Ok, Greeks, you say that Greeks are Western Europeans and that Hungarians, Czechs, Slovenians are Eastern...?

Show all answers

supersonic332003

No matter what everyone else says,
I do not think that Greece is "Western European". Jesus!
The first reason is called GEOGRAPHY. [+ you are not asking about the financial system or culture, as you say]

WHO said it's "Western European", anyway?
It's Mediterranean and Balkan at the same time
(now this will get me a few thumbs-down, I know).

[Please don't misunderstand my fellow Greek answerers' objections. They have to deal with "attacks" from "neighbo(u)r country" users and there is a certain spirit... Try not to respond to malicious-seeming words and everything will be OK].

Take into account that West-East frontiers are different when talking about financial system, regime, religion, mentality, culture, civilization etc. For example,

- West == America - Europe --> science, orthologism etc.
East == Asia --> spirituality, religion.
- West == Western Europe + areas under the "influence" of the Anglophone Powers --> political and financial system (1)
East == Eastern Europe + areas "of the USSR" --> p+f s (2)

zusje17

OK,first of all,I don't know why you or anybody else would use the term Eastern European as an insult.Being half Greek,half Dutch myself,I find my eastern genes something to be very proud of.I am,like all citizens of eastern countries,loud,strong headed,hotheaded,value my family so much and open for new friends and new experiences.I love my countries(both of them) and especially Greece,cause it's the one I grew up in and the one that made me the person I am today.And I'm proud of the fact that other Europeans consider us as more eastern than themselves,cause there aren't kinder,more open,warmer people than the people with so called "eastern blood".I know what's important in my life and know that I work to live instead of live to work,something that is very common in western countries.And if all those qualities make me and my land mates eastern in your eyes,well I'm proud of it!!

sudonym x

The geographic center of Europe is near Khust, Ukraine, all the countries you mention are in western Europe.

Greek independence from the Ottoman Empire was recognized in 1829.

Airpole

During the cold war and since Greece was the only country of the East Europe, or the Balkans if you prefer, that was not under Soviet influence, it became customary to call it Western, in comparison to the mid European countries you mention. They were under Soviet thumb and mostly were in the Warsaw Treaty Convention of the then East European countries Including Berlin and DDR.
Nowadays, no one calls East Germany East European.
Eventually my friend, that will also happen with the rest of the countries now considered Eastern. They will be engulfed by the EU and we will all be a happy European Family. So be patient for a while. It took some 45 years to become Eastern and I am certain it will take a few more to be European Unionists.
Your point has a lot of arguments that are only half way to the problem. Cultural differences was not the decisive factor for the separation. As I said, Cold War separation by our mutual friends over the Atlantic, is the reason. Unfortunately.

soubassakis

Hello dear!

You are trying to touch a very good point in human history, congratulations!
Well, according to world history, North, South, East, West, Middle East, Far East and so on are defined as to their position in regards to the Aegean Region (Historic Greece).
It is not what the Greeks say, it is what it has been defined!
Thus, Greece is neither West nor East! Neither North nor South, Greece is the center!
Further, regarding other races, it is their location, spirits, believes, education etc. they had at a certain time! Mainly their philosophy and which part of the Greek philosophy their leaders at some point could understand and promoted to their people made them easterners or westerners!
Thus we see examples of Austria, being West, while Hungary east, although they were one empire. Similarly in Czechoslovakia, Sweden vs Finland and so on!

Monkey

sudonym x told you all you need to know about the geographic location of Greece.

Maybe it is quite nice to remember that Russia ( without Siberia) is the 'Eastern-Europe'.

death from above

hmmmm.... careful on the draw, skipper, Greeks made invaluable contributions to western civilzation, the time really does not matter...
Kafka was schizophrenic, why did he write in German...?
Bartok was good but only so...
Dvorak... ? OK, I guess...

Socrates
Plato
Archimedes
Aristotle...
just the very few...

and your point is ???

Selena

Did you know that the Chinese invented the compass? East, West...who cares nowadays...we are all living on planet Earth and we must try to save our planet all together!

Vaggos.Gr

I am Greek , but i don't think that Greece is a West European Country. Greece always was near to East. Began the so called "West civilization" but had, has and will have big relations with the East. It's a crossroad where the East meets the West, for this reason was big power for thousands of years. But it's not right to insult a nation because Ottomans conquered it. Until then was the biggest power in Europe - Byzantine Empire if you know - that's why the other Nations and Kingdoms didn't help the Empire when the Turks invade. I will not mention the Crusades, when our "West Christian Brothers" invade in Constantinople. You insult a nation because you were more lucky and you were part of Austrian Empire? When you were in Austrian Empire our ancestors were hungry and died from the suffering. Think about it ! And something else, in these centuries , for which you talk about, Europe changed because studied all about ancient Greece, science, literature, art, philosophy etc. In this way the "Dark Age" ended. Even that time, when we were in Ottoman Empire, we inspired Europe.

Furthermore, in 1830, when you were still a part of Austrian Empire , we were an Independent Recognized Country .

And if you ask my opinion, it's better for someone to be an East European than a West one !

Frank B

Western or eastern Europe does not represent geography. Japan belongs to the western world as well.

This distinction was made after the 2nd world war between the communist countries and those with a free and open economy. Greece was in the second group. The countries you mentioned were all communist countries. This affected their recent culture, perception and history in an enormous way.

Many cultures and nations have influenced the Western world. But Greece invented it: democracy, the freedom of speech, philosophy, the theater, the arts and the reasoning of thinking all start here and form the Western civilization that you so much seem to endeavor. Because aside those, you are indeed nothing more than an Arab or an African. For better or for worse...

In the middle ages, Greece continued to resonate through the Byzantine empire. This was were the first translation of ancient Greek manuscripts into Latin was done. This led later into Renaissance. Ironically, this affected every country except Greece as it was under the Ottoman occupation.

Sophia G

OMG everyone has their own opinion of what's "eastern" and "western". What's the point of even bringing a question like this up? It just spreads controversy. BTW most people I know refer to GREECE as Eastern and the countries you mentioned above as Western.

slaveof12gods

while it is part of continental western Europe it is also part of Micronesia and the middle east!

pjallittle

You are absolutely right. It's just a habit now.

just me

Really now... who cares!? Does a label applied to your country or to others make you feel better or worse? You should focus on the real achievements of the country, on the culture, and just forget stupid classifications.

Denicia

When we think about culture since Ancient times, we say for Europe, Western civilization, in this civilization is also countries from East block. Ancient Greek civilization, which haven't nothing with modern country Greece, is one of most important, because made influence in Roma civilization, Roma civilization is one of basic of Westren or Europe culture.
When we think about cold War, we say West and East, Greece was in West and this term haven't nothing with Western civilization.Also, I want refer about Independent countries which were not part neither in west, neither in east block, like Yugoslavia, Egypt and many, many countries.

Enter Your Message or Comment

User Name:
User Email:
Post a comment: