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Today I came across yet another debate on YouTube over which is better.  The European Union or the United States.  Endless jibes as people strived for supremacy over one another.  'Europeans are weak!'.  'Americans are obese and ignorant!'.  The usual playground nonsense, and then World War II reared its ugly head.  It quickly descended into serious stuff.  We've all heard the common, associated phrases about most of us speaking German, or the Americans arriving late to the European theatre.  Many seem to think Germany is still a Nazi dictatorship or that France has never won a war in its history.  But there's a real sense of malice.

I often wonder why this is.  Combatants in this battle for the high ground don't usually have an extensive knowledge of WWII.  There's often a general lack of insight into the current political landscape.  Most of the time they've yet to even set foot in each others' cultures, preferring to conduct their attacks from opposite sides of the Atlantic.  They recycle phrases repeated to death already.  So what's fuelling this fight?

The United States is the lone superpower in the world today.  No doubt China is rising rapidly, Russia handles its resources to great political effect and the EU is an economic giant.  But there is no power on this globe as all-encompassing as the United States.  Therefore, much like the great empires of our history, from the Romans to the British, other nations watch America closely.  From the government to the people, every move the US makes is scrutinised, judged or occasionally applauded.  There's a need for people to compare themselves.  It's used as a benchmark.  If we're behind, we'll catch up, but if we're ahead they'll damn well be told we are!  This is more than friendly competition.  It's not easy living under the spotlight.

But what I find preposterous, are those who support the EU taking part in these arguments at all.  After centuries of war and strife, we finally achieved peace on the European continent.  It isn't a throwaway achievement, to be taken for granted and used to begin further wars outside of Europe.  Attacking America is nonsensical.  It's a fight that cannot continue.  We've learned from the mistakes of our past.  We've developed a new Europe.  A new approach to dealing with our problems.  We must take the same approach in conducting our relations with the US and the American people.

'United in Diversity' isn't a motto that should be applied only to the European Union.

by BritishEuropean
 


Comments

ForFederalEurope

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 09:12:51

There have always been competion between major nations whether it is political economical or scientific. And this is a good thing! This pursue for prestige have been tending to contribute to, encourage, or bring about some result in many areas. Space exploration, particle physics, astronomy etc. have benefited from this lust for regognition.

The problem is the nationalism American and European alike. It seems to obscure sense from otherwise intellectual people and make them say ignorant things without considering twise.

And what is the most unfortunate thing is that many Americans and Europeans seem to define themselves in contrast to others and they see others through faulty stereotypes.

 

fzam0009

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 05:57:12

The truth is Americans have a different way of doing things. They dislike us Europeans for believing in social policies and we are against the their foreign policy.

In the future when Europe's voice will be just as loud as that of the US, there is going to be some kind of confrontation between the EU and US.

This is probably the main reason for these debates. Personally I am one of those who supports the idea of a federal Europe and always gets into arguments with Americans.

My reasons for this is that they have removed democratically elected leaders from power and installed dictators -despite believing in democracy,vetoed numerous resolutions in the UN including the declaration that education, work, health care, proper nourishment and national development are humans rights.

And I also find it frustrating when Americans try to have a discussion and talk plain nonsense, for example, I've read an article by an anti-socialist American who had no idea what socialism is about. Another example another American was big-headed because it takes the 27 EU countries to have a greater GDP than the USA: my reply was: "why is it that 50 US states are not enough to reach the GDP of the EU's 27 states? - I'm waiting for him to approve the comment.

Therefore another reason pro-EU get into these debates is because American stupidity is just overwhelming.

 

marino39

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 06:30:42

I think that we've got right to criticise USA for actions that their take on international level. They affect us all so why not ? War in Iraq didn't bring anything good. A lot of people died and much more will die. Why do they even start it? I have no idea. In my opinion we shouldn't force anyone to change their political system at least not militarily. It spread a lot of hatred around the world and it is main reason why USA was atacked in first place. Of course their domestic affairs doesn't concern me as long as they haven't got any impact on my life.

 

Veni Vidi Vici

Sat, 29 Aug 2009 02:30:10

Quote from fzam0009: "My reasons for this is that they have removed democratically elected leaders from power and installed dictators -despite believing in democracy,vetoed numerous resolutions in the UN including the declaration that education, work, health care, proper nourishment and national development are humans rights."

You are right, but bear in mind that Europe (esp France & the UK through their colonies) had been doing the same for centuries prior America even existed and, in some case continue doing it today. That is realpolitik. Spotight is now on the US foreign policy because they are the major power, but history is just repeating itself... Empires rise & fall, geatest marks are left by those who, beyond the imperial policies which are common to any empire, have had different approach that gave their people a special aura...Such as the Persian empire (led by Cyrus the great) which freed the Jews from the Babylonians...Long before humanists ever existed in Europe and well before the French revolution...

 

Arthur

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 04:05:40

The lack of knowledge Americans have about for instance social politics is just shocking. For instance this is what Sarah Palin had to say about Obama's healthcare plans:

'The America I know and love is not one in which my parents or my baby with Down Syndrome will have to stand in front of Obama's 'death panel' so his bureaucrats can decide, based on a subjective judgment of their 'level of productivity in society,' whether they are worthy of health care. Such a system is downright evil." –-Sarah Palin, in a message posted on Facebook about Obama's health care plan, Aug. 12, 2009

In this quote she says that Obama's health care plan consist of a panel with people who decide who gets healthcare and who doesn't. And that they base who gets healthcare on their productivity in society. This is not what is in Obama's plan. These are her prejudice about social politics and there are many Americans who think alike.

I believe that a lack of information about the different systems is fueling the discussions between Eurpeans and Americans.

 

mark

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 12:05:14

All european union countries combined are stronger then the USA thats the reasons why the strongest countries of europe are working together.

 

Crispin

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:06:22

"All european union countries combined are stronger then the USA thats the reasons why the strongest countries of europe are working together."

To what goal do you believe Europe is trying to achieve by, (trying) to work together? Is it to be a world power? Is it to unite all Europeans against USA? Or is it just to make sure every human being gets proper care and food.

 

(American)

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 21:05:07

I must confess I find you all a bit intriguing. I will admit that many of us (Americans) have a "greater than thou" attitude when looking upon the rest of the world. While I think this is absurd, one must look at where we get these ideas. Most of the teachers in our schools today are of the generation that grew up listening to the stories of their parents in the second world war, of how America saved Europe from Nazi Germany. While this is only partially correct it has left an attitude of superiority which is passed from generation to generation, and will continue until we find a way to stop it. I hope that as Europe has found a way to come together after the events of this century that the United States will be able to do the same and join with it's neighbors and allies to one day form a greater alliance and eventually with the European Union to form a "United Earth". As for a lack of knowledge, we have been making every effort to inform our populace on important matters, however many people are accustomed to getting everything from the evening news, which cares more about the neighborhood cat then foreign affairs. One day we will come around to understanding the rest of the world, but the world must give us the time to figure things out on our own first, then we can truly join a global community.

 

European Malteser

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 15:16:40

I guess europeans are just sick of America doing what it likes whenever they feel like it. In the UN if America says no to something that has a big impact on the out come. I'm completely pro Europe and I think it should be one Country, not to fight America but because I think by doing so we will have a bigger say in what goes on in the world.
We also have to remember that America is a right country and don't really have a left wing at all unlike europe who are left. So this is probably big cause for arguements against us and them.

 

nickkorsgen

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 06:36:15

the first problem here is why are we trashing each other when the european union and the united states could be the greatest allies the world has ever seen. never has there been a time where 2 continents like this have had such close ties. the united states has a stronger government becasue the e u is simply just starting off. im american i support the e u but look how long it took you guys to finally unite under one flag. we did it from the very start and people dont understand the true difficulty of this. it is yet to be seen if the e u will turn into a law making body and if e u law will be the law of all countries under the flag. as long as people in france still consider themselves the french and the same with germans the e u will be nothing more then an idea. americans took 50 states and united them under one flag and that is the real difficulty and where the real sucess comes from. the e u has the ability with the u s to turn the world into a peaceful place and we will see if the e u can make taht happen.

 

Arekusandaa

Fri, 09 Apr 2010 13:03:09

I venture to suggest, as an American, that the federal system of the United States is antiquated at best and pathetic at worst. It manages to keep an odd mixture of centralized government and state government that is essentially empty statism. So for isntance there is very little national context here: most do not particularly feel that they are a "member of California" or a "member of New York", (or a member of one's County) and instead have a rather vague feeling of "being American." Now, a more widely encompassing sense of context is actually something to aspire towards -- ultimately, one would hope, people will become accustomed to thinking of themselves as human beings incarnate on the planet Earth, irrespective of locality, nationality and all such things -- but it is my experience that in the US, that sentiment manages at one and the same time to be vaguely broad ("from sea to shining sea") and strangely narrow; one will think of the country at large as if it is one's personal property, but one will not and cannot know very much about the dispirate parts of that country and, to an even greater degree, one is cut off from other nations of people because the US are a very strange world unto themselves! Therefore while I do hope for the eventual outgrowth of national sentiments, as I said, the current situation of the US in which people feel somewhat scattered across an enormous country and live under the somewhat vague notion that it is all theirs, while simultaneously more subtly feeling that they have no real context and feeling completely withdrawn from outside peoples through the sheer expanse of space, simply should not endure. New and better social forms should arise.

If I let myself get creative I can envision a world in which enormous, well-designed poleis supercede states and nations. Staying within the present reality of the US, however, I support either a radically reshaped federalism or, preferably, a peaceful and salutary breakup of the country. Ironically I'm not at all opposed to the formation of a North American Union, provided that the US were already dissolved and that the new nation-members of the former possessed a good deal of identity and autonomy, both as a whole and amongst their various parts -- for such things, we should perhaps look to the cantons of Switzerland. Thus my idea of a NAU is perhaps in stark opposition to many conspiracy theories; I believe that such a union could revitalize and reconnect the people of the US with their neighbors and with the world.

 



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