The European Union – The Rising Superpower?
Recently I’ve been reading an interesting book by American Journalist and Washington Post Chief J. R. Reid entilted “The United States of Europe: The Superpower no-one talks about”. Which argues that the EU will become a dominant superpower that can rival the U.S within the next few decades if the EU continues to integrate and the Euro becomes the currency of the continent. I may seem contradictory when I say this but, the more nations that join the EU the better. The U.K or Wales included.
The time of independent nations is over in my opinion. With rising potential superpowers such as China and India (as has been suggested among others), it stands to reason that countries who unite democratically (which is the key difference here and the contrast of Wales in the UK) aren’t easily bullied into submission by more dominant world players. So why resist? Some individuals believe that their country will lose independence (well Wales doesn’thave that either and the UK, does excatly what the Bush Administration wants. Because it can). I won’t go into depth about this supposed “special relationship” seems quite one-sided alot of the time.
Further,the EU is the only example of a supranational legal framework; The EU could be the very building blocks of a global world government. It is important to note that there are prime examples of “devolved” government in the EU. The Parliament is located in Brussels but regional government is everywhere. This is an exciting time in Europe, which should be embraced.
It’s important to note that what we get out of Europe is dependent on what we put into it.
Undoubtedly Bodacious 
Personally I’m pro-European, but inconsistencies remain when it comes to democracy within the EU itself (ie the parliament vs the Comission), and also when it comes to the participation of the public, which still remain pretty much in the dark regarding the benefits of the EU, and in the UK only get to hear the cons rather than the pros. Another thing that annoys me is the distribution of wealth and the cost of living, that is to say, we’re already the biggest economy in the world, so when are we going to see the economic benefits of this when we do our shopping?
i’m a european nationalist,
U.S.E. !!!!! U.S.E !!!!!!!!
Come on brothers of europe
I agree with you! The time of the nations is over! Now it’s time to be united and be the new Superpower and put the basements for a global government! U.S.E.!!! U.S.E.!!!
Would be grateful if you could include a link to my blog on yours.
Didn’t ask first time round, however, as I am slowly returning to
blogging, I thought it may pay to be cheeky this time.
Many thanks!
Christopher Glamorgan
http://glamorganshire.blogspot.com/
I thought the EU was already the World SuperPower because it has the world’s largest economy? I was reading on the yale article written by a Professor of Economics. China and India may NOT ever become superpowers because of their herecaluen issues, roadblocks and pitfulls. they may be become SuperPowers of the third world. but NOT the First World. Im an Italian I LOVE the EU yaay! The EU is so great we hate the war, and we think americans are stupid. Thats why we have been putting on strong sanctions on the US over the last few years. The EU is the World’s Chief Regulator quoted in the Economist. Search on Google. EU Chief Regulator and click on the Economist.
Here’s the link from Yale Globe about China and India more likely NOT become SuperPowers. http://yaleglobal.yale.edu/display.article?id=6407 I dont believe China and India will cut it.
GO EUROPA GO EU!! YAAY! OH YEAH I forgot. EU member states will be able to travel to more countries visa free over time. That’s awesome.
I, too, think nothing could be better than for the EU to continue toward a more powerful integration of its economies, people, and power. It’s interesting that not many people seem to note that, throughout history, there have been other “EU”-type entities, comprising separate, autonomous states sharing a common union. The Holy Roman Empire existed for centuries, the British Commonwealth was, if not as separately equal, quite powerful. It would be a mistake that “The United States of America” didn’t also start out as a union of independent entities; it is widely-recognized that, until the American Civil War, the phrase “These United States” was used liberally in politics, because, despite a central executive, legislative, and judicial branch, the states maintained their high levels of autonomy and resented much interference from distant D.C.
While many past multinational confederations have failed or have caused more harm than good, the EU has some promising traits. For one, its highly democratic system, its all-to-recent tragic history with war and desperate want to avoid such future conflict, and its high standards for human rights give it a big push for long-term prosperity.
Even the 230-year old USA started out as a nation that condoned slavery, put the election of its leader in the hands of a small elite, and suffered division among its people and principles from the very start. There’s a rather frightening side to that, however; in the past, even the richest and most powerful of global empires has fallen at some point. Despite its powerful and highly integrated infrastructure, there are many “needle indicators” pointing to various potential problems that keep edging up, and it will be interesting, and frightening, to see how the US deals with its impending problems.
It’s also time again for the US to have a counterbalance – or maybe even better, for the US to have to take a step down from its stance as the only superpower. With the EU’s creation happening and still developing during a period when we are starting to realize the problems that lay ahead, and laying down policy already to deal with many of these future crises, it will have an advantage, and thus, something to share with the rest of the world. The United States, however, will never change its ways unless it gets thrown from the throne of world power and faces reality.
EU with out Russia is disable or no feet and no hands. EU with Russia is not complete . Russia have child country like Belarus, Ukraine, Kahazaktan, Maldova and Georgia. France, Germany and Russia are close friends and solid allies. France and Germany are courting and convincing Russia to joint in EU.
Russia needs EU to become economically and politcally stable. EU needs Russia to become complete and Super Power. Russia joint EU next year is good and great for EU and whole Europe. Ukraine, Turkey, Belarus, Maldova, Georgia, Serbia, Montenegro, Crotia, Macedonia and Albania must joint EU next also. UK and Ireland must remove in EU cause they are the virus in EU, destroying EU, making wars in Europe. UK, Ireland, Australlia, Canada, New Zealand and Israel are the secret states of USA Global empire.
i do not agree, i think countries should be indipendant, yes countries should all work together but not through one organisation, this will creat a super power that my self or my freinds want, its very dangorous and could backfire, haveing the eu as a super power is a bad idea, THE UK WANTS INDIPENDANCE (or i do anyway) if countries wana beat the shit outa each other then let them, our tax and recourses is going in the shit for causes and problems that aint ours, so their… thats my opinion
Naphitsta Ganmao, we do not destroy the EU, belive it or not we are the heart of it, you just jelouse, russia has lots of mineral wealth and oil but dont have the equipment to mine it, we however have the right equipment and the oil could stabalise everyones current situation, because it will save ppl money and allow them to spend it in shops…. the UK put more in than france and germany put together x3, without us the EU would fail, ok they have america but you realy think they could run the eu seen as the the french and german ppl suck and are very selfish…just think befor you say the uk destroys it because if it is it is destroying what it created.
The plan (if it is stuck to) is to end the individual nation states within the EU. So the UK and Ireland would cease to exist and instead there would merely be 13 regions of the EU. Though personally I’m in favour of this outcome I doubt it would be possible to achieve it democratically, the Lisbon Treaty would have had 27 “no’s” if all 27 EU countries had had the vote.
I was a bit puzzled you said: “The U.K or Wales included” in your post, as Wales is currently part of the United Kingdom (along with Northern Ireland, England and Scotland) though perhaps not for too much longer.
Surely one day Russia will join the EU.
Look at a list of Russia’s major problems, surely the EU has most of the answers:
(1) Unpopulated and losing 500k people per year. Not even enough people to cultivate all the land and much of the rest undercultivated.
(2) Lack of top end technology
(3) Lack of capital
(4) Highly reliant on oil and gas, know diversification of its market.
(5) Corruption, inept legal system, poor governance
Look at a list of the EU’s major problems, surely Russia has most of the answers:
(1) Major concerns over access to energy (chiefly oil and gas)
(2) Over-populated
(3) concerns over food security
(4) Defence issues
EU is the rising Super becuase of continuing unity and expanding. EU now is economic and political Superpower. EU needs own Army cause NATO is making troulbe, division and wars in Europe. Russia should joint EU to be more prospouros and stable. Russia membership in EU will give Great Perfect Superpower to EU that will save world economy, make peace in the whole world and to end US and Isreal addicted to war and making war.