so in the 1950s and the 1960s the European population was getting older and the birth rate was declining and yet the overall population of Europe was increasing significantly I don't understand how that's possible well me from that side of the screen that's because you're not considering the metric butt loads of migrants that entered Europe during that period and that's what this video is all about so if you're ready to get them brain cows milked let's get to it so as you no doubt know by now Western Europe's economic recovery after World War II was pretty staggered as I mentioned in another video it was dubbed an economic Miracle with the economy booming tons of new jobs were opening and there were not enough Europeans to fill them now in the video on second wave feminism I also mentioned that women began filling some of those jobs but even that wasn't enough to fulfill the domain so beginning in the 1950s and 60s because of this labor shortage European countries began relying on what they called guest workers to help fill all the jobs and guest workers is just another term for immigrants now with the worldwide movement of decolonization that was occurring during this period many people from former colonies began moving to their former Imperial parents country for work so what I mean is Indians came to work in Britain North Africans came to France Etc but not only that Europeans migrated to other European States for work as well for example Southern Europeans of various drives came to find work in Germany when I say A Metric buttload of immigrants came to work in Europe I mean a metric Butler by the 1980s they constituted about five percent of the European population you know when these immigrants came they weren't just cogs in Europe's industrial machines they brought their culture with them and maybe more to the point they brought their religion with them at the most prolific growth in religion during this period came from Muslim immigrants practicing Islam in their new home and that huge influx of Muslims led to debate about the proper role of religion in the public sphere but for that debate let's talk about resistance to immigrants now since Europe had always been historically Christian the steady growth of Islam as a minority religion became unwelcome in certain places for example in some countries Muslims were given free access to run for office but others erected significant barriers additionally some Europeans believe that where the practice of Islam clashes with European laws than the religious practices ought to bend to the law this was especially true when it comes to traditional head coverings for girls in school now if you've been with me throughout unit 9 and you'll remember hopefully they that during the 1970s that European economic Miracle turned into kind of an economic recessional term and so during that decade when the number of available jobs was declining some groups turned to anti-immigrant rhetoric and policies as an explanation for their for example in France the national front attempted to cut off all immigration and restrict current immigrants from assimilating to French society you know National front candidates never really made it into power but they did get a sizable amount of votes and that kind of success LED other conservative parties to adopt their anti-immigrant proposal a similar party in Austria known as the Freedom Party was more successful in attempting to get candidates elected but still lost the point is something like 15 million new immigrants entered Europe over the course of the second half of the 20th century and in doing so have begun to fundamentally change the fabric of European society and economics all right click here to keep reviewing for unit 9 of AP Euro and since then National exam is coming up click here to grab my AP Euro review pack which does everything you need to get a five on that exam I'll catch you on the flip-flop I'm Laurent