BIG TEST FOR EUROPE

It rather appears that the new American president does not believe in the EU, is, perhaps, even frightened of it, and wants to do everything possible to see it fail. The person who is most likely to be the American rep to the EU seems to be of those views too. This is realistic. If the EU can hold together then it could become more powerful than the USA. If the dollar ceased to be the major international currency, the euro would probably replace it. It is no wonder that America wants to sabotage those possibilities. However, the real danger to Europe comes from within at the moment. A great deal hinges on how well the nationalist parties do in elections this year. This is their big chance to derail the whole process. If they succeed, the EU will probably collapse into a medley of countries all in competition with one another and Russia and the US will profit from the divisions. If they fail then they probably will not get another chance and the EU may emerge as a great power. In the normal way of things, these internal and external forces may interact. A hostile outside world tends to bring people together. The question is whether the people of Europe will see the danger in time to avoid driving themselves over a cliff. Meanwhile the US will do what it can to bring Britain under its wing. Whether the British people want to become Americans is another question.

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  • I think that you are right on several points
    - countries are becoming more selfish (and hostile)
    - the influx of refugees has given the people on the extreme right an opportunity and the election of Trump has given them hope
    - the very rich certainly have more influence than the poor

    I would not go so far as to think in completely conspiracy terms. Nobody has that much control and although the rich recognise a common interest in some areas, they do not trust each other.

    I think that Trump actually sees the situation more clearly than many of the other players. He sees that America's dominant position is threatened. The threats come from several directions and he is taking rather drastic action to counter them. The knock on effects for other countries may well be bad, but the other countries are also greedy and frightened so they may well not do anything effective to prevent America having its way. Only China and Europe are anywhere near being able to challenge the USA's position, so he is targeting them. It all makes sense in a Machiavellian kind of way.

    As for destroying the social democracy, you may be right to some extent, though a degree of social democracy is welcome to the super rich because it keeps the peasants docile.

  • What about the idea that all this is following a pre-established pattern, guided by the masters of the world (club Bilderberg, Rochild, goldman sach ... etc) to destroy a world of values, to destroy the social democracy. The proliferation of fascism in Europe, the avalanche of refugees resulting from wars of interests, the decay of socialist parties.Everything points to the European countries becoming increasingly selfish, seeking only their own interest in place of the common good.

  • Expecting the USA to look after us comes at a price. I think that Trump will cultivate Britain more than Obama did because he wants to divide and weaken Europe. He will also feed resentment of Germany in other EU countries for the same reason. What he might not see is that this may well drive some European countries into closer association with Russia. If Germany were to do so then there would be a considerable earthquake in international relations.

  • It's difficult as most people in the UK have become adults having grown up in a don't worry the USA will look after us environment.
    Support economic development nuclear weapons and being big brother in general.
    The U.K. In my opinion never really embraced the EU if for instance we had started to use the euro I honestly believe fewer people would have voted to leave.
    For me I see the EU as big brother the USA see us as quaint and are far too distant in terms of miles and culture to depend on.
    And when prope like Trump are in power you never know when you may become the distant relative that only gets remembered occasionally.
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