From medieval rivalry to the Pax Democratica: why Europe’s unique political ecology was always destined for integration, and why it must now defend that legacy alone
Thank you, Claire!. Your concern is better addressed in the next article.
Still, a short answer: when Europeans democratically agree that some part of State action is mostly non political, often it is either taken (monetary policy) or harmonized at the European level.
This is very useful, and has been sucessful. It makes Europe both a real political structure, but not a country. We shall defend it, first of all by understading its limits.
Arturo, gracias for this "A short history of Europe" text with important reflections and historical moments. Have you read or are you familiar with Ulrich Beck's ideas and arguments in "Cosmopolitan Europe"? It is about both the EU's development as well as the EU in relation to our world in general.
Well I am not sure is so much history: in this and the next article, the real background is an alternative to "nationalist" realism (vg. Mearsheimer) in name of "institutional" realism. See this recension of "the Dictator's Handbook" by Bueno de Mesquita:
The EU's estimated Total Fertility Rate (TFR) for 2025 stands at approximately 1.30. Only South Korea (1.09) and China (1.0) are lower—both exhibiting even more extreme signs of demographic collapse. However, it's worth noting that European figures often fail to differentiate between native and non-native births, which may obscure the full picture of population replacement dynamics.
This raises a fundamental question: How can Europe endure without Europeans? For many neoclassical rationalists—who conceive of humans as interchangeable economic units—this is not even a valid question. But for those who take seriously the implications of human biological diversity and the long arc of gene-culture coevolution, it is a central and urgent issue.
I remain fully supportive of European integration as a civilizational project. But integration presupposes continuity—something to integrate. If current trends continue unchallenged, we may face not merely a post-American world, but a post-European Europe.
Very interesting. I've cross-posted it. I wonder if you share the concern I raised: the EU's lack of a stable center of legitimate power.
Thank you, Claire!. Your concern is better addressed in the next article.
Still, a short answer: when Europeans democratically agree that some part of State action is mostly non political, often it is either taken (monetary policy) or harmonized at the European level.
This is very useful, and has been sucessful. It makes Europe both a real political structure, but not a country. We shall defend it, first of all by understading its limits.
Arturo, gracias for this "A short history of Europe" text with important reflections and historical moments. Have you read or are you familiar with Ulrich Beck's ideas and arguments in "Cosmopolitan Europe"? It is about both the EU's development as well as the EU in relation to our world in general.
Well I am not sure is so much history: in this and the next article, the real background is an alternative to "nationalist" realism (vg. Mearsheimer) in name of "institutional" realism. See this recension of "the Dictator's Handbook" by Bueno de Mesquita:
https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/kBLJgARsfXW5xYLtj/the-dictator-s-handbook-book-by-bruce-bueno-de-mesquita-and
This is (in my view) the "real realism".
Regarding Beck, I did not know about him, and I will read this short and free article (before decding about the long book):
https://www.iemed.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/QM10_Ulrich_Beck_en.pdf
Thank you for your interesting comment!
Thank you as well :)
The EU's estimated Total Fertility Rate (TFR) for 2025 stands at approximately 1.30. Only South Korea (1.09) and China (1.0) are lower—both exhibiting even more extreme signs of demographic collapse. However, it's worth noting that European figures often fail to differentiate between native and non-native births, which may obscure the full picture of population replacement dynamics.
This raises a fundamental question: How can Europe endure without Europeans? For many neoclassical rationalists—who conceive of humans as interchangeable economic units—this is not even a valid question. But for those who take seriously the implications of human biological diversity and the long arc of gene-culture coevolution, it is a central and urgent issue.
I remain fully supportive of European integration as a civilizational project. But integration presupposes continuity—something to integrate. If current trends continue unchallenged, we may face not merely a post-American world, but a post-European Europe.