Germany and Italy Decoupling- New EU Taking Shape?
This is a great piece by David P. Goldman, the psuedonymous "Spengler" over at his economics focused Inner Workings blog. It is very interesting and highlights the likelihood that Europe will split and the EU will be largely a northern affair. Something, I surmise, like the Hanseatic League of the 13th-17th centuries.
The real, long-term question for Europe is whether the Franco-German relationship can remain relatively close. Historically, this has not been the case. Indeed, it is one big reason that they became so very tied together during the creation of the EU project, namely to overcome the past with a new history. This now seems dubious as Germany, in many ways, is now "winning" in a way that Kaiser Wilhelm II and Hitler might only have imagined. Germany is becoming THE cog of all of Europe.
The backlash against this will determine the future of the European's Kantian notions, but it seems that "history" is back in vogue in Europe.
By the way, I am currently reading Goldman's "Why Civilizations Die," it is very good and riffs off of much of what he has previously written. A couple of years ago I even blogged on his themes myself and encourage all to read it.
It certainly makes the old, "Demography is Destiny" line seem quite appropriate for our times.
Posted by Greg R Lawson at 12/19/2011 6:44 AM 
Categories: Geopolitics, Geopolitics US, France, EU
Tags: Germany Italy EU Crisis Sovereign Debt Economics History France
Categories: Geopolitics, Geopolitics US, France, EU
Tags: Germany Italy EU Crisis Sovereign Debt Economics History France
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