Change in volume of exports in select Western European countries 1913-1973

In 1950, the Netherlands' volume of exports was 171 percent the rate it had been in 1913 (i.e., it was 1.7 times larger), but this figure grew to be more than 1,600 percent by 1973, which was the largest change in Western Europe. 1913 was the year before the First World War, and 1950 marked the end of the recovery period after the Second World War for most countries in Western Europe. Across these years, the most considerable change in export volumes was in Scandinavian countries, a region that saw rapid economic development in this period and whose level of devastation from the wars was much lower than most of the other countries listed here. The emergence of the Scandinavian and Dutch shipping industries also contributed significantly to their export sectors.

Declines in Austria and Germany

The only countries listed who saw a decrease in export volumes between 1913 and 1950 were Austria and Germany, where exports fell by 68 and 65 percent, respectively. Of the countries listed, these were the only ones to have been defeated in the war. Not only were much of their resources invested into recovery, but these countries were obligated to pay reparations for their roles in the Second World War via industrial and mechanical exports, rather than financial payments, which is one contributing factor to their lower export volumes. Territorial differences between 1913 and 1950 also played a large part in this, as both countries lost a significant share of their natural resources and industry due to the wars.

Increased integration

Despite this, the United Kingdom eventually saw the lowest growth in export volumes between 1913 and 1973. This was due to the fact that the British Empire had been the largest exporter in the world going into the First World War, but had lost the majority of its territories by 1973. The UK was also reluctant to join the Economic Communities in later decades, and the lack of integration meant that trade between the UK and the mainland had additional tariffs and barriers that were not in place for member states. Unrestricted trade and cooperation between nations, particularly concerning high-quality, manufactured goods, became a defining aspect of Western European trade in the late 20^th century. European imports from Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Oceania dropped from roughly one-third to 18 percent between 1938 and 1970, while exports to these regions also dropped by a very similar rate.