Ferguson's essay/ Europe
Ferguson essay on an apolar world is very interesting. History seems to be a series of peaks and valleys. Our recent concept of progress, and a constant state of improvement, is a relatively new concept. The peaks seem to get higher and higher as we build on past achievements, and the valleys seem lower and lower by comparison. Ferguson speaks more eloquently about this, and the global situation than I can, so I'll leave it to the reader to come to his or her own conclusions.
As for Europe emerging as a world power... Hah. The foundation of European power has been colonization, and bringing in revenue from around the globe. Now, Europe has no colonies, a dwindling and aging population, and little relevance outside it's own continent.
Europe is like the old Grandmother who won't stop talking at a family event. People will let her rant on out of respect for her, but noone really pays attention to her or cares what she says. Yes, Grandmother may have been beautiful, and relevant in her day, but her day is long gone. Grandmother doesn't care about younger people, or today's issues. She talks about films released 50 years ago, news stories from WWII, and people who lived the better part of a century ago. And periodically she'll tell you about her latest health concern. Still, you listen to be polite. Inside you hope she'll either shut up, or learn to listen, but you know that won't happen.
Europe thinks she's the matriarch still deserving to run the family. The reality is quite different.
And on the subject of the European Union, I've always wondered what the foundation for power for the EU is. In America, we believe that power flows from the ground up. "Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed". Where's the power base for the EU? It seems to have a top down philosophy. That power comes from the governments themselves. This bothers me. A logical extension of this would be that rights are things to be given to the citizens, by the government. This has profound implications.
As for Europe emerging as a world power... Hah. The foundation of European power has been colonization, and bringing in revenue from around the globe. Now, Europe has no colonies, a dwindling and aging population, and little relevance outside it's own continent.
Europe is like the old Grandmother who won't stop talking at a family event. People will let her rant on out of respect for her, but noone really pays attention to her or cares what she says. Yes, Grandmother may have been beautiful, and relevant in her day, but her day is long gone. Grandmother doesn't care about younger people, or today's issues. She talks about films released 50 years ago, news stories from WWII, and people who lived the better part of a century ago. And periodically she'll tell you about her latest health concern. Still, you listen to be polite. Inside you hope she'll either shut up, or learn to listen, but you know that won't happen.
Europe thinks she's the matriarch still deserving to run the family. The reality is quite different.
And on the subject of the European Union, I've always wondered what the foundation for power for the EU is. In America, we believe that power flows from the ground up. "Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed". Where's the power base for the EU? It seems to have a top down philosophy. That power comes from the governments themselves. This bothers me. A logical extension of this would be that rights are things to be given to the citizens, by the government. This has profound implications.
posted by Anonymous at 6/22/2004 03:31:00 PM
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