When or Can a unified Europe dethrone the US?

[xyyz]

There's talk about how the EU will might surpass the US in the world's most recogonized and strongest currency in about 20 years.

What does a united Europe spell for the future of the US? Right now we can pretty much get away with what we want since noone can match us, but when you have a region slightly larger than us, that is collectively equal to us in development... and you give this region a few years to get it's act together... will they replace us as the foremost power in the world?

I see many hawkish members knock the liberal european members regularly... but will you people be able to do so in the future when Europe surpasses the US economic might?

 

[AaronP]

never

 

[LuNoTiCK]

20 years is quite a long time. Who knows what will happen really, and anything can happen. But europe will never be more powerful than the US. Never will happen.

 

[Bulk Beef]

<< I see many hawkish members knock the liberal european members regularly... but will you people be able to do so in the future when Europe surpasses the US economic might? >>

You're right. Maybe we should launch a preemptive strike now.

 

[Amused]

Not a chance in hell unless they stop punishing success and drifting more and more into socialism.

 

[Cooltech2k]

If Europe Becomes 1 Country than I Think North America Will Also... Because if America Wasnt as Powerfull as it is where would that leave Both canada & mexico? With Canada's 2 Hets & Mexico'a 3 Tanks To Defend themselves against Onslaught of agressive nations...

 

[UberNeuman]

<< but will you people be able to do so in the future when Europe surpasses the US economic might? >>



Maybe when they offer goods and services that top what the U.S. has...

 

[JonnyDuke]

Well... it is possible, but I would think it might take longer than 20 years to happen. The US didn't become the economic power of the world right away. I'm not even certain we did it within 100 years.

 

[Nemesis77]

It's impossible to say what will happen in 20 years. 20 years ago Soviet Union was at the peak of it's power, look where they are now. You can't really say that EU will surpass USA, or that EU will never surpass USA, because we can't tell what will happen in the future. No-one 20 years ago could see the collapse on Soviet Union/communism, yet it happened.

As for drifting to socialism. I don't see that happening in the EU, quite the contrary!. Many countries have cut taxes and privatized former state-monopolies.

 

[glenn1]

<< will they replace us as the foremost power in the world? >>



Well, it would take a lot of factors coming together which don't currently exist.... i'm not sure if the countries of Europe, even under the umbrella of the EU, enjoy a competitive economic synergy where the whole becomes more than the sum of the individual parts.

I think the EU has a reasonable and very achievable probability of achieving economic parity with the U.S., but the dominance the U.S. currently enjoys consists of so much more than just the almighty dollar. In fact, one could argue that the social and cultural influence the U.S. and the values and way of life it presents to the world is a greater factor than its economic or military influence, IMHO.

 

[Czar]

alot can happen in 20 years, and I think that its more likely that China will be the one to take over the US as the biggest super power of the planet.

I personaly think that the US will never be dethroned by any nation, the only way for the US to be "dethroned" is from the inside.

 

[JonnyDuke]

But then again the EU isn't really a Nation unto itself but rather a collection of long established foreign governments who have decided to share a common currency based on the ability of one governing body to dictate the taxes and resources of all members.

 

[Nefrodite]

wahaha china and an united asia!!

bah, europe would do well to convert to english as their official language and used everywhere, a common culture, use the dollar, and call themselves the United States 2.0

 

[StandardCell]

The US is too business-friendly and has taxes much lower than any EU country. I can't see the EU takeover of top spot happening.

 

[xyyz]

mind you, i'm thinking of a united europe... one currency, no immigration restrictions... etc. not europe in it's current form.

i dunno... the EU already has some pretty liberal immigration policies... (I think since 9/11 they've become a bit tighter, but not as tight as the US)... and you have some elites from less developed countries who choose to go to Europe over the US. If Europe continues to allow these people to come into it's borders, after some time they'll have the academic might to match the US.

this is specualtion, but Europe has it's poor nations around the baltic sea area that welcome the oppurtunity to work any sort of blue collar job... which can be used to really boost tedious manufacturing jobs... the sort of work that we export to mexico and to pacific rim countries.

europe also has many resources...

factor the intellectual base, resources and a blue collar base... and they are pretty self sufficent.

the only thing that we in the US have working for us at the moment is our embrace of, well as form of capitalism that is extremely unrestrictive, I don't think any other nation has a system of capitalism like ours... however, I think Europe will soon get on the bandwaggon once they realize to become a serious economic powerhouse, they'll need to lax some of their socalist standards.

we've already seen how big a bitch europe can be when it comes to US business interests... for example the GE-Honeywell merger was blocked by the europeans.

 

[Nefrodite]

ioh i forgot to add one common government no bs presidents and stuff for each country, just representatives with a powerful central government. all countries will then become states not gonna happen! wahaha!

oh i forgot to add lax immigration. increase the brewing racial strife within europe, that would be sweet!

 

[Nemesis77]

<< The US is too business-friendly and has taxes much lower than any EU country. I can't see the EU takeover of top spot happening. >>



It aint as simple as that. For example, Finland has significantly higher tax-rate than USA does, yet Finland is considered to be the most competetive nation in the world, surpassing USA. Taxation is seen as one of the factors limiting Finland competetiveness, but even with high taxation, Finland is in the top in international comparisons.

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[xyyz]

china will never detrhone the US... china doesn't have the clout that a united europe would have.... I mean how many mergers has china been able to block.

the US has it's thumb on the Chinese jugglar, economically at least. also... China is too riddled with corruption.

besides.... communisim and free enterprise is an oxymoron don't you think? I mean it has worked... but how much can it grow?

Although, one point to note... in last weeks Electronic News or some periodical about the electronics/semiconductor industry... they said that China is booming with semiconductor foundaries... and that many companies are looking to outsource production to mainland china.

i personally see the only real threat china poses to the US in the form of it's massive millitary.

 

[AnthraX101]

It's possible, doubtfull, but possible. One thing you keep forgeting is that the US won't just stand idly by while the EU attempts to take all it's business away. We would use both active and passive means to keep it with us.

Armani

 

[Nemesis77]

I don't think either that China could challenge USA or United Europe. At least the current China we know and love. I honestly think that sooner or later, modern China will implode. The communist regime can't control the nation forever. I would say that withing 10 years we will see major change in China. Revolution, civil war or something like that. Or the communist party could just increase the civil- and political liberties so much that it couldn't be considered to be same country anymore.

 

[xyyz]

you forget though... that they can do the same... which brings us to a statemate.

 

[JonnyDuke]

Nemesis-

The only reason for Finlands competitiveness is Nokia. Practically half of the world owns a Nokia phone

 

[jjones]

<< mind you, i'm thinking of a united europe... one currency, no immigration restrictions... etc. not europe in it's current form. >>


This is the problem. I don't believe Europe will ever be truly "united". Europe has always had internally competing political and economic interests and I really don't see the EU overcoming the self-interest of individual nations. As good as the EU sounds, it is still rife with separate political and economic agendas and I think ultimately the EU will become, as it already shows an inclination, nothing more than a beaurocratic quagmire. Keep in mind the EU is really in response to keeping up with worldwide economic competition; it was formulated with this in mind as a means of preserving the status quo and guarding against future economic competition. You can beat all the drums you want and paint pretty pictures, but in the end, they are just keeping their heads above water in the world's economic picture.

 

[Nitemare]

<< I don't think either that China could challenge USA or United Europe. At least the current China we know and love. I honestly think that sooner or later, modern China will implode. The communist regime can't control the nation forever. I would say that withing 10 years we will see major change in China. Revolution, civil war or something like that. Or the communist party could just increase the civil- and political liberties so much that it couldn't be considered to be same country anymore. >>



You mean like Tienamen Square?

government ain't going to let that happen..They are having to reform some of their ways though since the Olympics are heading that way

 

[Nefrodite]

um finland is a country of 5 million people, thats puny. they only have 90thousand foriengers living there, thats puny! bad example


they rely a large amount on trade too once countries around them start catching up...