'European Integration Under Duress: Is it Time to Rethink and Renew? Lessons from Post-World War II Events and Activities for Post-Cold War Policies and Plans'

摘要

[From the Introduction]. The possibility of applying lessons from the earlier period, Post-World War II, to the current situation requires the precise identification of the two time periods and the issue areas that may benefit from the comparison. The major concerns in both periods were economic-financial problems of mostly West European countries that either had suffered from the ravages of World War II and tried to rebuild their economies or which, located in central and eastern Europe, had been exposed to Communist control for approximately forty years and which after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989 were seeking to adopt systems of democracy, free market trade and basic capitalist rules. The first time span was approximately from 1945 to 1955; the second time span could be from 1989 to 1999. In both time periods the satisfaction of economic and financial needs was and will be the primary focus and consequently comparisons will be useful as far as policies and activities are concerned.