Final answer:
Social relations fostered stability in postwar Europe with Western Europe benefiting from capitalist democracies and economic aid, while Eastern Europe, influenced by the Soviet Union's socialist policies, experienced a peaceful transition towards integration with the West after the Cold War.
Step-by-step explanation:
The change in social relations significantly contributed to the stability in Europe on both sides of the Iron Curtain after World War II. In Western Europe, the promotion of capitalist democracies led to economic cooperation and the Marshall Plan, which provided economic aid to stimulate recovery and deter the spread of Communism.
This support fostered political plurality and a capitalist market that, in turn, resulted in economic growth and stability. Meanwhile, Eastern Europe fell under the socialist influence of the Soviet Union and experienced political suppression and economic strategies that were centrally planned.
However, with the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, Eastern European countries declared independence and moved towards integration with Western Europe and capitalist economies, which helped further stabilize the region through trade and aid. The European Union (EU) emerged as a significant economic and political entity, fostering cooperation and unity in the continent.
During the Cold War, the Iron Curtain embodied a physical and ideological division that limited social exchanges between Eastern and Western Europe. The Western bloc, allied with the United States, enjoyed relative stability through mutual economic interests and democratic governance.
In contrast, Eastern bloc nations underwent a turbulent transition after the Cold War, with Soviet influence fading and new prospects of economic development and democracy emerging. This transition was peaceful, highlighted by moments such as the tearing down of the Berlin Wall and reunification of Germany, reflecting a substantial shift in social relations towards cooperative governance and economies.