Former EU workers' thoughts...
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As a person who used to work in a European Union institution but nevertheless held a very sceptic view of the EU's claims about itself and its own power and importance, I was especially interested in this book. Leonard's central claim is that the EU is going to run the 21st Century for three reasons: firstly, because the combined weight of all European countries will give the EU significant clout on the world stage. Secondly, because of the ring of former European colonies in Europe's near abroad that are financially dependent upon Europe and which can therefore be "moulded" to fit Europe's requirements. Thirdly and finally, because all of this will make other countries see the EU model and its success and copy it, and thus all the world will be Europe. In other words, the EU is going to gain power because of its model, and it will lead the world by example.
Leonard's argument falls down in three important areas. Firstly, he seems to take for granted that all Europeans want the EU to assume state-like status, when they don't. He also seems to think that the EU should become a strident political actor on the world stage, despite its failed attempts to do so in the past (like the shameful failures of the EU to do anything when Yugoslavia imploded). Finally, he overlooks the fact that many other countries in the world hold the EU's claims about itself not as morally overpowering stances they must emulate, but as the moralistic and hollow boasts of a weak, fragile institution that cannot put bark in its bite. Russia and Iran are especially good examples of this, and far from seeing the EU model as something they must admire and emulate, see it as a fragile structure they can easily ignore and divide amongst itself. Leonard does not explain how the EU could or should over come this.
All in all, the book is a short and cheerful read. It is very accessible and is not overly "heavy" and academic, and is rather light reading, even for those with no particular interest in politics. Nevertheless, the claims made by the book are hard to believe. The fact Leonard works for an EU funded think tank also affects the credibility of his conclusions, and may explain his reluctance to point out the weaknesses of the EU. The EU no doubt has a role in the 21st century, but as global trend setter? Perhaps not.
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Recommended.
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I find it really annoying that all the anti-European comments come from the only Europeans who don't really understand what is going on.
Because those who know don't ever bother to say much. Yes, we all know the problems that you and everyone else mentions here.
No structure can ever become perfect against any elusive ideal. Only, that the complexities of the reality you describe serve only
to blind you from the simple truth. And the simple truth is that Europe has a larger number of good brains than all the others combined.
(I will not bother to prove this to anyone. Do your own research.) Now, when the other "potential superpowers" do their projects
they "beg" for the assistance of European scientists. It does not really matter how many tanks and fighter jets they build under our guidance,
because simply put, we keep our best and most hi-tech ideas for ourselves. One thing that does not characterize us any more is naivety.
As for the insignificant local events you mention, like local politics and constitution, it is just a matter of time before the average citizen
becomes a bit more educated and intelligent, maybe a generation time, just remember the concept that everyone forgets, that of "the Evolution of the Mind".
If the citizens of Ukraine today can not understand today why the constitution IS a good idea and why the European officials MUST be unelected (!!)
perhaps their children will, one day.
And finally, all citizens, especially the British (who, by the way are the ones with the inferiority complex, due to their recent loss of the superpower status)
will wake up to simple reality of what the European Project is all about; you can call it "Scientocracy" or Technocracy.
It means the gradual destruction of all the primitive national beliefs of the past and the barbaric cultures they represent as well as the dismantling of that archaic,
chaotic and semi-functional method of governance called "Democracy" and its replacement by a merit-based hierarchy that promotes the empowerment
of the intellectually capable over the whims of the uneducated masses and their political representatives.
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Lots of unsubstantiated speculation... not much more.
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Reading the weighty list of acknowledgements at the back of this book (politicians, academics, think-tanks and an army of researchers) you could be forgiven for thinking the preceding pages contained a substantive and well-balanced critique of the European Union, backed up with a considerable body of evidence. You would be mistaken though. Leonard would have better entitled this book "Why the United States will not run the 21st century". It is a largely speculative and anecdotal commentary along the lines of writing by populist authors such as Will Hutton (who incidentally endorses the book). What it fails to do is make any note-worthy comment on the European Union, and seems instead to get side-tracked with a considerable bout of Bush-bashing, and a lengthy discussion on the so-called `Eurosphere' - wildly suggesting that the EU should and will expand to 50 or more states, encompassing Africa and the Middle East. In this book I had hoped to find some pro-European comment to help balance the mass of Euroskeptic material available, but was sorely disappointed. His attempts to address issues such as the loss of sovereignty amount to saying "well it was going to happen eventually", and with regards to the democratic deficit in the EU institutions he simply refers to a mysterious `democratic revolution' without actually bothering to say what this means. To his credit he makes some broad-reaching and interesting comments on the future of regionalism, but it lacks clout and evidence to support it, and ends up being nothing more than baseless speculation. My search for a substantive pro-European argument continues.
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Bias
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It is an interesting read, but will Europe Run the 21st Century? Ask yourself this question if the EC cannot have it own account signed for the 10th year running because they cannot account for the missing money would you like them to run the 21st Century?
If you are Pro EC then buy otherwise dont bother.
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Interesting, but ultimately too biased.
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I purchased this book as reading material to help me with a pro-EU essay and I have to admit that it was reasonably useful for that purpose. It's basic premise is interesting, that the EU's way of doing things is ultimately the best one, but it really doesn't progress much beyond repeating this basic argument, with occasional other positive comments on the EU thrown in for good measure. If you want to massage pro EU feelings that you already hold, or to gain an insight on a different point of view to your own, then this book may hold some interest. But if you are contemplating a choice of books on the EU my advice is that there are plenty of better books out there.
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