One of the subplots of the wavering support of the United States for Ukraine has been whether the European Union can possibly fill whatever void is left if the U.S.
Thank you, Zachary. Your column was enlightening on so many levels. Europeans and Americans obviously share the same angst: "What's the best we can do now -- for ourselves and for each other." Somewhere in the mix we must find stable ground where we all honor and support trust.
I have admired Europe and lauded the EU since its formation. Not because it's perfect or even right, but because the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. A common history and centuries in the making give it a cultural depth that North America does not have, nor appreciate. It may in fact be part of the current US Administration's apparent disdain for the EU.
The EU is lofty and inspirational, with a deep history and, I'd like to believe, an appreciation for their respective cultures.
Yes, most Europeans enjoy and want to continue to enjoy the good life. The problem is the few inside and outside the EU who oppose this good life. And the few who propose access to the good life for Ukrainians but not for Russians on the same continent. Or indirectly for Africans, Arabs and Asians.
One important critique for why people don't trust the EU comes from David Deutsch arguing why he was in favor of Brexit. I hope I do justice to his reasoning.
He mentioned that for governance to work well, there should be a good error correction mechanism in place. If leaders implement policies that don't go well, it should be easy for the people they represent to influence them in the right direction or substitute them for someone who represents them better. So the British who voted for Brexit simply felt that they had no way to hold members of the EU parliament accountable for decisions that they, the Brexiters, did not agree with. This made me more sympathetic to the people who voted for Brexit.
I think it would be wise for the EU to learn from how the United States deals with states rights to trade off between allowing for fast local decisions and coordinating larger projects that require the involvement of several states.
Thank you, Zachary. Your column was enlightening on so many levels. Europeans and Americans obviously share the same angst: "What's the best we can do now -- for ourselves and for each other." Somewhere in the mix we must find stable ground where we all honor and support trust.
I have admired Europe and lauded the EU since its formation. Not because it's perfect or even right, but because the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. A common history and centuries in the making give it a cultural depth that North America does not have, nor appreciate. It may in fact be part of the current US Administration's apparent disdain for the EU.
The EU is lofty and inspirational, with a deep history and, I'd like to believe, an appreciation for their respective cultures.
Yes, most Europeans enjoy and want to continue to enjoy the good life. The problem is the few inside and outside the EU who oppose this good life. And the few who propose access to the good life for Ukrainians but not for Russians on the same continent. Or indirectly for Africans, Arabs and Asians.
Great piece as always!
One important critique for why people don't trust the EU comes from David Deutsch arguing why he was in favor of Brexit. I hope I do justice to his reasoning.
He mentioned that for governance to work well, there should be a good error correction mechanism in place. If leaders implement policies that don't go well, it should be easy for the people they represent to influence them in the right direction or substitute them for someone who represents them better. So the British who voted for Brexit simply felt that they had no way to hold members of the EU parliament accountable for decisions that they, the Brexiters, did not agree with. This made me more sympathetic to the people who voted for Brexit.
I think it would be wise for the EU to learn from how the United States deals with states rights to trade off between allowing for fast local decisions and coordinating larger projects that require the involvement of several states.