Current Events & Trends: Europe: to separate or form a superstate?
What's the best course for Europe to take to emerge from its ongoing crisis?
The editors of The Economist magazine and Harvard financial history professor and Newsweek columnist Niall Ferguson tell us that a federal superstate is the only viable way out of a horrendous financial disaster in Europe.
An Economist lead editorial asked, "What will become of the European Union?" ("The Choice," May 26, 2012). It answered: "One road leads to the full break-up of the euro [the single currency of 17 of the 27 members of the European Union], with all of its economic and political repercussions. The other involves an unprecedented transfer of wealth across Europe's borders and, in return, a corresponding surrender of sovereignty. Separate or superstate: those seem to be the alternatives now."
Niall Ferguson put this dilemma much more emphatically in an interview with Ben Laurance in Britain's Sunday Times: "'It's too late to unravel the single currency,' he says. 'People talk about that as if that option existed, and it simply doesn't. It's an illusion to think you can just kick Greece out without unleashing a real nightmare of contagion through the banking systems of the peripheral [European] countries" ("One Nation (Under Germany)," May 20, 2012). Only the Germans have the financial wherewithal to save the euro and the "European Dream."
Ferguson continued: "The complete descent into disrepute of national political elites makes the case for federalism." Witness, as he pointed out a little earlier in a Newsweek article he wrote, France electing a champagne socialist as president on promises of taxing the rich up to 75 percent of their income and a lower national retirement age, as well as Greece electing a ragtag coalition of disparate splinter groups. Also Spanish fiscal policies have resulted in 50 percent of youth being unemployed ("Niall Ferguson: The European Farce," May 14, 2012).
As Ferguson went on to say, "The national politics of continental Europe is collapsing and that's paving the way towards a federal solution." He now believes that the presently plodding German political machine will finally act swiftly "when the chips are down" (ibid.)—despite the conclusion of his Newsweek article: "Here, then, is the twist in my tale of national character. For two generations, the Germans really did want to take over Europe—by force. But today, when they could do so peacefully, they can't be bothered." Of course, as we've seen at several stages, European events can be fast-developing.
The title of another article in The Economist pointed out that a federal Europe would inevitably result in "An Ever-Deeper Democratic Deficit" (May 26, 2012). Ultimately in practical terms, sovereignty will be shifted to a tough, bureaucratic central authority—in Brussels but most probably eventually in Berlin.
Based on an understanding of end-time Bible prophecy, The Good News has been forecasting the emergence of a new European superpower with incredibly strong global tentacles reaching around the world (see Revelation 13; 17-18). For further understanding, download or request our free Bible study aid booklets You Can Understand Bible Prophecy and Are We Living in the Time of the End? (Sources: The Economist, Newsweek, The Sunday Times [London].)
An Article from:
Good News Magazine: July - August 2012
Course Content
Jerold Aust
Jerold Aust has served in the ministry for 52 years, as a public speaker for 58 years, a published writer for 38 years, and is employed by UCG’s Media and Communications Services. He is a Senior Writer, interviewer, and editor for Beyond Today Magazine and has taught Speech Communication for UCG’s ministerial online program and the Book of Revelation for ABC.
Jerold holds a BA in theology from Ambassador College, Pasadena (1968), an MA in Communication from California State University, Fullerton (1995), a distance-learning Ph.D (2006), and a Famous Writers School diploma in non-fiction writing (1973). Additionally, he studied post-grad communication at University of Southern California (1995), radio, TV, voice-overs, and Public Relations at Fullerton College (1995-1996), and graduate communication at Wichita State University (1978). Jerold has taught communication at the University of South Alabama (7 years) and ABC (17 years). His published works include, Ronald Reagan’s Rhetoric: Metaphor as Persuasion and EZSpeakers: Public Speaking Made Easy in 7 Steps. Jerold's overarching goal is to share with humankind its incredible destiny!
John Ross Schroeder
John died on March 8, 2014, in Oxford, England, four days after suffering cardiac arrest while returning home from a press event in London. John was 77 and still going strong.
Some of John's work for The Good News appeared under his byline, but much didn't. He wrote more than a thousand articles over the years, but also wrote the Questions and Answers section of the magazine, compiled our Letters From Our Readers, and wrote many of the items in the Current Events and Trends section. He also contributed greatly to a number of our study guides and Bible Study Course lessons. His writing has touched the lives of literally millions of people over the years.
John traveled widely over the years as an accredited journalist, especially in Europe. His knowledge of European and Middle East history added a great deal to his articles on history and Bible prophecy.
In his later years he also pastored congregations in Northern Ireland and East Sussex, and that experience added another dimension to his writing. He and his wife Jan were an effective team in our British Isles office near their home.
John was a humble servant who dedicated his life to sharing the gospel—the good news—of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God to all the world, and his work was known to readers in nearly every country of the world.
