Procapitalism Op-Eds

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January 01, 2007 ... Towards a successful EU project.

From 117 until 1945 imperialism and its military might was seen as the road to unity across the European sphere of influence. Since 1945, unity across the European sphere of influence has been pursued by way of negotiation between states with regard to commerce and justice at the intergovernmental level, and an increasing trend towards supranational regulation as a harmonizing agent and a possible way to define what Europe and is population is from the point-of-view of an EU tending towards a United States of Europe.

Whilst Europhiles contend that the move from outright interstate conflict towards a negotiated coexistence is preferable in spite of the financial cost and arguments [1], the EU project--as it has become to be known as--is very much in danger of faltering badly. This is because of the inability to see beyond the model of a United States of Europe dominated by a centralized and massive bureaucracy. Such a model is as antiquated as the Roman Empire of 117 even though the medium-term ambition of the EU project is to incorporate almost as much territory to the south and east, in an effort to sustain the EU project.

Europhobes, on the other hand, especially from the United Kingdom, have argued that the trend towards supranational regulation and the subsequent United States of Europe is simply the gentler-kinder-machine-gun-hand of imperialism's military might. But as the EU has expanded to the east, and beyond the overarching influence of the dominance of the EU's founding Franco-German alliance, the principles of free trade and free movement of people in pursuit of work and money has somewhat bolstered the United Kingdom's bargaining position in the EU.

Although this has had a temporary and comparatively advantageous benefit for the United Kingdom, it is again useful to refer to history. During the middle-ages and beyond the proclaimed renaissance period, Europe--in comparison to other cultures--prospered greatly [2] because of almost no centralized government impediments with regard to trade and innovation, and the lack of central and fractional reserve banking [3].

The United Kingdom has demonstrated how the EU with regard to the harmonization of trade and free movement of people across the EU can be of benefit. But this is what the EU project must be focused on and not simply an expansion of its sphere of influence by way of a supranational bureaucracy. In other words: The EU project must seek to define Europe and Europeanism in terms of freedom of opportunity and individual freedom under the protection of a supranational constitution, without impeding free trade, innovation, the free movement of its peoples, and without the ability to control money by way of supranational fiat.

Procapitalism is the only Pan-European party which understands where the EU project must be headed to avoid the pitfalls of history, but also understands the examples of history that will lead to a successful EU project.


[1] 'The carrot is, you don't get the stick.' James Baker III (allegedly).
[2] The European Miracle by Ralph Raico -- https://www.mises.org/story/2404
[3] Mises on Money by Gary North -- http://www.lewrockwell.com/north/north86.html

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