Final answer:
Several European states aimed to impose strict economic controls over Germany after World War I, primarily through the reparations demanded by the Treaty of Versailles, which profoundly impacted the German economy and political landscape.
Step-by-step explanation:
After World War I, the European country that many states desired to impose strict economic measures on was Germany. This was primarily due to the immense costs and devastation caused by the war. The Treaty of Versailles obliged Germany to pay reparations to the Allies in the form of gold, coal, and timber, which led to significant economic hardship and political instability within the country. Facing inflation and immense debt, the German government began to print more money, leading to a devaluation of its currency. The economic downturn and the burden of reparations also fueled resentment and mistrust, setting the stage for the rise of extremist politics and the subsequent Second World War.
As European nations grappled with post-war adjustment, countries like France, Belgium, and the broader Allied coalition, saw the reparations from Germany as essential to stabilizing their own economies. The punitive financial demands, along with territorial losses and demilitarization stipulations, were instrumental in crippling the German economy during the interwar period. This has been seen as one of the contributing factors to the eventual rise of the Nazi Party and the outbreak of World War II.