United States of Europe & American Supremacy The U

Book Review: The United States of Europe

The United States of Europe: The New Superpower and the End of American Supremacy was written by T. R. Reid and published in 2004; in brief, Reid predicted that the European Union (EU) represents a "geopolitical revolution of historic dimensions" with the very real potential to ensure that Europe (and not America) will be the dominant hegemonic power in political, cultural and economic spheres in years to come. This pan-European political entity, in Reid's considered opinion, will soon sit on a plane of influence equal to that occupied by the United States and, over time, overtake America to become the most powerful player in the geopolitical arena.

This analytical book review will first offer a summary of key issues raised by Reid, elucidate the contributions made by the author to the field of political science, and incorporate references to reviews by other commentators. In essence, it will be argued that Reid is somewhat premature in predicting the demise of American influence and the corresponding rise of European dominance; "Europe" remains, as Stanley Hoffman commented, a divided rather than a cohesive unit that contains nation-state actors with unique agendas.

Reid's thesis is fairly straightforward: the formation of the EU and the ensuing political alliances and economic affiliations (in the form of corporate mergers and acquisitions or consolidations as well as trade agreements and capital flows) has created a m

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can businesses are under attack by competitive foreign entities. In exploring the various ways in which the EU is aggressively advancing its own interests, Reid emphasizes the fact that the European social model is in many ways superior to that of the United States and that this in and of itself fosters competitiveness and enhances human capital. The goal implicit in Reid's text is to educate and inform ordinary Americans as to the very real threat posed by a revitalized and unified Europe. As Hoffmann commented, Reid nevertheless "pays insufficient attention to the economic and demographic factors that threaten to undermine the European social model he praises and to the tension between the imperative of global competitiveness and a strong attachment to a way of life that is largely a reaction against the economic rat race." Other reviewers, including Eugen Weber, take the position that Reid is not fully cognizant of the fact that a high euro value makes American exports more competitive while contributing to Europe's longstanding inflation epidemic. Similarly, this analyst believes that Reid is somewhat premature in identifying a common European culture because this tends to ignore the reality of nationalism and of cult

Category: Government - U