Sick man of Europe facts for kids

This cartoon from 1896 shows the Ottoman Empire being "reorganized." Russia, France, and Britain are shown as the directors. It makes fun of how poor the Ottoman economy was back then.

The phrase "Sick man of Europe" is a nickname given to a country in Europe that is having big problems. These problems can be about its economy, like not having enough money or jobs. They can also be about social issues, like people being unhappy or protesting.

This term was first used most famously for the Ottoman Empire. This was when the empire was getting weaker and losing its power.

Emperor Nicholas I of the Russian Empire is thought to be the first person to use the term "Sick Man." He used it to describe the Ottoman Empire in the mid-1800s. This idea came up during a time in history called the "Eastern question." This question was about how the Ottoman Empire's decline would change the power balance in Europe.

After the Ottoman Empire broke apart in the early 1900s, the term has been used for other countries. Today, some people think the phrase is used too much. They also point out its old origins.

From the 1960s to the 1980s, the United Kingdom was often called the "sick man of Europe." This happened when it lost its status as a superpower. The British Empire was falling apart. Also, many factories in Britain closed down, leading to high prices and worker strikes. Britain even had to ask the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for loans.

More recently, since the mid-2010s, the term has been used for Britain again. This is because of Brexit, a cost-of-living crisis, and many strikes.

Where Did the Phrase "Sick Man of Europe" Come From?
Who Else Has Been Called the "Sick Man of Europe"?
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Where Did the Phrase "Sick Man of Europe" Come From?

Early Mentions of the "Sick Man"

Tsar Nicholas I of Russia (who ruled from 1825 to 1855) wanted to expand his empire into parts of the Ottoman Empire. He called Turkey "sick" or the "sick man" during a meeting. This meeting was with Austrian Prince Metternich in September 1833. Metternich himself wrote that he disagreed with this description.

Metternich was against calling the Ottoman Empire the "sick man of the Bosphorus." He worried that if Turkey was sick, his own country, the Austrian Empire, might become the "sick man of the Danube." However, some historians believe Metternich's foreign policy actually agreed with Nicholas's views on the Ottoman Empire.

The Crimean War and the "Sick Man"

In 1853, before the Crimean War started, British statesman John Russell reported something important. He said that Nicholas I of Russia described the Ottoman Empire as "a sick man—a very sick man." Nicholas also called it "a man who has fallen into a state of decrepitude" and "gravely ill."

Historians have discussed exactly when and how this quote was first said. Historian Harold Temperley said the first conversation was on January 9, 1853. According to Temperley, Tsar Nicholas told the British Ambassador, G. H. Seymour: "Turkey seems to be falling to pieces, the fall will be a great misfortune. It is very important that England and Russia should come to a perfectly good understanding... And then, closer to the attributed phrase: We have a sick man on our hands, a man gravely ill, it will be a great misfortune if one of these days he slips through our hands, especially before the necessary arrangements are made."

The British Ambassador, G. H. Seymour, agreed that Turkey was sick. But he politely disagreed with the Tsar's idea of how to "treat" the patient. He replied, "Your Majesty says the man is sick; it is very true; but your Majesty will deign to excuse me if I remark, that it is the part of the generous and strong man to treat with gentleness the sick and feeble man."

Temperley also claimed that Nicholas actually used a different, more direct phrase. He said Nicholas spoke of a "bear" dying, not a "sick man."

Interestingly, Christopher de Bellaigue argued that neither Nicholas nor Seymour added "of Europe" to the phrase. The full "sick man of Europe" phrase first appeared in The New York Times on May 12, 1860. This article used the term to describe the Habsburg monarchy (Austria) as a second "sick man" of Europe.

World War One and the Ottoman Empire

Later, during World War I, the Allied powers underestimated the Ottoman Empire. They thought it was too weak to fight well. This led to a very difficult battle called the Gallipoli Campaign. However, the "sick man" (the Ottoman Empire) eventually collapsed after losing in the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I.

Who Else Has Been Called the "Sick Man of Europe"?

After the Ottoman Empire ended, many other countries have been given this nickname.

France's Economic Challenges

In the 1950s, France was sometimes called the "sick man of Europe." This was due to economic problems and a loss of hope after World War II. In 1953, a politician named Paul Reynaud used this term to describe France.

In 2007, a report by Morgan Stanley called France the "new sick man of Europe." This label was used again in 2014 by European newspapers. They pointed to France's high unemployment, slow economic growth, and low factory output as reasons.

Germany's Post-Reunification Struggles

In the late 1990s, Germany was often called the "sick man of Europe." This was because of the huge costs of German reunification after 1990. These costs were estimated to be over €1.5 trillion. The term continued to be used in the early 2000s, especially when Germany faced a recession in 2003.

However, in 2016, The Guardian newspaper said Germany's economy had "revived" under Angela Merkel. But in the 2020s, as Germany faced new economic issues, the "sick man" concerns returned. The president of the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, Moritz Schularick, warned that Germany must focus on future industries to avoid becoming the "sick man of Europe" again.

Italy's Ongoing Difficulties

In 1972, an Italian politician named Luigi Preti wrote a book called Sick Italy. He worried that Italy was at risk of becoming "the sick man of Europe." He felt Italy was unable to keep up with progress.

In May 2005, The Economist magazine called Italy "the real sick man of Europe." This referred to Italy's long-standing problems that made it hard to improve its economy. In 2018, Italy was again called the "sick man of Europe" after political disagreements. The Daily Telegraph and CNBC also used the term for Italy in 2008 and 2020.

Russia's 1917 Troubles

In 1917, the Russian Empire was described as the "Sick Man of Europe" in The New York Times. The article said the empire was "Suffering From Overdose of Exaggerated Modernism in Socialist Reform Ideas." It also warned that "too many quacks and ignorant specialists were contending for the right to be admitted to the bedside."

The United Kingdom's Economic Woes

From the late 1960s to the 1970s, the United Kingdom was sometimes called the "sick man of Europe." This was due to many worker strikes and poor economic performance. This period is often seen as starting with the devaluation of the British pound in 1967. It ended with the "Winter of Discontent" in 1978–79, a time of widespread strikes.

In 2017, the United Kingdom was again called the "sick man of Europe." This was due to the immediate effects of the Brexit vote. The term has been used often in the early 2020s because of the economic effects of Brexit. Also, there have been ongoing strikes, political problems, and the cost of living crisis. As of June 2023, the term is still used for the UK as high prices continue to cause economic uncertainty.

The term was also used more literally during the COVID-19 pandemic. This happened when a new strain of the virus, the Alpha variant, led many countries to close their borders to UK travelers.

Other Countries with the "Sick Man" Label

In 1997, Swedish Diplomat Carl Bildt called Serbia under Slobodan Milošević a candidate for the new "sick man of Europe." This was because of political problems in Yugoslavia and its former areas caused by the Yugoslav Wars.
In 2007, The Economist described Portugal as "a new sick man of Europe."
In 2009, EurActiv called Greece the "sick man of Europe." This was due to riots, rising unemployment, and political corruption.
In 2011, Eurozine suggested that the European Union itself was the "sick man of Europe." This was during the Eurozone crisis.
In 2015 and 2016, Finland was called the "sick man of Europe." This was because of its recession and slow growth. Most other European countries had recovered from the Great Recession by then.