We should be taking a more active role in world affairs. Our goals should be bigger than “let’s make sure the Germans and the French don’t fight again”.
Sorry, I can’t bring myself to read all the article after the first few paragraphs. The author seems to purposely mix up the idea of EU having free borders (for member nations) with the notion that Europe should also have free borders with the outside world. That was never the main goal. Of course the benefits are something only for members of EU. Got it, UK? Maybe the author redeems himself in the rest of the article, I don’t know.
the European project has shown “that it is possible for peoples and nations to come together across borders” and “that it is possible to overcome the differences between ‘them’ and ‘us’.”
However, there is something rather Eurocentric in thinking of the EU in this way. In particular, by generalising about “peoples and nations” in the way Barroso does, it mistakes Europe for the world.
This seems like a very personal interpretation by the author.
Personally, whenever open borders etc are mentioned in the context of the EU I know full well that his applies only tho the EU.
I am genuinely baffled that you could think otherwise.
I admit, I have not read the entire article.
It seems pretty long for merely pointing out the incredibly novel thought that the EU does not encompass the entire world.
If you click the link on the name of the author you get a list of all the other articles he has published in The Guardian, and it becomes very clear what kind of agenda this guy is pushing. He is definitely not a fan of EU, but seems to be very fond of the idea of brexit.
That is good that he is not found of what he believes to be Eurocentric. The bot seems to understand better the author than anyone alse commenting here.
I am not a fan of EU either and I don’t see UK leaving the EU as a problem itself but the ideological move, that is also Eurocentric, conservative, xenophobic, based on lies and lack of real “independece” project for the UK economy.
Seen the enthusiasms in people desiring for a EU nation state like terrifies me because I came from a continental country (not Russia) and I know the kind of “imperialism” it entails. As I see the hidden “Nationalism” in many people wishing an EU nation state.
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