[ClearCase_guy]

Rome, in other words, was becoming impotent and irrelevant, an administrative and political centre with no means of commanding authority.

The author seems to believe that the EU at one time HAD power and relevance. And that this supposed time of EU ascendancy is now passing away, with the EU "becoming" impotent and irrelevant.

His naivete makes me smile.

[RightWhale]

The EU is not the Roman Empire and cannot be since the Roman Empire is still around.

Unrelated, but interesting: When Rome sacked Carthage, it destroyed everything and salted the fields. But, 100 years later Rome rebuilt Carthage.

[Neophyte]

Leaving the Roman Empire, tribes gradually invented the notion of national sovereignty. It took centuries to fully develop it. The idea and practice of national sovereignty reached its heyday during the epoch of Enlightenment.

EU is a retreat to the pre-Enlightenment times, since the members voluntarily lose their sovereignty (or having been bullied to surrender thereof).

Can that continue for any long historical period?

I don't think so. All the more that nowadays' invaders are not Germans (who were a big unknown in the days of Rome) but Mohammedans of all sorts (whose precious qualities as citizens and neighbours are notorious).

[shrinkermd]

"EUthanasia" Now that is a great, new word for the Euro-weenies.

[Gritty]

... the German Vandal king Gaiseric... Rome simply gave up and left Gaiseric to rule what was now his own sovereign state, though they made several attempts to overthrow him.

The EU had better worry less a "country" will secede and worry more the ever-increasing Muslim hordes will instead overwhelm current populations and rulers and set up their own states, in the very pattern of Gaiseric!

[dk/coro]

I believe your conclusion is right on the money -- even gracious in your analysis of the EU's basic (and mortal) flaw:

Man is inherently greedy and warlike! That is a premise that cannot historically be refuted. Sam Huntington recently spent almost 500 pages espousing and detailing that truism in terms of the ongoing "Clash of Civilizations".

Europe will implode within the next two decades; and the ludicrous fabric of the EU -- with its idealistic multi-national falderal -- will enter the dustbins of history; essentially overcome by demographic realities and the selfish national interests of its several nation-states.

Amen. (IMHO, of course) *S*

[Brilliant]

Bunk.

What will do in the EU is the fact that bigger government is not necessarily better than smaller government. The Europeans don't seem to appreciate this. They are a continent of conformists.

When in Rome, do as the Romans do. When in Paris, do as the Romans do. When in Bonn, do as the Romans do. When in London, do as the Romans do.

They obvious question is: Why? What's wrong with local governance?

[jocon307]

bump for the morning coffee!

[transhumanist]

This fellow's understanding of Roman history is flawed at best. His interpretation of its applicability to the modern EU is laughable. The one similarity between fifth century Rome and modern Europe is the influx of immigrants. The difference is that the barbarians of Rome's time embraced Roman society, political structures, language, military organization, and so forth. They were desperate to seem "Roman". On the other hand, the current European immigrants are truely invaders in every respect, because they refuse to adopt the culture into which they impose themselves.

[McGavin999]

The EU will stay intact only so long as monies are being transferred from the wealthy countries (Germany and the UK) to the poorer countries and as long as France is allowed to pay subsidies to its farmers. As soon as the richer countries figure this out and pull the plug, the EU will be gone.

[BlazingArizona]

Notice how European pundits equate local control with societal extinction? The only good government is a central one, in charge of "harmonising" away every trace of local culture - except, of course, for the invading hordes, who get a special Downtrodden Masses Exemption.

[longtermmemmory]

The Eurocrats are woking overtime to desperatly try and have the young be loyal to the EU and not the home country.

They use the USA as a boogeyman to scare them. Essentially the eurocrats are trying to burn all bridges back home. "you can't leave the euro money", "you can't leave euro regulations because america will take over", and more you can'ts.