Could the EU became a greater power than the USA - Historum

britishpower · January 30th, 2011, 10:55 AM

The question I am putting to you in this thread is, can the European Union become the next global hyperpower? Is it allready as powerfull as the USA, will it continue being more powerfull than China and India. If it does become the global hyperpower will it change the world for the better?

I think the EU is not yet the hyperpower. The USA is still ahead in terms of military and economic power. The USA is the greatest Military power in history, the EU has not got a military force of it's own. The EU economy is around 2.5 trillion Euros bigger than the USA economy, but not all the EU members are part of 1 currency, so really the USA economy is bigger and the USA dollar more important, this is why the USA dollar is still the world's reserve currency and not the euro. I would say the EU is ahead in historical cultural power, but the USA ahead in modern cultural power. Like the EU has the colosseum and the best art. The USA has skyscrapers and hollywood. Also in sport they are both about even, the USA does better that the olympics and has the biggest sporting franchise in the world, The New York Yankees. The EU is the centre for the biggest sport in the world football/soccer and the EU is now better at golf and tennis. So i would say the EU and USA are even in cultural power. I do think the EU is ahead in political power, the USA in the last 20 years has started helping it's self and not others. Now the others are looking for help elsewhere so are looking at China or Russia, but then they see the lives of most people in those nations is not that good. So they then look to the best available body/notion to help that is the EU. The EU gives more economic and food aid than anyother body/nation, it also can do thing that others can't do like bring Iran to the table for talks and the EU has voluntary entry.

Please tell me your views on this issue. thanks

**oshron** · January 30th, 2011, 11:01 AM

an economic or diplomatic power, maybe, but i dont think any country can supersede the US in terms of military strength, at least not at this point in history or in the foreseeable future

**Linschoten** · January 30th, 2011, 11:10 AM

No, the EU has no ambition to compete with the USA as a miltray power, and it generally has difficulty in acting internationally in a co-ordinated manner, not being a single nation. The Euro has become an alternative reserve currency, but is no rival to the dollar, and is suffering from serious difficulties at the moment.

Pirate of the Caribbean · January 30th, 2011, 11:13 AM

I would hope not, because we don't need another Cold War. By that, I mean that if another power becomes strong, then the US will become wary, and probably demonize them, *cough* Communism *cough*.

**General Michael Collins** · January 30th, 2011, 11:13 AM

Are you still here? In any case the EU is has no army, a failing currency, A diverse, angry and tribal amount of ethnicities and a list of nations who have privately decided it wasn't such a good idea. I will be very surprised if it survives long into the future. On the other hand the USA has a solid currency, a unified people, a strong army and no threats to it's unity. There is no comparison. Furthermore, the new world powers are rising in the east. Neither the US nor Europe will survive as world leaders unless a major war is fought with victory for the west.

**oshron** · January 30th, 2011, 11:14 AM

i mean, assuming such financial and international troubles are resolved, i could see the EU as an economic competitor and/or ally to the US, but not be able to ever beat the US militarily unless they had alot of help, since the US armed forces are undeniably the most advanced today

**Toltec** · January 30th, 2011, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by britishpower

The question I am putting to you in this thread is, can the European Union become the next global hyperpower? Is it allready as powerfull as the USA, will it continue being more powerfull than China and India. If it does become the global hyperpower will it change the world for the better?

I think the EU is not yet the hyperpower. The USA is still ahead in terms of military and economic power. The USA is the greatest Military power in history, the EU has not got a military force of it's own. The EU economy is around 2.5 trillion Euros bigger than the USA economy, but not all the EU members are part of 1 currency, so really the USA economy is bigger and the USA dollar more important, this is why the USA dollar is still the world's reserve currency and not the euro. I would say the EU is ahead in historical cultural power, but the USA ahead in modern cultural power. Like the EU has the colosseum and the best art. The USA has skyscrapers and hollywood. Also in sport they are both about even, the USA does better that the olympics and has the biggest sporting franchise in the world, The New York Yankees. The EU is the centre for the biggest sport in the world football/soccer and the EU is now better at golf and tennis. So i would say the EU and USA are even in cultural power. I do think the EU is ahead in political power, the USA in the last 20 years has started helping it's self and not others. Now the others are looking for help elsewhere so are looking at China or Russia, but then they see the lives of most people in those nations is not that good. So they then look to the best available body/notion to help that is the EU. The EU gives more economic and food aid than anyother body/nation, it also can do thing that others can't do like bring Iran to the table for talks and the EU has voluntary entry.

Please tell me your views on this issue. thanks

Currently there are no hyper powers, I'm not sure how powerful you would have to be to count a hyper power, more powerful as Russia and the US at their peaks in the 1960's added together I guess.

US is a former superpower following Russia down the slope, but still has the military of a superpower and will for a while at least. The EU has been an economic superpower for quite a while now, the gap between it and the US increases each year, but the gap between it and China closes. However militarily the EU is primarily about stopping war, making another war in Europe impossible. Something it has been stunningly successful at. All border disputes are solved and no two EU countries have ever had a conflict. A quick look at European history this is a minor miracle. THe EU also has a lot of countries that had empires and have learnt from long experience that projecting power around the world is the best way to ruin your economy. So the answer is I think for the time being the EU will remain the world's major economic superpower, but will have no ambitions to match this outside of economics.

**kimi** · January 30th, 2011, 11:27 AM

I in disagreement already with the OPs half-spoken, half-unspoken asessment that there will be "a (read: one) future hyper power". I put my money on a multipolar world order.

Pirate of the Caribbean · January 30th, 2011, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kimi

I in disagreement already with the OPs half-spoken, half-unspoken asessment that there will be "a (read: one) future hyper power". I put my money on a multipolar world order.

This I agree with.

**Qymaen** · January 30th, 2011, 11:37 AM

I do not think that the EU could compete militarily with the United States. And in todays world a military can decide whether or not your nation can thrive. For example you could have a failing economy, but if you have a powerful military then not too many people will challenge you unless they are of equal or greater power, which the United States does not have.