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Europe Through American Eyes (End of Europe?)
I think this guy has done a pretty decent job of summarizing a large cross-section of American opinion on Europe, particularly as he's a European and not an American. Whether these problems can be corrected, or even need correcting, depends on your point of view.
Written by Hans Bergstr�m, Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Gothenburg, was formerly Editor-in-chief of "Dagens Nyheter," Sweden's leading newspaper:
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Europe through American eyes Hans Bergstr�m 24 May 2004 Daily Times - Pakistan America sees Europe as excessively inward looking, sometimes dangerously so. Worse, informed Americans see anti-Semitism running rampant in Europe and xenophobic political parties on the march in country after country Europeans are constantly reminded of all that is wrong with America. But perhaps Europeans should reverse the process: what do Americans think is wrong with Europe? Above all, Americans see Europe as a continent of self-inflicted stagnation � and with good reason. Economic growth in the EU was near zero in 2003. Several countries, most notably Germany and France, seem hobbled by inflexible labour markets and regulations that inhibit dynamism. The European Union�s highly touted �Lisbon Declaration� of a few years ago, which proclaimed that Europe would become the world�s most competitive region by 2010, appears laughable to Americans, whose productivity gains seem to scale new heights constantly. America also sees Europe as excessively inward looking, sometimes dangerously so. Worse, informed Americans see anti-Semitism running rampant in Europe and xenophobic political parties on the march in country after country. Not even pacific Scandinavia is exempt from this. Americans see a total inability by Europe to handle immigration in ways that encourage dynamism and diversity instead of antagonism and higher state spending. This seems all the more puzzling because Americans realise how badly Europe needs new immigrants, given its extremely low fertility rates. Europe�s perceived attitude towards rogue states and global terrorism only enhances this perception of self-satisfied inwardness. Americans may differ about what policy should have been pursued in Iraq, but they know that their country cannot run from its role as a world leader responsible for developments in North Korea, the Middle East, Pakistan/India, Taiwan, and elsewhere. It is a jungle out there, as Americans say; not every problem and conflict can be handled through the sort of peaceful, drawn-out negotiations that the EU prefers. Germany and France were against meeting Saddam Hussein with military force, but had no alternative for getting rid of him. �What was the European answer to the problem of Saddam Hussein?� asked Senator Joe Biden in a panel discussion at the recent Davos forum. Biden is a Democrat and strong critic of President Bush. �I asked French and German leaders, but never received any credible answer.� �We are not even ready to forcefully meet conflicts on our own continent,� Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski sighed. Bosnia�s Muslims thank America, not the EU, for their deliverance from slaughter. Europe devotes half as much in financial resources to the military as the US, resulting in one-tenth of America�s military strength, observed Pat Cox, Speaker of the European Parliament. Americans now see Europe as compounding its military weakness by losing its leading position in science. Two-thirds of Nobel Laureates in the sciences during the last quarter century were Americans; many of the others do or did research at American universities. According to Time magazine, 400,000 European researchers now work in the US. Lack of funding, bureaucracies so complicated that even purchasing a used computer is problematic, hierarchies that hamper the joy of curiosity and creativity: all of these barriers confront European scientists and are responsible for inciting today�s �brain drain� to America. Add economics to this recipe as well. Price regulations and other ill-considered features of European policy contribute to the fact that 60 percent of the world�s new drugs are developed in the US, compared to 40 percent only ten years ago. This sterility and inertia make Europe less and less interesting for Americans. So American eyes are turning elsewhere: to China with its 1.3 billion people and an economy growing at 8-10 percent, year in and year out, and to India, with its 1.1 billion people and 6 percent annual growth. Indeed, India now has some of the world�s best engineers, IT technicians and medical professionals. India probably encompasses the world�s largest middle class. With new patent laws coming into place, India will have the same attraction for the pharmaceutical industry as it has for IT, providing clinical trials for new drugs at a quarter of the cost of Europe or the US. While America increases its population somewhat, due to normal reproductive rates and large immigration flows, Europe�s share of the world�s population is approaching a mere 4 percent and seems doomed to growing older as it shrinks even more. Demographic change in the US is also working to change America�s global orientation. With American immigration dominated by Latin Americans and Asians, the US feels its European heritage less. Similarly, domestic US politics is gravitating to the country�s south and west, regions that look towards Latin America and Asia, not Europe. The fall of the Soviet empire, naturally, reduced Americans� security interest in Europe. Is this American-eye view of Europe unfair? Perhaps. It is, however, no more unfair than how America is regularly portrayed in Europe�s media these days. But if Americans are critical of Europe, they are also self-critical, far more so than most Europeans. As a European editor wrote apropos the flow of scientists from Europe to America: �What�s most sad is that Europeans still believe that their society represents the epitome of civilisation, while the US is on its way to downfall. What if the reality is the reverse?� Every European should contemplate that possibility, at least for a moment, before resuming their current aversion to all things American. |
another good short read.
I was unaware India's growth is that positive. Guess I'll look into it for fun.
yip! yip!
I agree with most of what he writes, but think that his points on military and science should be expanded upon to give a clearer picture:
Yes, European expenditure on military is very low, I guess you could say that it is one of the lowest in the world. However, we should not strive to reach the level of the US, which supposedly uses thirteen times as much resources on military than on diplomacy. The right proportion must be between the two extremes.
As to science, then yes, the US corporate environment allows for more rapid development and greater funding for scientists. These benefits are mostly for those who work within "applied science" (here meaning the complement of basic research), though. Basic research has shown itself to be of vital importance to civilization as a whole time and time again, and I think that the American model has yet to show its strength in this area. Furthermore, the mere fact that a "brain drain" *can* take place indicates that the US is not producing enough new talents within science itself. I believe that the reason Europe - even though it is lacking behind in other areas - still can keep up producing new qualified scientists is because our educational system is quite ok.
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| Originally posted by trancaholic I agree with most of what he writes, but think that his points on military and science should be expanded upon to give a clearer picture: Yes, European expenditure on military is very low, I guess you could say that it is one of the lowest in the world. However, we should not strive to reach the level of the US, which supposedly uses thirteen times as much resources on military than on diplomacy. The right proportion must be between the two extremes. |
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| Originally posted by Q5echo I realize that, "thirteen times more", may be your exagerated expression of the ratio |
mHrm14FQ3cJ:www.frontiernet.net/+richard+lugar+13+diplomacy+military&hl=da[/URL]
Good article, although i prefer "the sort of peaceful, drawn-out negotiations that the EU prefers"
Heh, the problem with Europe and its bureaucracy is that it is not a single country, but a conglomerate of independent countries, and that situation drastically increases the amount of paperwork and slows down progress. Personally I think it was a rather stupid decision to let in the new members before deciding on the constitution. Bah, it was an error letting the UK inside in the first place. If it weren't for their vetoes, the EU would have already been a federation.
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| Germany and France were against meeting Saddam Hussein with military force, but had no alternative for getting rid of him. �What was the European answer to the problem of Saddam Hussein?� asked Senator Joe Biden in a panel discussion at the recent Davos forum. Biden is a Democrat and strong critic of President Bush. �I asked French and German leaders, but never received any credible answer.� |
Nah the ordinary American perspective on Europe probably sounds more like this
(read with thick southern accent and banjo music in the background)
"I reckon dem hoity toity uropeens think they better then us but they ain't. I hates them commies. God bless America!"
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| Originally posted by Cal Nah the ordinary American perspective on Europe probably sounds more like this (read with thick southern accent and banjo music in the background) "I reckon dem hoity toity uropeens think they better then us but they ain't. I hates them commies. God bless America!" |
That article is almost exactly how I feel, the guy nailed it on the head. (with southern accent while riding horse yelling yeee hawwww)
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| Originally posted by Yoepus If you read the article perhaps you would realize the utter irony in your post. Perhaps this isn't the American perspective on Europe, but the European perspective on America |
Some may feel that degrading an entire populace--"average" or not--is in good taste. The simple fact is that it is more telling of the ignorace of those who act in this manner. It undermines the efficacy of your argument.
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| Originally posted by Yoepus If you read the article perhaps you would realize the utter irony in your post. Perhaps this isn't the American perspective on Europe, but the European perspective on America |
lol Cal got his ass handed to him.
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| Originally posted by Cal Well pardon me, but the average AVERAGE american doesn't have words like xenophobic, stagnation, and antagonism in his vocabulary. THAT was my point, and you it went right over your head. Nice work. Hell, isn't "informed American" an oxymoron? |
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| Originally posted by Shakka Apparently the average American doesn't know how to use a dictionary either. |
A part from http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/defaul...23-4-2003_pg3_2 on a National Geographic Society survey in 2002
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| The survey was conducted in the 18-24 age group of nine countries: America, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico and Sweden. The results are startling and gravely depressing but explain a great deal about American citizens� attitudes to the great big world out there � or such of it they know about. In the US �nearly 30 per cent could not find the Pacific Ocean; 56 per cent were unable to locate India, home and 17 per cent couldn�t find earth; and only 19 per cent could name four countries that officially acknowledge having nuclear weapons.� Respondents were asked to name the country in which the Taliban and Al Qaeda movements were based (the survey being conducted at the height of the US war on Afghanistan). Sweden and Britain came in at 84 per cent and Italy at 82. The others scored over 70 except Mexico at 63 which is respectable given its modest education standards. America, which had been attacking Afghanistan for months and had troops fighting in that country, was lowest, at 58 per cent. A question about the population of the United States produced abysmal scores all round, with only Sweden over 50 per cent. But everybody beat America, of whose respondents only a quarter got it right. There are many other examples, and the message that comes through, to be as kind as possible, is.... pig dribble. |
wow it so cool that sweden always score so high on these kind of things, we are the best 
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| Originally posted by Cal A part from http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/defaul...23-4-2003_pg3_2 on a National Geographic Society survey in 2002 We should not be surprised that so many Americans believe everything they are told about foreign countries by the propaganda machines whirring away in Washington. Independent, impartial international reportage is almost non-existent on US television. Most major newspapers are partisan to the point of risibility, and local papers are notable for their jingoistic fervour and even, deplorably, their self-righteous, club-swinging, flag-brandishing xenophobia. |
Cal, do you know how hard it is to play Banjo?
actually it's pretty easy, I heard.
...but I bet you play the skin flute like nobody's business!
Aww Did National Geographic make you cry?
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| Originally posted by St_Andrew wow it so cool that sweden always score so high on these kind of things, we are the best |
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| Originally posted by Cal Aww Did National Geographic make you cry? |
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| Originally posted by Q5echo yes. it sure did. it didn't belie the fact that YOUR heritage has no claim history. sorry mr. ad hominem skin flute player. if I go on, I'll be at the mercy of the moderators. later. |
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