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Lunch » Tags » Books » Reviews » The United States of Europe

The United States of Europe

1 rating: 2.0

2004 non-fiction book by T.R. Reid

To Americans accustomed to unilateralism abroad and social belt-tightening at home, few books could be more revelatory—or controversial—than this timely, lucid, and informative portrait of the new European Union. Now comprising 25 nations and 450 million … see full wiki

Tags: Books, History, European History

Author: T.R. Reid

Genre: International, Popular Culture

Publisher: Penguin Press

Date Published: November 4, 2004

1 review about The United States of Europe

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A persuasive case for the European point of view....a real eye-opener!

Apr 5, 2010

by drifter51

Rating:

Before reading "The United States of Europe" I had some pretty cut and dried opinions about the continent, the nations and its citizens. For years I have been reading in the American press that Europeans were sponging off American largess. After all, the reason that Europeans had so much vacation time and could afford so many generous social benefits was that the American people were essentially paying for the defense of Europe. I thought of most Europeans as flaming liberals who were disconnected from reality and unwilling to assume their fair share of responsibility for the goings on in the rest of the world. I was getting pretty tired of subsidizing their lackadaisical lifestyle. I was told by our political and business leaders that the United States was still the world's leading economic power and would likely continue to be for generations to come. In "The United States of Europe" author T.R. Reid makes a succinct and compelling argument for the European position on many of the great issues of our time and explains why the European Union has suddenly become a major player on the world scene.

"The United States of Europe" had been in the making for several decades. Many war weary Europeans came to the conclusion at the end of World War II that perhaps the only way to avoid another devasting conflict was to pool its vast talent pool and resources and work together toward common goals. And so, ever so gradually, the European Union was conceived. This bold idea gained more and more momentum over the decades and what has emerged is a New Europe, richer and more influential than anything anyone could have imagined just a decade ago. Indeed, most Americans have failed to see it coming.

"The United States of Europe" traces the history of the stunning poiltical and economic achievement that is the New Europe. Today, more than two dozen nations are a part of the European Union. Citizens of these countries are free to live and work anywhere in the EU. Former enemies are now allies. There is a common currency, the Euro, which has been wildly successful. Cooperation has replaced trade barriers and armed conflict and state of the art transportation grids have made travel throughout the New Europe much easier. At the same time most Americans have absolutely no idea that their own well being and the American economy may ultimately be threatened with the goings on in Europe.

To be sure, T.R. Reid does see a few problems on the horizon for the EU and does not fail to point them out. But on the whole Reid appears to embrace most of the European agenda. Personally, I still have a number of concerns about some priorities of the so-called New Europe. "The United States of Europe" is an important book that needs to be widely read here in the U.S. It seems to me that it is critical that the American people fully understand the nature of the political and economic consequences posed by the New Europe. Recommended.