Political and Economic Recovery in Europe

The clash between the United States and the Soviet Union served as a background to the remarkable recovery that took place in Europe. The first two items on the political agenda were the eradication of the Nazi past and the establishment of stable governments. While western Europe revived its democratic political structures and productivity, eastern Europe was far less prosperous and far more repressive. Even to the east, however, the conditions of everyday life improved as peasant societies were forced to modernize and some consumer goods were restored. By 1960, people across the continent were enjoying a higher standard of living than ever before.