A lot has been made about Britain’s recent decision to leave the European Union. While most observers dismiss this as the realization of the inevitable, some fear it marks the end of the EU. Those of us on this side of the Atlantic are wondering who’s right.
European Union
The EU was initially constructed out of the European Common Market. An establishment that began in 1957 with the aim of economic integration among its six founding members (which grew to 12 by 1986).
In the mid-1990s, Europe took an even greater leap by folding together a number of existing bodies and expanding their roles. It became known as the EU. The model was equated to Europe becoming like the United States, with powers being shared between a federal body (in Brussels) and provinces or states.
The article, Public Sector, highlights the division of duties we have here in Canada between federal, provincial, and city governments. And we’ve seen a similar situation when Newfoundland abandoned independence to join confederation in 1949.
The “federal-style” changes brought about by the EU include the following:
- A common currency backed by a central bank (in Germany).
- A free-flow of Europeans to live and work anywhere within the Eurozone.
- A central (or federal) agency for the regulation of food products (like the USDA).
- A central (or federal) agency for immigration.
- Central (or federal) agencies for public health, safety standards, industry, social welfare, foreign aid, the environment, and many other areas including a common strategy for justice and defense.
Changes like these go far beyond the wish to share open markets. They threaten the long standing notion of sovereignty and challenge national pride. And because of these changes, Britain was suspect from the start.
The two largest countries in the EU are France and Germany. They’re the engines behind the push. Most smaller countries readily complied because, for them, this was their way to survive. But middle-sized countries like Britain and Spain were constantly weighing their options. As a result, setbacks were expected.
Greece
We’ve also heard much about Greece and its debt, along with allegations that if only they had their own currency, they could devalue it and get out of this mess. But this is mostly nonsense. Does Manitoba need its own currency whenever times get tough?
Greece is now a province that simply spends more than it makes, due largely to an oversized and overpaid civil service (like Alberta). And when a province runs large deficits over time, it finds itself in financial trouble (like Ontario).
Fun facts
Two more facts to convince you that Britain will survive and the EU is still strong:
- Nine European countries are not part of the EU including Norway, Switzerland, Russia, and Turkey.
- Of the 27 member states, only 19 use the euro. Those abstaining include Britain, Poland, Hungary, Sweden, and Denmark.
Conclusion
Just imagine if Canada joined the U.S. in a similar manner. How would you like it (even if it did made economic sense)? And how would you like the idea of adopting U.S. social platforms like their gun laws? Then imagine the complexity of putting together 27 proudly independent nations, many with their own language, into one overriding body. Did you really expect a project of this magnitude to be accomplished without incident? (Especially considering their histories?)
The EU has, for the most part, been a success and is now roughly the economic size and population of the US. This affords them the ability to develop and sustain projects like the Airbus, effective environmental controls, and collective foreign policy. And today’s young people consider themselves Europeans as much as they do Irish, Polish, or Dutch.
Experts say the EU is a political experiment of the highest importance concerning how human societies think about themselves and their relationships with others. (They’re also witnessing a decline in the traditional loyalties we have to nations and see a shift towards transnational and regional units.) My belief is the EU will continue its success and Britain will someday join again. (Or, maybe they’ll be offered something like a notwithstanding clause and never leave.)