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Internal Links- Europe Econ key world/Econ key soft power
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- Internal Link- Europe Economy key to Soft Power/Unity
Internal Links- Europe Econ key world/Econ key soft powerEuropean global economic dominance allows it to expand it’s soft power to all areas (Mark Leonard, Center of European Reform director of foreign policy, February 05, http://www.cer.org.uk/articles/40_leonard.html)
For all the talk of American empire, the last two years have been above all else a demonstration of the limits of American power. American dominance is only clear-cut on two levels: the ability to fight and win intensive conventional wars, and the ubiquity of American popular culture. Joseph Nye has characterised these two kinds of power as 'hard' and 'soft': the ability to get your way by coercion and attraction. Both are declining currencies. Terrorism and weapons of mass destruction allow the desperate and weak to neutralise the superpower's military machine. The more the US administration resorts to employing hard power, the greater the damage to the country's soft power. These days many see the US as less of a saviour than a harbinger of war and instability. The more that America flaunts its strength, the less it is able to achieve its goals on the world stage. Meanwhile across the Atlantic, Europeans often by accident have been developing a new kind of power. This 'transformative power' works in the long term, and is about reshaping the world rather than winning short-term tussles. It cannot be measured in terms of military budgets or smart missile technology, but is captured in treaties, constitutions and laws. And when we stop looking at the world through American eyes, we can see that each element of European 'weakness' is in fact a facet of its extraordinary transformative power. Europe's power is easy to miss. Like an 'invisible hand', it operates through the shell of traditional political structures. The British House of Commons, British law courts, and British civil servants are still here, but they have all become agents of the European Union implementing European law. This is no accident. By creating common standards that are implemented through national institutions, Europe can take over countries without necessarily becoming a target for hostility. The same is true for the European troops who often serve away from home under a United Nations or NATO flag, rather than the European banner. While every American company, embassy, and military base is a terrorist target, Europe's invisibility allows it to spread its influence without provocation. Europe lacks one leader, being a network of centres of power that are united by common policies and goals. This enables Europe to accommodate ever-greater numbers of countries without compromising their independence. At the same time, Europe can provide its members with the benefits of being part of the largest market in the world. Europe's obsession with legal frameworks means that it transforms the countries it comes into contact with, instead of just skimming the surface. The US may have changed the regime in Afghanistan, but Europe is changing all of Polish society, from its economic policies and property laws to its treatment of minorities and what gets served on the nation's tables. The lonely superpower can bribe, bully, or impose its will almost anywhere in the world, but when its back is turned, its potency wanes. In contrast, the strength of the EU is broad and deep: once sucked into its sphere, countries are changed forever. Europe doesn't change countries by threatening to invade them: its biggest threat is to cut off contact with them. The prize of European Union membership has already transformed countries such as Spain, Greece, Poland and the Czech Republic and is starting to have a similar effect on Turkey. Beyond the 450 million citizens who are already in the European Union, there are a further 1.3 billion people in 80 countries umbilically linked to an EU that is their biggest trade partner and main source of credit, foreign investment and aid. Thus nearly one-third of the world's population live in the 'Eurosphere', Europe's zone of influence, which is gradually being transformed by the European project. Compare this with the US approach to its neighbourhood. The EU is deeply involved in Serbia's reconstruction and supports its desire to be 'rehabilitated' as a European state. The US offers Colombia no such hope of integration through multilateral institutions or structural funds, but rather the temporary assistance of American military training missions and aid. Europe's transformative power is underpinned by a vast internal market which, according to some calculations, has become the biggest economy in the world. But it is the quality of Europe's economy that makes it a model. Europeans have shorter working hours and longer holidays than anyone else on the planet. European societies have lower levels of inequality and consequently a lower crime rate. If America represents the freedom of the individual to consume, and Asia the importance of social stability, Europe allows its people the best of both. It combines the energy and freedom of liberalism with the stability and welfare of social democracy. As the world becomes richer and moves beyond satisfying basic needs such as hunger and health, the European way of life will become increasingly attractive. Internal Link- Europe Economy key to Soft Power/UnityThe European economy is key to EU success, unity, and soft power (Harvard Political Review, 4/22/08, written by Rachael Burns, “The European Union: Successes of Soft Power”, http://hprsite.squarespace.com/the-european-union-042008/) On April 18, 1951, six European nations came together to form the European Coal and Steel Community in an effort to mend the relationships World War Two had torn apart. The economic alliance of these six countries planted the seed for a growing movement towards a more peaceful and united Europe. Now, more than 50 years later, there are 27 members of the European Union and three candidate nations awaiting membership. Of the many regional organizations that have emerged over the past half-century, the European Union is the only one to have achieved successful economic and political integration, making it a model organization. However, the large number of member nations inhibits efficient change and quick responses on foreign policy issues, preventing the European Union from transcending its regional status. The economic success of the organization has established it as a global leader in a more nuanced way, giving it an important voice for democracy in Europe and around the world. Slow but Sure A number of inefficiencies are born from the number of member states, most prominently the slow passage of treaties. In 2001, when the European Union voted on the Treaty of Nice, only one country, Ireland, voted against it, and it was not until 2003 that a reformed version of the treaty came into effect. Similarly, in 2003, France and the Netherlands voted against a constitution that had been proposed the previous year, effectively stopping its progress. The European Union’s reliance on cooperation and its respect for sovereignty inhibit agreements to reform or enlarge the organization, and provide obstacles to policy unification efforts as well. The European Union has undergone much difficulty in presenting a united front on foreign policy. Jonas Tallberg, author of Leadership and Negotiation in the European Union, told the HPR that member states have differing regional alliances on foreign policy issues. He pointed to the current turbulence surrounding Kosovo as an example of these allegiances coming into conflict. A stronger voice on foreign affairs, however, would require a centralization of power that would necessitate member states giving up a degree of sovereignty, which they hold very dear. In an interview with the HPR, Éamon Ó Cuív, Irish Minister for Community, Rural, and Gaeltacht Affairs, said that every member nation has a list of boundaries that they would not be willing to cross in relinquishing sovereignty. Ireland’s, he said, included military affairs, social issues, and taxation. “Soft” Success Even without coercion the European Union, using soft power, is able to maintain high standards for the democratic and humanitarian policies of its members. The economic prosperity of E.U. countries serves as an incentive to cooperate. Tallberg called the promise of membership “a carrot for states in the near regions, in terms of stimulating reform,” citing the central European nations as examples. Similarly, Ophelia Eglene, co-author of New Models of Collaboration for Delivering Government Services, told the HPR that in representing a desirable market of more than 500 million people, the European Union can require companies who want access to their economy to comply with their regulation. It has also, she said, become a strong leader on environmental issues, holding its member nations to stricter regulations than those required by the Kyoto treaty. The European Union, therefore, exerts global influence without a unified foreign policy though a commitment to democracy, and an ever-growing voice on global issues like the environment and development. The European Union as a Model In the short term it is unlikely that other regional organizations can exert influence in the way the European Union does. Organizations like the African Union and the Association of South East Nations are struggling to emulate the success of the EU, each with its own challenges to overcome. Cindy Courville, United States Ambassador to the African Union, explained that members of the AU “have different political histories and realities. Infrastructure, political institutions, taxation, and regulation of commerce are things that many African countries are still establishing,” she said. “The AU can benefit from looking at how the structures of the E.U. are set up and picking and choosing among them.” The exact structure of the European Union cannot function in every situation, but the organization can serve to inspire others as a coalition that has overcome differences to create a shared economy and voice. It is through this inspiration, and a firm message on democracy, that the European Union will wield its influence. 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