Twelve chapters consider the key political, cultural and economic changes of post-1945 Europe.

The twentieth century has seen Germany transformed from imperial monarchy, through Weimar democracy, National Socialist dictatorship, to finally divide into parliamentary democracy in the West and socialist Volksdemocratie in the East. Pivoting on two World Wars, intense political change has dramatically affected Germany's economic structure and development. This book traces the logic and the peculiarities of German economic development through the Weimar Republic, Third Reich and Federal Republic. Providing a comprehensive analysis of the period, the book also assesses controversial issues, such as the origins of the Great Depression, the primacy of politics or economics in the decision to invade Poland and the future risks to the Weltmeister economy of the Federal Republic oppressed by unemployment, the huge debts of some of its trading partners, and the possibility of worldwide protectionism.

A revised and updated edition of the leading overview of economic regimes and economic performance in twentieth-century Europe.

The European Economy Since 1914 provides an invaluable guide to the major economic changes in both Western and Eastern Europe during the twentieth century.

As in earlier editions of this work, Professor Aldcroft presents a succinct and lucid account of the development and problems of the European economy throughout the twentieth century. The text divides into several clearly defined sub-periods: the aftermath of the First World War and reconstruction in the 1920sthe depression and recovery of the 1930sthe impact of the Second World War and the new division of Europethe postwar boom of the 1950s and 1960sthe growth slowdown of the 1970s and the pervasive problems of inflation and unemployment.

How is it that the modest pace of change which typified the French economy a century ago gave way after 1945 to a new, revived capitalism and a superior economic performance? Maclean traces the development of French economic and business life in the context of the European and international economy over the past fifty years. She examines the main economic trends and events: from nationalization to privatization; from war with Germany to reconciliation and ever-greater union; from the franc to the euro; and from national champions to mega-mergers with foreign companies. Maclean argues that the new French capitalism of the twenty-first century is the product of an ideological struggle in which the forces of modernization triumphed over the old guard of French nationalism.