Current facts
Albania is a small, mountainous country located in the Balkan Peninsula. Today, Albania is a secular, developing country, seeking to join the European Union and stabilize its finances and development. Interestingly, while the country itself has been ethnically established since antiquity, Albania as it is today, is a direct byproduct of imperialist forces, and is a case study on the effects of centuries of occupation, and the resulting socioeconomic fallout.
Specifically, a history of occupation by larger powers, World War II, and the subsequent isolationist and Communist ideas which permeated the country in the aftermath of these events has resulted in a country which is ethnically ancient, but just beginning to gain its political and economic footing.
History
While the region which is now called Albania shows traces of human civilization since the Bronze Age, Albania has a history of being occupied, rather than being independent. Archeologists hypothesize that this region tended to be populated with tribes, until 167 BC when region fell to the Romans and became part of the Roman Empire. The Roman empire did not last forever, though, and when it split, Albania became part of the subsequent empires which came after. By 1431, Albania had become part of the Ottoman Empire and remained so for nearly 500 years, until it declared independence in 1912. This independence was short lived, though, as Albania soon saw political turmoil, and eventually, occupation by Italian and Nazi forces during World War II. After the end of WWII, Albania became a Communist country, and remained so until 1989. Since the fall of Communism, the resulting financial and governmental inexperience and ineptitude has resulted in financial crises, protests, and a mass exodus. Finally, the country is beginning to stabilize and both growth and reforms are taking hold.
How Imperialist Occupation Shaped the Country
Imperialism, as defined in class, is when stronger entities (countries, empires) overtake the weaker entities (people, countries, empires), as a way of exerting and growing power through the subsequent land and resource gain through occupation.
Albania saw multiple instances of this, from the Roman occupation to the Ottoman occupation, where the country became part of the larger empire. While occupation (imperialism) had some benefits to the Albanian people, it also had a significant negative impact on the stability and subsequent political and economic outcome of the country. Specifically, during the Ottoman Empire, due to the benefits of a centralized State with significant capacity to ensure trade, idea and economic development, Albanian citizens enjoyed the ability to reach high office, the ability to travel among the Empire freely, as well as relative order and increased trade of goods in the country, itself.
However, due to the continued presence of Imperialism, specifically the strong State, when the country did declare independence, they found they were not able to hold on to this relative stability and development due to their own State being inexperienced and underdeveloped. Between declaring independence in 1912 and subsequent occupation in 1939, Albania saw multiple attempts at independent regimes, from republics to monarchies, none of which were able to sufficiently ensure either economic or political independence, as resulting years would show.
World War II
When World War II broke out, Albania had been a fledgling independent State, and an unstable one, at that. After Italy gained control over Albanian trade in 1925, it soon invaded the country in 1939, an act which Nazi forces soon repeated. The fighting left Albania with the distinction of being one of the “most devastated” countries in Europe, according the Center for Relief to Civilian Populations. It is estimated that roughly “60,000 houses were destroyed and about 10% of the population was homeless”. This devastation had, understandably, left the country reeling, and wanting to close in on itself. Unfortunately, this made the people susceptible to the soothing balm of Communism, with its promises of self-sufficiency and peace.
Communism
Under the isolationist ideas of Communism, while Albania did develop a railway line, land reform, and self-sufficiency, the people suffered under a strict and oftentimes brutal regime where practicing religion was punishable by prison time, and fleeing the country resulted in one’s remaining family being excommunicated and sent to starve in the barren mountains. While illiteracy was eradicated, child labor was rampant with children working on tobacco farms, and educational attainment beyond a certain level was only available to a select few.
Fallout
North, Wallis, & Weingast theorize that development is the byproduct when the pillars of society, that is, the political, social, and economic institutions which comprise society, are conducive to development. In addition to this, there is the requirement of Double Balance, which theorizes that incentives across the economic, social, and political institutions in society must be harmonious with one another, in order for them to be stable.
As can be seen in Albania, the country has gone through multiple phases of transition in order to stabilize and develop fully fleshed and harmonious economic, political, and social institutions. However, this stability was not possible until now, as those transition periods were marked by significant turmoil and chaos.
When Albania declared independence, it’s fledgling republics and monarchies lasted hardly a collective 30 years, before the country fell to Italian and Nazi forces. After the end of World War II, the country was left reeling, and welcomed isolationist policies which ensured the persecution and starvation of innocent people. Finally, when Communism fell, the country initiand inept economic policies, investing in Ponzi schemes even after global financial institutions had warned them against doing so. This resulted in pretests and violence, and a mass exodus from fear of gang and militia activity.
Today, Albania is still a secular State, however, freedom of religious expression is now a constitutional right. It has an unemployment rate of 14.7%, and GDP is projected to grow at a steady rate of 3%. Its major industries are agriculture, mining, and tourism, and its infrastructure has undergone a significant overhaul since the fall of Communism. Albania is just beginning to engage on the global stage, as it builds ties with Europe through application to the EU, practices fair and free elections, and increases trade relationships.
Conclusion
Overall, Albania is an example of the necessity of institutions to work together for stability to take hold. However, it is also an example of how certain actions set forth chain reactions. Due to the country continually being occupied, when it finally declared independence, it was unable to sustain it, which paved the way for communism, isolationism, and intolerance. Additionally, this relative inexperience in being an independent state made the leaders of the country inept when it came to crafting policies which engendered development, rather than financial ruin.