Europe the Second Superpower
Case Title: Europe, the Second Superpower
Facts of the Case:
Europeans, both among themselves and in the transatlantic relationship, have experienced extraordinary amity, cooperation, and policy success.
Europe is the only region in the world, besides the United States, able to exert global influence across the full spectrum of power, from “hard” to “soft” and projects intercontinental military power. America and Europe have drawn closer together, its military operations, moreover, are conducted almost exclusively in close cooperation with the United States. Certainly no region or country, save America, possesses a portfolio of military capabilities and a willingness to use them comparable to Europe’s.
Europe is, in contrast to the United States, a “quiet” superpower. It specializes in the use of economic influence, international law, “soft power” and “smart power.” In fact, Europe today is more effective at projecting civilian power globally than any other state or non-state actor. More fundamentally, European governments are the strongest and most consistent supporters of international law and institutions across the board Europeans fund 38 percent of the UN’s regular budget, more than two-fifths of UN peacekeeping operations, and about one-half of all UN member states’ contributions to UN funds and programs.
Europe’s continuing economic influence extends to the global level. Even excluding intra-regional trade, the EU is the largest exporter and importer in the world. In trade and investment affairs, Europe is a global economic superpower larger than the United States and far ahead of countries such as China or India. The EU’s common currency, the euro, is the only serious alternative to the dollar as a global reserve currency.
Issues:
European economic growth, it is said, is slow and getting slower. Such claims rest on economic, demographic, and military measures of power. A 2008 assessment by the US National Intelligence Council (NIC) is typical. The
Facts of the Case:
Europeans, both among themselves and in the transatlantic relationship, have experienced extraordinary amity, cooperation, and policy success.
Europe is the only region in the world, besides the United States, able to exert global influence across the full spectrum of power, from “hard” to “soft” and projects intercontinental military power. America and Europe have drawn closer together, its military operations, moreover, are conducted almost exclusively in close cooperation with the United States. Certainly no region or country, save America, possesses a portfolio of military capabilities and a willingness to use them comparable to Europe’s.
Europe is, in contrast to the United States, a “quiet” superpower. It specializes in the use of economic influence, international law, “soft power” and “smart power.” In fact, Europe today is more effective at projecting civilian power globally than any other state or non-state actor. More fundamentally, European governments are the strongest and most consistent supporters of international law and institutions across the board Europeans fund 38 percent of the UN’s regular budget, more than two-fifths of UN peacekeeping operations, and about one-half of all UN member states’ contributions to UN funds and programs.
Europe’s continuing economic influence extends to the global level. Even excluding intra-regional trade, the EU is the largest exporter and importer in the world. In trade and investment affairs, Europe is a global economic superpower larger than the United States and far ahead of countries such as China or India. The EU’s common currency, the euro, is the only serious alternative to the dollar as a global reserve currency.
Issues:
European economic growth, it is said, is slow and getting slower. Such claims rest on economic, demographic, and military measures of power. A 2008 assessment by the US National Intelligence Council (NIC) is typical. The
References: (“Europe, the Second Superpower” by Andrew Moravcsik http://www.princeton.edu/~amoravcs/library/current_history.pdf)