Unite or Die: The case for a federal Europe

CARCASSONNE, FRANCE - Unite or Die, the phrase coined in the American revolution, now stands ever so poignant today, as Europeans stand to decide our future in this upcoming Parliamentary Election. The grand internationalism that succeeded the Second World War is perhaps the foundation of the most salient schools of international relations, and which informed the foundation for the new grand Post-War World. Created in order to support the political and economic structures made within the post war world, Liberalism (and Liberal Internationalism) alongside Realism were the ideologies that informed our brave new world. The world order designed to ensure that ‘Never Again’ is never a cheap slogan. Europe was in desperate need for a fundamental shift of its ideological ways of thinking, and boy, did we get it!

The establishment of the European project, alongside a heavy dose of help from the American Marshall plan, were foundational in allowing the stability to advance the European project from its natal stages into the grand success story that it is today. This reconstructed Europe (at least, western Europe) cemented the fact that Europe would always be a world power in some way. However, now we face an existential threat to our grand union, and I’m writing this to say that, just as the Americans had to with their existential threat to their liberty and existence, it is time for Europe to unite or die.  

These schools of thought led the charge of founding what was then the European Steel and Coal Community; where members explicitly sought to knock down the first barriers in order to establish a peaceful Europe, and a better Europe, a United States of Europe. One that former Prime Minister and War Hero Winston Churchill said was something that we (europeans) “Need”, with the resistance fighter and soon-to-be President of the Fifth French Republic General Charles de Gaulles said of its opposition from Nationalistic forces that they were people that “detest others''. Whilst we are progressives, we must acknowledge that our cause is popular not only with our inherently internationalist ideals, but also alongside the great conservative figures of the past. And that if we want a truly united and Federal Europe, that this goal must come with cooperation with the sensible right, alongside the progressive values that we will implement in this new state. We must also not cede the sensible internationalism (and inherently progressive) support of the European Union to liberals and Moderate Conservatives because of natalist ideas that are against free trade (which even Marx supported). In short, we must never forget what the first socialist President of the fifth republic said, which is that “Nationalism, that is war”. 

Brexit Woes 

I would be remiss if I wrote on how Europe must unite, without mentioning the one glaring example of its most recent failure to do so. 

If we do not allow ourselves an honest reflection on the issue of Brexit; both on how the institutions of Europe allowed the people of Britain to become so disillusioned with it, and how we must electorally prepare for the next time a member state attempts to leave, alongside making it widely known common knowledge how Brexit has economically and internationally destroyed Britain, then we will not only fail this time, but we will fail the next, and the one after that. \

The most apparent failure of Brexit for the British people is that it has fundamentally isolated Britain, and hampered its ability to assert itself on the international stage. Whilst Britons have “taken back control” what they control is a fraction of a fraction of the power and influence that they had internationally as a member of something greater than themselves. Which obviously demonstrates the lack of ability that Britain has had in asserting itself in the UK, and that there are little benefits in negotiating that Britain has made in free trade deals that it couldn’t have made easier and better with the support of the rest of the European Union. Its also clear that the supposed economic union that was set to replace the European Union, CANZUK (an alliance of english-speaking supposedly ‘culturally similar’ countries that was spearheaded as a replacement to the EU by Boris Johons), has after four years of Brexit both not economically and effectively replaced the growth and international influence of Britain and has fundamentally failed the British people. The “titanic success” that Boris Johnson promised has not come into fruition, and the people of Britain not only deserve to know that, they deserve to be angry about that. Because quite frankly they gave up the ability to negotiate as a world (arguably) superpower and now have found themselves as a depressing and grey island, which while influential, is not as influential as a superpower the size of a continent. 

The other demonstrable failure of the plan to sever a part of the British identity and culture, is the economic stagnation and recession that has succeeded the era of stable (if, admittedly small) growth that the European Union provided for the United Kingdom. Not only was Britain an economic powerhouse, and the financial center of Europe, and if not Europe, the World; it did so from a position of power even within Europe. Britain and Britons gave up the special status that the United Kingdom had, being able to keep the Great British Pound despite having matched and surpassed the economic criteria that typically mandate entrance to the Euro. Britain now, is again a small player in the world stage, with some of the worst growth figures in the G7, and whilst not technically in a recession any longer, not in a position of economic greatness or power. This, whilst partially due to the financial constraints and destruction of the Conservative party, is also majorly influenced by the fact that Britain has completely blocked itself from the free trade agreement that governed the European Union, or the Single Market. Meaning that British goods are now no longer allowed to pass into Europe freely without customs checks and tariffs. Meaning that Britain has effectively stated that ‘no actually, I don’t want to do business with 700 million European citizens easily, I prefer a great headache for British business and to sell less British products thank you very much’, which, while maybe something that they are able to do, is quite frankly, economically stupid. It is also a demonstrable effect, which can be shown in graphs and other figures. Which as you can see in the graph below, Britain, and more importantly, the British people, are suffering because of the stupid and nationalistic decision that they chose. We cannot morally let any other nation go down the same road.

European Triumph

It should be noted that in the upcoming European Parliamentary Elections, the Far-Right are descended  & the anti-European forces are on the run. Compared to 2019, the anti-european and far-right bloc, Identity & Democracy, are expected to bleed an eleventh of their seats (x, Europe Elects). The Conservative Reform grouping are also expected to lose a decent chunk of their seats. Meanwhile, Pro-European forces (either aesthetically or actually); Are examples of public sentiment around European success. The Renew grouping;s growth of 5% of their seats demonstrates this public confidence in the European project. 

Beyond this renewed popular mandate for the European project, it should be incredibly clear that the maintenance and indeed the expansion of the European Union into a federal project. There should be something that I have to make clear before making the case for Europe. Europe is progressive. Inherently, the ideals that established it, internationalism, immigration, and unity, are all inherently progressive. 

With that settled, why should Europe unite? Why take the effort and spend the dues in order to establish this project?

Well, to resolve the economic question, the answer is simple. Europe works. Europe works in the sense that it provides jobs and opens up the job markets of every single member state (with free trade, another fundamentally progressive idea). Britain has also completely demonstrated to us that Europe brings work. Higher salaries for the immigrants that go to the countries seeking a better life, and for the recipient countries, economic activity, and ensuring that low-paying and extremely difficult jobs are taken up. Britain’s opportunity cost in leaving the one competitive advantage over the world should demonstrate that the bonds that our European brothers have created and strengthened through immigration and economic cooperation are for the best for all nations involved. Strengthening and expanding these bonds allow for progress and growth. If we choose to move forward with the great European experiment we will prosper, if not, we will fall divided. 

Another clear example of the European triumph is the civil stability and the democracy that it inherently spreads. There is no room for illiberalism within Europe. Many have tried, and many have failed, to take over Europe and get rid of the European project. The peace and stability that this liberal democratic regime has brought to the continent is unparalleled. With the example of Poland, we can see how pressure from the federal European project has allowed for the autocratic and anti-democratic forces of the nationalist right to eventually be chipped away at, and with the support of the democratic voting majority, ousted from power. The return of liberal democracy shows that the European Union is integrally a stabilizing structure that spreads liberal democracy and opposes fundamentally the illiberalism that has been insurgent since Brexit and the Election of Donald Trump.  

Another key point of the European project that the European left should embrace with warm and open arms is the freedom of movement and the ability for Europeans to live anywhere that they so chose within member states, without the impediments of visa requirements, to the chagrin of border agents all across the continent. Our continent, when it is interconnected within itself, with economic and personal interests tied inexorably with each other, brings us closer and closer to the classless & borderless society that Marx envisioned in his pennings. 

Do not let the right of Europe fool you, Europe is a fundamental progressive and Leftist ideal. The way forward for socialism, to build our proverbial shining cities on a hill, to build that better future that for so long has been only a dream, is Europe. Anyone who claims the other cannot earnestly call themselves a Progressive. While there are obviously neo-liberal leanings inside of European institutions, that can sometimes restrict the economic progress of a nation and isolate it when they don’t meet the European Liberal’s ideal economy, it should be noted that these institutions can be reformed and replaced, with fair and free institutions that are more agreeable with the cause that we all fight for. 

It should be clear to me as it will be to you, if it isn’t already, that in order for Europe and Europeans to survive on the world stage and thrive past the shackles that nationalism and isolationism impose on us, we must embrace the European project and expand it, past a union of nations and instead a unified government with disparate identities united by the common ideals of democracy, equality, and European sensibilities. This comes clearly because of the failures of Brexit to strengthen the UK, with economic failure, and it’s diminished presence on the global stage; as well as the triumphs of Europe, with it’s unique ability to keep stability and liberal democracy among its member states, alongside alongside it’s economic triumphs, and the triumph of freedom of movement, all demonstrate that Europe must be united. Despite the neoliberal leanings of its institutions, it is clear that the way forwards for Europe is unification and reform. We, as progressives and socialists, must acknowledge that our goals with Europe are to build a fundamentally peaceful and united world. One without the troubles or war, poverty, and even borders. In order to do that it is more and more clear that Europe must be united into a nation of states, instead of a union of nations. We must never forget that progress is unification, and reactionaries; goal is disunity and destruction. We must not lose sight of the bright future that shines from our progress in building a shining city on a hill, one that may even outshine the American’s reactionary tendencies, and the Chinese Autocratic tendencies.