> Meanwhile, in prosperous Western Europe, the EC suddenly finds its promising future compromised. The Danes rejected the Maastricht Treaty in a referendum (The Economist, 1992d, p. 52), and that French approved the treaty by only a slim margin. Many nations, such as Sweden, Finland, and Switzerland, that have indicated a desire to join the EC (and whom the EC would welcome as members) are now becoming somewhat nervous about the future of the community.
Not all Eastern European countries will gain the coveted EC membership. Most of the nation states of Eastern Europe became Soviet satellites following the end of the Second World War. Thus, subsequent to 1945, most of these countries also functioned largely under a Marxist political and economic system. There were some temporary interruptions in Marxist economic control. Hungary attempted to overthrow its Marxist government in 1956, only to see its efforts crushed by the Soviet army. In the 1970s, however, Hungary was able to implement and retain some significant economic reforms. Czechoslovakia, under Alexander
Dubcek, experimented with major economic reform in 1968, only to see the reform crushed by Warsaw Pact troops (Shawcross, 1970, p. 111). Yugoslavia, under Tito, broke away from the Soviet orbit in the 1950s. The Yugoslavs were able to modify to a significant extent their Marxist economic system; however, Marxist political control continued, albeit under Tito's direction as opposed to that of Moscow. Poland rebelled politically against Soviet control on a number of occasions. In the 1980s, the Poles were finally successful in shedding Marxist political control. Their subsequent attempts at economic reform, however, have been spectacular for their failure. Some East Germans also attempted to revolt against Marxist political control. The efforts were never successful against the East German government. The East Germans, however, were successful in making thei...