The European Union Will Europe Survive The 21st Century...

Introduction The article, â€Å"Will ‘Europe’ Survive the 21st Century? A Meditation on the 50th Anniversary of the European Community,† written by Walter A. McDougall (2007), outlines the evolution of the European Union (EU) through a two-part analysis. The first part, entitled â€Å"The Other Age Born in the Year 1957,† extols several impactful historical events in economics, the role of religion; and, the strengths and weaknesses that led to the formation of the EU. The second part, â€Å"The European Union in a Wider World† provides a closer look at Europe through the political lens focusing on events in the recent past and present. This part highlights the impacts from the events of World Trade Center on 9/11, the questionable decisions made after†¦show more content†¦In 2004, they welcomed ten Eastern European countries who were part of the former communist bloc, and two additional ones in 2007. Today, the EU consists of 28 member states. An interesting perspective in the juxtaposition between the advancement and progress between America and Eu rope comes from presented sociologist Jeremy Rifkin who states that America as a New World has now become the Old World, comparatively. â€Å"We Americans are still motivated by the ideas and aspirations born 250 to 500 years ago in Europe’s Enlightenment and Protestant Reformation. Colonists bearing that era’s notions of liberty and equality, continual progress, and pursuit of wealth and power proceeded to invent the American Dream and imagine it a model all nations were destined to emulate. One result was the most astounding success story on earth. But another result has been that Americans remain loyal to notions of Providence, patriotism, individualism, materialism, and ‘Don’t Tread on Me’ unilateralism that Europeans have long discarded† (McDougall, 2007, para. 14). Europe had long ago disregarded their antiquated belief systems that were tied to traditional religious foundations and dogmas. Essentially, Europeans walked away from wars t hat were based on nationalism, theology or beliefs that impeded a more viable acculturation. McDougall outlines the events of 9/11 that received an immediate outpour of sympathy from Europe. The Bush administration’s actions, posture and petition to the