Old lady Europe shies away from Obama and Asia
Feb 13th, 2010 | 9 responses
A malaise is striking down Europe from within. Like doughty old women trying to turn back the clock, Europeans are battening down the hatches to keep out people, cheaper products and high-tech services from non-European nations, especially South Asia and Africa.
At the same time, the EU continues to expect Washington to act as nurturing mother and nursemaid regardless of now irresponsibly its leaders behave to the detriment of American foreign and economic policy goals. Despite President Barack Obama’s insistence, Europeans are dragging their feet on supplying more troops and other help in the Afghan and Iraq wars or putting pressure on Russia, China and Iran.
Washington wants more globalization and cooperation from Asia to handle problems like terrorism, open trade and climate change. But several key European leaders are turning inwards to keep globalization out of their lands. It is as if the growing prowess of China and India has sent Europeans into a fetal crouch.
The latest fruit of Europe’s drift is President Barack Obama’s refusal to attend a Summit called next May by Spain, the current EU president. His aides claim there is little to discuss with the EU and he is too busy dealing with China, South Asia and the Middle East. This is the first time in decades that a US President is refusing a Summit invitation, indicating Washington’s lesser interest in traditional European power centres, like London, Berlin and Paris.
European unsteadiness will not end soon. Britain holds bitter elections before June, Germany has important State elections that could weaken Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicholas Sarkozy’s poll ratings have slumped drastically half way through his mandate.
France, Germany, Spain and Italy are going through a belated identity crisis about what it means to be French, German etc. They are leading a “besieged fortress Europe” mentality. Britain is wobbling between open-mindedness and knee jerk reaction to more non-Europeans and their cheap products entering the “green and pleasant” land. Smaller nations like Switzerland and Greece are also showing open prejudice towards South Asians, Arabs and Africans. All are considering new intolerant laws to keep out Asian and African immigrants, including students.
Many Europeans, including academics and business, are acutely embarrassed by this anti-immigrant chauvinism tinged with intolerance. They are fighting hard in debates through the media, cafes and street corners to reverse these self-destructive trends. But populist politicians continue to gain influence.
The economic and socials costs to ordinary Europeans of anti-globalism are becoming clearer by the day. Shifting blame to America, China or India does not work anymore. The US annualized growth rate in last quarter 2009 was 5.7% compared with the 0.2% average for the 27 nation EU. The 16-nations that use the Euro currency grew at 0.1% and the forecast for 2010 is around 0.6%, compared with over 4% for the US.
The US recovery is bringing very slow job creation but Europe is still losing jobs with no end in sight. In comparison, China’s growth rate might touch 10% in 2010 and India might touch 8%. India, a software success, may start to emerge as a manufacturing giant while China might make large strides in hardware and software while modernizing at breakneck pace.
Europe seems to be hacking at its own legs at the worst possible time. While it fights the rise of Asians like a civilization under siege, other nations are forging ahead to take advantage of the 2.7 billion people living in the famished markets of China and India.
(Ends)
9 Responses to “Old lady Europe shies away from Obama and Asia”
Well there is no real reason to open trade with India any farther. Their mangoes taste terrible and their cars are stupid. We owe nothing to India. Let India produce something that people actually want to buy before anymore lavish military technology gifts.
Germany exports more per capita than any nation on the planet. They are light years beyond India. As for China, opening European and American markets to China is the only thing that saved them from internal collapse.
Europe and American markets are open enough. It is time now that we need to take care of our own a bit more and enrich the bank accounts of Indian land barons and Chinese bureaucrats a bit less.
Because opening US Markets to Asian goods has been so good for the American working and middle classes…
“Like doughty old women trying to turn back the clock, Europeans are battening down the hatches to keep out people”
Well, that part, yes:
http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/R…
just for everyone's fyi:
Doughty: brave, persistent, keeping going, in spirit
the doughty Sir Lancelot… fearless, dauntless, determined, resolute, indomitable, intrepid, plucky, spirited, bold, valiant, brave, stouthearted, courageous; informal gutsy, spunky, feisty, ballsy.
thanks,
dr.e
First of all, nice sexist analogy to open the piece. You decry Europe's immigration policies while comparing it to an old woman, then proceed to call actual attempts at border control chauvanism. Pot, meet kettle.
Europe's demographic problems are severe and very well known. They simply are not having enough children to keep the local economies at current levels, in the future. But I do sympathize with the elements that are concerned that simply opening the door to the rest of the world is akin to cultural suicide.
Europeans do have the right to say which peoples and elements are welcome and which are not. Look at France's cultural battle with the extreme Islamists. Many people truly believe that the cultural tenants of radical Islam are detrimental to the French way of life. And that doesn't make them racists, which seems to be what the article is implying.
The EU is not another America. These individual nations were not founded on the tenants of “melting pot” and “cultural mosaic” as were the US and Canada. Our immigration isssues are an issue for another day. But I wholly reject the notion that Europe should not be able to openly have the conversation of what kind of people they want to allow in their borders, and then have the freedom to act upon those measures.
Europe is not turning away from Obama. Obama isn't insulting “old europe”.
Dumping more troops into the ME is not a popular thing to do. It isn't that they are turning from Obama. It is more that they are trying to get re-elected. Germany is still investigating the tanker bombing that killed civilians.
Obama understand that the EU government is worthless. It is better to speak with the individual leaders of the countries that have real influence. Meeting with EU leadership is a waste of time.
As far as India and China go…they are as successful as their slave labor populations allow them to be. Both countries are still economically in the past century…and socially in the 18th century. Arranged marriages, caste systems, minority oppression…..no thanks.
Can't believe it Father I've agreed with you twice today. This comment and the birther thing.
India once had the most protectionist of laws concerning trade. Both India and China have abysmal records on the environment, worker safety, product safety, not to mention sweat shop like conditions for their employees. Why shouldn't the west insist that China and India get up to snuff on these issues before we trade freely with them.
I don't necessary think that keeping immigration controlled in a lawful way is intolerant. Europe has some of the most liberal social laws to help its residents. A large influx of illegal immigration could damage the economies of Europe to the breaking point. Perhaps even bankrupt their health care system and other social programs.
Especially liked your 4th paragraph.
If you have noticed, the Indian contributors to this board never seriously criticize India. Their posts are one or two fluff posts then a criticism of the west in some form or fashion. They play China against the west as a common diversion. Essentially they call us hypocrites and xenophobes while elevating themselves. It’s typical third world rhetoric based on the wishes of some rich and powerful individual rather than the almost excusable reason of nationalism. Such is the desperate, archaic, and, corrupt culture of India.