Posted on 09/12/2014 11:39:05 AM PDT by Lorianne
The increasing predilection for fragmentation across the continent will result in Teutonic political hegemony - if we're lucky ___ Europe is disintegrating. Two large and ancient kingdoms are near the point of rupture as Spain follows Britain into constitutional crisis, joined like Siamese twins.
The post-Habsburg order further east is suddenly prey to a corrosive notion that settled borders are up for grabs. "Problems frozen for decades are warming up again," said Giles Merritt, from Friends of Europe in Brussels.
The best we can hope for - should tribalism prevail - is German political hegemony in Europe. The German people so far remain a bastion of rationalism, holding together as others tear themselves apart. The French are too paralysed by economic depression and the collapse of the Hollande presidency to play any serious role.
The far worse outcome is that even Germany succumbs to centrifugal forces, leaving Europe bereft of coherent leadership, a parochial patchwork, wallowing in victimhood and decline, defenceless against a revanchist Russia that plays by different rules.
Former Nato chief Lord Robertson warns that a British break-up is doubly dangerous, setting off "Balkanisation" dominoes across Europe, and amounting to a body blow for global security at a time when the Middle East is out of control and China is testing its power in Asian waters.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
I’m sure that headline was designed to be scary. But it makes *me* feel all warm and fuzzy inside...
“The Germans are a comforting people.” ~Sheldon Cooper
Your links go to the wrong article.
Me too!
Decentralization is alive and well.
The rebirth of the Holy Roman Empire.
Thanks, I notified the moderators. Hopefully it will be fixed. In the meantime:
With EU for an umbrella, I don’t see any reason that historical regions such as Scotland or Catalonia shouldn’t separate, and do so amicably.
EU citizenship still allows people and goods to move freely throughout the territory.
The second dark ages.
:-)
Great Britain’s publishing a heapin’ helpin’ of drama and sobbing for Europe. Cheer up. It’s not all that bad.
Very good article. Worthy of a close read.
North Carolina is trending purple, and may well turn blue in a few years.
The reversion to natural and familial borders continues, as the illegitimate Empires of Europe are finally buried.
PS: Russia is not monolithic either. Ukraine was in fact the birthplace of Russia (Kievan Rus) and we know that they haven’t exactly crawled back into the tent. Belarus same story.
The challenge for the future will be to integrate these states economically, while maintaining only a loose confederation politically, and do so without war and bloodshed.
The model is the Velvet Divorce of the Slovaks and the Czechs. Only Emperor Putin and the Council of the EU doesn’t get that.
How ironic that Germany, one of the most balkanized European countries only 150 years ago, should be the glue that holds together Europe — the same Europe it nearly destroyed twice in the last century.
Germany is too strong to come apart. They will dominate Europe for quite some time. Germany is a young country, made up of many nation states that came together. Sort of like the United States (which is not so united these days). Stronger together than separately. Once East and West rejoined, there was no stopping them from taking over Europe peacefully this time. Hopefully they can conquer that muslim thing going on in Europe.
Folks, we have witnessed what balkanization has resulted in. It generally isn’t peace.
IMO there is more to be gained by simply accepting the situation as it is at some point. Now is as good a time as any.
Is it the sound mind that seeks separatist success, or is it merely another aspect of the Marxist ideology working it’s magic? I would suggest it’s the latter.
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