European Identity - Individual, Group and Society - HumanitarianNet

EUROPE: MEANING AND MOTIVE 61diplomatic, economic and defence policy are all in American hands.The European Union cannot resign itself to merely occupying anadministrative role, while the Americans assign themselves to thecockpit. At meetings in Doha (Doha agenda for development vialiberalization of trade, November 2001), Monterrey (cooperation fordevelopment, 2002) and Johannesburg (sustainable development,August 2002), the political and economic significance of the EuropeanUnion obliged our representatives to function as a world power. It wasincumbent upon us to respect a politically, economically, socially andculturally autonomous Europe; in the midst of increasing social andeconomic imbalances and growing insecurity on a global level, thisEurope was seen to champion sustainable development, the resolutionof regional conflicts via dialogue and cooperation, and regulatedglobalization —in short, the only solution compatible with our values.Why is it that Europe is continually invoked as a source of hope forso many men and women, irrespective of their geographic situation orsocial and cultural background? Fundamentally, it is because of ourpromise (which has been broken so many times over the years) to bethe bearers of a message delivering solidarity and peace. If the Unionwere to have greater outside influence, it would be possible to curbthe American tendency to abuse power, and would revitalize ouralliance with the other, emerging America, itself more faithful to theenlightened beliefs of the founding fathers. For as long as the statusquo remains, the United States will maintain its calculatedly ambiguousstance whereby on the one hand its imperial placet is granted tomultilateralism when it is not affected, and on the other hand, its ownstrategies are imposed with overwhelming force when it suits thecurrent conservative governing groups to do so.The fact that the Americans have been prepared to acceptmultilateralism in the World Trade Organization is only thanks to thefact that Europe is now a commercial power with enough might todeal with the United States on equal terms. One can also imagine thatif the euro is successful over the coming months then it may sway —oreven overcome— American resistance to reforms in the internationalfinance system.Another of our assets is cultural diversity. In this way, we are thebest-equipped authority to resist monopolies in the audiovisualindustry, the flood of consumer goods and the uniformity imposed onus by multinational companies. When faced with such an enjeu interms of civilization, our struggle for the diversity of European culturesin the face of Anglo-Saxon capitalism is also an encouraging referencepoint for other cultures which are in danger of being colonized.