Why do the British people fail to see the huge advantages of creating a European Superstate?

Question

The European Union as a unified democratic federal state would constitute the world's largest economy and unitary market. Its unified military power would provide a counter-balance to unstable powers such as Russia, China and the United States. Most of all, we Europeans would be a lot more prosperous and secure than we are now.

You people have no vision. 'Where there is no vision, the people perish'.

Frightening to see how much anger this simple question generated. Looks like British people just can't get out of the narrow nationalistic mentality. The fact is that the UK cannot compete economically and militarily with countries like China and the USA.

There was no hint in the question that a European Superstate should simply be an extension of the present inadequate EU. I envisaged something more along the lines of the USA which is, after all, a constitutional confederation of 50 states all of whom retain the right to secede.

As for language, it is highly likely that English would be the major official working language of such a confederacy, so perhaps the British will feel a little more comfortable with the idea of cozying up to those dreadful foreign chappies...

Answer 1

Couldn't agree more

Answer 2

Since when did European Governements follow the will of their people? Your representatives want to share the wealth. They are nostalgic for communism. Take Norway for instance. They are one of the world's largest oil exporters and they only have 4 million + people. That's less than the population of the New York Metropolitan area alone. The EU proponents believe that oil wealth is just too much for such a small number of people and they want to get their hands on it. You can say the same of German Technology, Dutch ports etc. It's all about the money and power. The nationalistic sentiments of the people is irrelevant. That's why there is a BNP.

Answer 3

You sound like Stalin. Do you remember the soviet union, and that turned out well. Can we stop this superstate s**t!!! Every european country has a long history of different culture and beliefs - weve swapped lead once or twice when those differences have come to a head. The EU and the future collapse of it would see those hostilities happening again. Money is being sent east to the balkans from the more affluent western europe countries and we in the uk are being flooded by immigrants and now i hear talk about north africa coming to the EU! I thought all liberals were against opprehsion and dictatorships - the EU is exactly that, a government that we cannot vote in or out. We vote in the government of each nation but all they do is simply repackage the EU ideals to be more palatable to the nations public. Napolean and Hitler must be kicking themselves - i bet they wish they thought of taking over europe like this.

Answer 4

The European Union is a JOKE!
No country can agree with what other countries want in the EU.
A unified military is a pipe dream, it will never happen because:
1/. Every time there is a war the EU sits picking it`s nose and scratching it`s ar$e.

2/. It is always, always, the UK and the USA that have to intervene, because the rest of the EU are *******.

There are country`s joining the EU that have nothing to give and take everything out.

One more thing....I am NOT European!!!
I`m British full STOP!

Answer 5

combining our economies would not make the people any richer on its own, in fact it is more than likely some people would become poorer as well as some becoming richer. the menu costs would be extensive and unifying legal and banking systems problamatic at best.
i don't think we need a unified military force, russia and china are becoming more balanced by the month and we shouldn't rely on a army to stablise or power it would more likely lead to an arms race.
so how would we prosper speaking dozens of different languages, a parliament to big to decide on anything, excessive red tape (all its really given us so far) which will lead to a reduction in economic growth, and as for secure you would be encorporating a political system with such a diverse range of cultures it could cause instability.

Answer 6

You are correct in some ways, but tragically wrong as a whole.
It may very well provide the world's largest economy and a counter-balance to Russia and China.

We have a saying here in the U.S. : Be careful what you ask for because you just may get it.

As power is given up by smaller countries to a larger entity, so is relative control by the people. If you want to sacrifice any resemblance of freedom and control of your own life for the benefit of large corporate powers and their government lackies, go ahead and accept the EU as a good thing.

Answer 7

It's not democratic! It's costs the tax payer a fortune to run!
We pay in far more than we get out by a huge margin!
They impose on you what other countries want whether you like it of not!
It's a bureaucratic nightmare!
It's helped destroy our fishing industry in favour of other fishing industries such as Spain!
Other countries don't always obey the rules, but because we're stupid, we do!
Now they want Turkey to join. Only a small part of Turkey is in Europe (most of it isn't), and Turkey is NOT a European culture it is middle eastern Arab based (although the turks aren't actually Arabs)!
The EU is an artificial empire and like all empires it will eventually collapse.

Unfortunately you just can't see it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 8

Thats just it we do SEE,many of us have our eyes WIDE open..... The entire EU system of rule by directive has been designed by bureaucrats for bureaucrats. It places sweeping powers in the hands of those who are UNACCOUTABLE, UNELECTED and IRREMOVABLE and who are NOT bound to the people of United Kingdom by a duty of allegiance to the Crown. This infringes the people's sovereignty and birthright. It is therefore unconstitutional.
Democratic.......are you joking?
There is no such thing as a European people or nation that could give the EU a democratic basis. Democracy means government by the people, the "demos" in Greek. It means people choosing their own rulers and deciding their own laws, either directly by referendum or indirectly though electing representatives to a parliament or legislature, or
the EU by its very nature is anti-democracy, after all the only people with any power is the unelected, undemocratic European Commission. I see quite clearly thanks...

Answer 9

Britain is already losing its identity, why would we want to give Brussels the power to finish the job?

The average British person will tell you that the majority of the negative things about this country today have been forced upon us by European government.

I'm sure there would be advantages to handing over complete control.... but for whom?

Answer 10

speak for yourself about being European, I'm a British subject, why do you pro Europeans prevent us voting on the many many changes that have occurred since there was a vote on staying in the EEC. the EU bears no resemblance to the original EEC. why should we want ( or need ) a European superstate, run by faceless ( and in many cases ) unelected people.

thank god there are people like Karen who can see the real future of this corrupt EU.

Answer 11

Because, everybody, each country has different priorities and ways of life. We all have different laws, customs, taxes and if we suddenly amalgated in to one people wouldn't be happy. We'd also have hellish problems with migration as there wouldn't any borders and it would generally lead to the degeneration of individual cultures. There'd still be a huge discrepancy in quality of life between say the UK and Bosnia.

There's quality of life to consider as well as the economy and political weight. The way you've phrased your question, it sounds as if other European states are in favour of this. Who?