Would a North American Union Work???

Question

For the record, I am strongly opposed to globalization. But if the North American countries (the USA, Canada, Mexico, and perhaps some Carribean and Latin American nations ... technically they are part of North America, too) formed a union similar to the European Union, would it work?? Or would it be extremely harmful to the U.S. and Canada, who are the only real economic powers in North America? Would there be ANY benefits to a North American Union?

Answer 1

There are two simple reasons it wouldn't work:

(1) Those other countries know that America would dominate the union and would never want to give up their sovereignty to a country many of them resent or are distrustful of.
(2) Most Americans would be resentful of giving up even a little bit of their sovereignty to a larger body (just look how the US constantly disagrees with and ignores the UN, and refuses to give it any real power)

There are hundreds of smaller reasons it wouldn't work as well.

Answer 2

Well, if we're comparing the proposed North American Union to the European Union and our worries are with weaker North American Nations, one has to look at the nations in the European Union. Malta? Cyprus? They're not exactly the most ecomonically prevelant nations in the world and yet the EU is functioning just fine.

It's brought Europe together and made the continent a powerful voice in international politics. The proposed North American Union could do the same with the Carribean nations and their voices internationally. But then again, the United States itself speaks for many of these nations. So it might be a bit of a waste if we only look at that aspect.

All in all, I believe that a North American Union would not be a bad idea, but at the present time it is unneeded.

Answer 3

The EU has powerful powers in areas related to economic performance. Labour laws, environmental regulations, even some human rights are involved in the equation. That would have to be instituted for the system to work well in North America.

But even that wouldn't work. In the EU you have 4 major players of roughly the equal economic size. England, France, Germany and Italy are all strong economic powers with which smaller countries can side with depending on their own needs. In a North American Union, the USA is a behemoth, and doubtless will not be forced to accept anything it does not see in its own benefit.

It's a nice idea, but a level playing field is pretty much impossible with the current status of countries of N.A.

Peace

Answer 4

No way would a North American Union work if we used the EU as a model to go by.

Only two parties would benefit from such a union: wealthy industrialists and Mexicans and other latin americans who are more than happy to work for far-too-low salaries in factories -- because that's where our jobs are already going thanks to NAFTA.

We'd also have to drop border restrictions if we followed the EU as a model and that would mean the U.S. and Canada would become flooded with Third World migrants which would certainly drive down our countries respective economies.

The only type of union that could possibly work would be a U.S./Canada Union, and I think there's far too much old time rivalry there for that to ever happen.

The EU can work because of all the member countries, four are also G-7 members (German, France, the UK, and Italy).

In short, the North American Union is an impossibility.

Answer 5

The question is, why on earth would you bother with that? A lot of hassle for little or no benefit. Let's face it: the primary reason for efforts at European Union is to prevent Europeans from constantly waging vicious war on each other, as they've been doing without pause for 3000 years.

Answer 6

Interesting question.

Once in place I think it could work, but it would be difficult to establish the framework for an enforceable agreement considering the differences in North American countries' respective economies.

Answer 7

As long as Mexico chooses to not value education as much as the US or Canada, a union would never work. You can't have two highly-educated countries along with a country where everyone depends on bribes to get by because free education ends after sixth grade.

Answer 8

I think it could work.

Mexico has the 13th best economy in the world.
E.U the first.
Canada the 9th.

And if we use the energy and benefits of mexico and canada this could work perfectly.

And mexican free education is:
Kinder Garden
Primary
High School
University

Answer 9

have advocated that since 1976~couldn't implement it from a antique pawn shop in the middle of the children of the corn