neighbors."

Tags:Putin, USAID, Orange, Revolution

Abstract
This fifteen-page graduate paper discusses the international management challenges facing businesses in Central and Eastern Europe. First, the technology challenge must be met for businesses to stay ahead in global competition. Second, the euro challenge requires quite a few changes within the international management of a business. Third, the recent upheaval in the structure of the Central and Eastern European countries has developed the need to tackle this transformation. 15 pgs. Bibliography lists 12 sources.

Abstract
The paper explores the factors which led to the different developments of the two most important communist powers of the Cold War, China and the USSR. The paper looks at how the communist ideology came to be implemented in both states and shows how the role of the national identity of the people was clearly underestimated by the soviets, while the Chinese managed to cater to the nationalistic needs of its people. The paper also discusses the lack of a strong connection between the Soviet led bloc of states while the Chinese used Confucianism that allowed people to identify their nation and their leader with a perennial system of thought.

From the Paper
"The 20th century saw some of the most interesting political evolutions in the history of humanity. Throughout the one hundred years, the world lived the disastrous experience of the total war, it came to realize the power of the atomic bomb, but, most importantly it went through what came to be labeled as a "cold war", a political confrontation between two ideological systems, whose proponents, the US and the USSR never came in direct and face off contact. However, along these historical lines, the event that drew the most attention, due in part to its recent developments and its effects that are visible to this day was the unexpected yet imminent fall of communism in the USSR."

Tags:national, identity, Confucianism, Mao, class, religion