2007-09-08 06:09:04 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ International Organizations
The EU functions a bit like colonial America did before the colonies ratified the Articles of Confederation, in many respects.
Economically the EU functions as a bloc and therefore is an economic superpower just slightly larger than than United States in overall GDP.
Politically it can and has acted in "grand concert" where the various national ministers agree on a course of action, however this is rare and it is much more often that
consensus cannot be reached and there is effective paralysis.
The EU has a parliament, but this is largely toothless when compared to the US Congress or Senate , the Bundestag or Landtag of Germany or the Peoples Assembly in China however it's relative power is increasing.
Militarily, the EU has only recently started to coordinate and function as a unit , mostly is as an adjuct to and as an artifact of the NATO alliance, which includes American forces.
Based on previous historical confederations, by about 2050 or so one might expect that the EU would function more like a modern variant the early US government in most respects.
See the CIA page on the EU and US
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ee.html
I also recommend the excellent "Rise and Fall of the Great Powers".
2007-09-08 17:57:48 · answer #1 · answered by Mark T 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I think that the EU can be considered a Superpower.
Population : Greater than the USA
Earnings : Exactly Equal to USA
GDP Growth Rate : Slightly less than USA
Military : None is the offical terms, however "In November 2004, the EU heads of government signed a "Treaty Establishing a Constitution for Europe" that offers possibilities for increased defense and security cooperation."
So theoretically, the EU could have a larger military than the USA. And USA military has roughly 2 million personell I believe.
However, USA will always outspend anyone you compare to us militarily. Both due to research, but also deployment of the most high tech weaponry on large scale. Compared to china, who uses massive ammount of low tech, or Great Britain who uses low count of very high tech (some will say more advanced than USA equipment)
2007-09-09 08:21:01 · answer #2 · answered by vote_usa_first 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
EU is not a superpower. The EU was founded on freedom of trading goods etc, if you mean military power it doesn't really have any power. Each EU member has there own military.
2007-09-08 14:34:52 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
no the EU is not a superpower the only supper power right now is the United States
2007-09-08 15:47:15 · answer #4 · answered by the king USA 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
i see them as emerging but not there yet. North America Trade Union may have a little to do with it all too . Not sure ... these are confusing times / we are at a crossroads/ which is all the more important that we get the idiots of the train and get the conductos on that know what they are doing. Sure they will make some mistakes ,,, but we have got to pick the best guy / girl for the jobs. it's tough .. but we 've got to do it.
2007-09-09 08:53:30 · answer #5 · answered by Mildred S 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
right now maybe but lets see china,japan, which are close to become superpowers sooner or later
2007-09-09 04:33:41 · answer #6 · answered by Mochomo 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No not at this time, but all of the making are there for a Super Power.
2007-09-08 23:08:09 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
They are too fragmented to be any kind of power, save an economic one.
2007-09-09 15:48:45 · answer #8 · answered by bgee2001ca 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Economically -- Yes
Politically -- Maybe
Militarily-- No
2007-09-09 04:29:00 · answer #9 · answered by Gamla Joe 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Yes, they'll take care of Iran so the U.S. doesn't have to.
2007-09-08 18:09:52 · answer #10 · answered by tom p 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋