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The Plight of the International Idealists

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Unfortunately for the idealistic internationalists, the mass of humanity refused to go along with this project. Most people lived and found their identities in the local and particular cultures that they were now supposed to progress beyond. Indeed, from 1914-1918, millions of Europeans slaughtered each other on behalf of those national loyalties. In 1918, G. K. Chesterton explained why:

Nobody has any such ecstatic regard for the mere relations of different people to each other, as one would gather from the rhetoric of idealistic internationalism. It is, indeed, desirable that men should love each other; but always with the recognition of the identity of other peoples and other men. Now, too much cosmopolitan culture is mere praise of machinery. It turns ultimately upon the point that a telegram can be sent from one end of the earth to the other, irrespective of what is in the telegram.

In the end, Chesterton says, “Men care more for the rag that is called a flag than for the rag that is called a newspaper. Men care more for Rome, Paris, Prague, Warsaw than for the international railways connecting these towns.”

http://www.victorhanson.com/articles...ton102211.html

How long until the European Union falls apart? When national interests, whether they be territorial or economic, are in opposition to a supra-governing body, like the EU, chaos and failure usually results . This degradation from the collective to the nationalistic is readily demonstrated by both the League of Nations fatal end and the UN's current carnival like internal nationalist pissing contests.

Maybe T.S.Eliott was right.

The union is not falling apart; just growing pains.

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Originally Posted by Dondilion (Post 78291)

The union is not falling apart; just growing pains.

As long as there's money in it for the right people.

Chas

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Originally Posted by Charles (Post 78297)

As long as there's money in it for the right people.

Chas

And that makes the EU different from the USA?

Regards,

D-Ray

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Originally Posted by merrylander (Post 78286)

Maybe T.S.Eliott was right.

Oh, not him again. Analysis of "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" was the final examination for my university literature course. It still makes my stomach queasy to this day.

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Originally Posted by Dondilion (Post 78291)

The union is not falling apart; just growing pains.

It is nearly impossible for a unilateral withdrawal from the EU. The relinguishment of national monetary control is a significant cost for membership IMO. Of course, I have little faith in the efficaciousness of any decision by commitee, let alone, the monetary policy out of Frankfurt. Once one nation defaults a domino effect will occur that will destroy the EU. There is still too much latent nationalism in play.

It would be interesting to look at the Cold War and EU formation and how the relationships between members has changed with the waning of the former Soviet threat.

A plus for the union is that it strengthens currents for democratic governance.

I picked up somewhere, I think Kissingers memoirs, that the EU and specifically the Euro (an 'European currency') was created to keep Germany and France from starting WW3, to integrate them thoroughly.

Pete