💢Albania was ruled by Enver Hoxha, a paranoid dictator who executed political dissidents.
🛡️The country resisted modernization and remained diplomatically and economically isolated.
🔒Enver Hoxha's regime constructed 170,000 bunkers, draining resources and perpetuating paranoia.
💰Albania is now one of the poorest countries in Europe.
🌍Albania's extreme isolationism was comparable to North Korea's policies.
Who was Enver Hoxha?
—Enver Hoxha was the leader of Albania from 1944 to 1985. He ruled as a paranoid dictator, executing political dissidents and isolating the country from the rest of the world.
Why did Albania resist modernization?
—Under Enver Hoxha's rule, Albania embraced extreme isolationism and rejected the influences of its neighbors and the rest of the communist bloc.
How many bunkers were constructed in Albania?
—Between 1975 and 1985, Albania constructed around 170,000 bunkers. These bunkers were meant to project an air of defense and perpetuate the state's paranoia.
How does Albania's poverty compare to other European countries?
—Albania ranks as one of the poorest countries in Europe, with high levels of poverty and limited economic development.
How was Albania's isolationism comparable to North Korea?
—Both Albania and North Korea embraced extreme isolationism, shunning foreign influences and alienating potential allies. They believed they were the only true bastions of Marxism in the world.
00:01Albania, a tiny mountainous nation, is the third poorest in Europe and ranks among the most corrupt.
00:09In the mid-1980s, Albania was a communist hermit kingdom ruled by paranoid dictator Enver Hoxha.
00:30Enver Hoxha carried out purges against political dissidents and kept the population docile through imprisonment and secret police.
02:59Albania embraced extreme isolationism, resisting modernization and remaining diplomatically and economically isolated.
09:59Enver Hoxha's regime constructed 170,000 bunkers, draining resources and perpetuating paranoia.
