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Cold War
A period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union, characterized by political, military, and economic competition without direct armed conflict.
Socialist Realism
An artistic style that glorified the dignity of ordinary workers and promoted the advantages of communism, commonly seen in public art in the Soviet Union and its satellite countries.
Decolonization
The process through which colonies gained independence from imperialist powers, influenced by Cold War hostilities and global power dynamics.
Displaced Persons (DPs)
Individuals who were forced to leave their homes due to war, persecution, or other circumstances, often seeking food, shelter, and repatriation in refugee camps.
United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA)
Established to provide aid to Displaced Persons (DPs) after World War II, opening camps and spending resources to assist refugees in Europe.
Economic Miracle
Refers to the period of rapid economic progress in western European countries from the late 1940s to the late 1960s, characterized by unprecedented economic growth and a consumer revolution.
Keynesian Economics
Economic theory adopted by many western European governments post-World War II to stimulate their economies, emphasizing government intervention in the economy to maintain full employment and stable growth.
European Economic Community
The collective economic agreement established by western European nations as the first steps toward broader European unity, promoting economic cooperation and integration among member states.
Christian Democratic Parties
Newly formed political parties in postwar western Europe, rooted in Catholic parties, that played a significant role in guiding the recovery by offering a center-right vision of reconciliation, recovery, and economic reform.
Social Consensus
Refers to the lasting agreement among western European governments and citizens post-World War II on embracing liberal democracy, Keynesian economics, government planning, free-market capitalism, and generous social benefits programs to promote economic growth and stability.
Christian Democrats
Centrist political parties in postwar Europe that championed democracy, rejected authoritarianism and narrow nationalism, and advocated for free-market economics and traditional family values.
Social Democrats
Political parties in Scandinavia and Great Britain known for establishing generous state-sponsored benefit programs, promoting economic growth, and adopting Keynesian economics to stimulate their economies.
European Economic Community
Created in 1957, it aimed to reduce tariffs, allow free movement of capital and labor, and establish common economic policies among member states to encourage trade and economic growth in Europe.
Marshall Plan
American aid program that provided financial assistance to help rebuild Western European economies after World War II, contributing to the region's rapid economic recovery and stability.
Consumer Revolution
The postwar period in Western Europe marked by a rising standard of living, increased availability of consumer goods, and a shift towards a consumer-driven economy with high wages and full employment.
European Integration
Efforts towards a more unified Europe through economic cooperation, the establishment of common markets, and the creation of institutions like the European Coal and Steel Community and the Council of Europe to promote commerce and collaboration among European countries.
Cradle-to-grave welfare state
Ambitious system established by the social-democratic Labour Party in post-war Britain, providing free medical services, hospital care, retirement pensions, and unemployment benefits.
European Economic Community
Created in 1957 by the Treaty of Rome, aimed at reducing tariffs, enabling free movement of capital and labor, and fostering common economic policies among member nations.
Consumer Revolution
Phenomenon in late 1950s western Europe marked by rising standard of living, increased availability of consumer goods, and higher wages leading to a surge in purchasing power.
Soviet Bloc
Eastern European countries under Soviet influence post-World War II, characterized by Communist control, one-party dictatorships, and economic restructuring along Soviet lines.
De-Stalinization
Reform process initiated after Stalin's death in 1953, marked by curbing of secret police power, closure of forced-labor camps, and economic growth efforts under new leadership like Nikita Khrushchev.
De-Stalinization
Refers to the period of genuine liberalization in the U.S.S.R. initiated by Khrushchev, aimed at reducing the influence of Stalin's policies and strengthening reform movements.
Peaceful coexistence
Policy announced by Khrushchev calling for a relaxation of tensions with the West, advocating for peaceful coexistence between the U.S.S.R. and Western countries.
Decolonization
The process of European empires relinquishing control over their colonies, influenced by Cold War conflicts and leading to the independence of over fifty new nations.
National self-determination
Rising demand of non-Western peoples for the right to govern themselves, racial equality, and personal dignity, which spread across colonial territories after World War I.
Nonalignment
Policy adopted by some newly independent nations during the Cold War, remaining neutral and not aligning with either the Western or Communist blocs.
White-collar workers
Post-World War II middle-class individuals who earned income through employment rather than property ownership, leading to a shift in the middle-class structure in Europe.
Middle Class Evolution
Rapid industrial and technological expansion led to a demand for technologists and managers in large corporations and government agencies, causing the old propertied middle class to lose control of family-owned businesses.
Class Levelling in East Bloc
The authoritarian socialist state in the East Bloc aimed to reduce class differences through nationalization of industry, expropriation of property, and equalizing wage structures, resulting in a smaller income differential between top and bottom strata compared to the West.
Rise of New Middle Class
Managers and civil servants in both East and West became the model for a new middle class, characterized by high pay, professional degrees, and a focus on efficiency and practical solutions.
Labor Market Transition
The shift from countryside to city living led to a decline in farmers and industrial workers in western Europe, with new jobs for white-collar and service employees, marking a significant change in the labor force.
Postwar Social Benefits
Postwar governments in Europe extended social benefits to raise lower-class living standards, funded partly by higher taxes on the wealthy, resulting in better-educated and more specialized workers resembling the growing middle class of salaried specialists.
Age of Affluence
The 1960s in Europe saw economic growth and high wages, leading to an expanding middle class benefiting from the consumer revolution, although living standards for workers and immigrants did not rise as fast, and underdeveloped regions were left behind.
Counterculture Movement
The emergence of a youthful counterculture in the 1960s challenged the social and political status quo, drawing inspiration from the American civil rights movement and advocating for economic justice, tolerance, and lifestyle rebellion.
Counterculture Movement
A cultural rebellion in the 1960s characterized by challenges to conventional morals, embracing sexual freedom, drug use, and rock music.
Timothy Leary
A U.S. cult figure who famously advocated for drug use as a means to challenge conventional morals with the phrase "turn on, tune in, and drop out."
Carnaby Street
The epicenter of "swinging London" in the 1960s, renowned for its clothing boutiques and record stores, symbolizing the link between generational revolt and consumer culture.
Vietnam War
A conflict where the U.S. escalated its involvement due to Cold War containment policies, leading to significant antiwar movements and eventual withdrawal.
Prague Spring
A period in Czechoslovakia in 1968 marked by reforms under Alexander DubÄŤek, aiming for socialism with personal freedom, but ended with a Soviet-led invasion.
Neoliberalism
A philosophy advocating for free-market policies, privatization, and limited government intervention in the economy, exemplified by leaders like Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s.
Thatcherism
Refers to the political and economic policies associated with British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, characterized by neoliberalism, free-market reforms, and a reduction in state subsidies for welfare benefits and heavy industries.
Neoliberalism
An economic ideology advocating for free-market capitalism, limited government intervention, deregulation, and privatization of industries.
Trade Unions
Organizations formed by workers to protect their rights and interests in the workplace, often involved in negotiations with employers on issues such as wages, working conditions, and benefits.
DĂ©tente
A period of reduced tension and improved relations between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War, characterized by diplomatic efforts to ease conflicts and promote cooperation.
Perestroika
Refers to the economic restructuring and reform program initiated by Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in the late 1980s, aimed at revitalizing the Soviet economy by introducing elements of market mechanisms and decentralization.
Glasnost
Policy of increased openness and transparency in government and media initiated by Gorbachev in the Soviet Union, allowing for greater freedom of expression, public debate, and criticism of the government.
Cold War
Refers to the geopolitical tension and ideological rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union from the late 1940s to the early 1990s, characterized by proxy wars, nuclear arms race, and competition for global influence.
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