The challenge for Europe

Carl Bildt, the Swedish foreign minister, gave a speech at the IISS in London the other day. He cited a passage from Felipe Gonzalez, the former prime minister of Spain, a socialist, where he claims Europe will either unite or become insignificant globally. The same passage was suggested by a report dedicated to the single market of EU cited by Olle Schmidt, a Swedish European parliamentarian and liberal.

Carl Bildt further said that the economy now was paramount for world security and thus decommissioned all security personnel dealing with nuclear warheads and such insignificant matters. Foreign Affairs seems to sing the same song. The US: call us when our economy is back in shape. What Bildt did not bring up was if the EU could manage without federalizing. Is it possible to create a prosperous economy without political integration, which currently seems impossible to achieve if the elite will not coerce the public?

The economic success of China is impressing many these days not considering what suffering might be necessary for this feat. It is interesting to ask whether China will fractionate rather than if the EU would federalize? There was some discussion a while back of the US fractionating as well. This could mean that the Gonzalez idea of insignificance could be wrong.

I envision a battle of ideas between Asia and the West due to individualism vs. collectivism. Individualism is necessary for democratic development due to the fact that collectivism breeds authoritarianism because more people would have to be coerced into obedience by a forceful leader. Individualism leads to smaller groups where the difference, biologic variability of people, can prosper. Europe, without federalization, might be on the right track?