...and 2 more makes 27!

January 1st 2007, Romania and Bulgaria have entered the European Union (EU). 40 million new specialized workers have flooded the European market and thus effectively lessened the chance of specialized immigration from anywhere else in the world. Visas for increasingly wealthy and attractive nations such as Ireland and Germany will be at a standstill as the Romanian and Bulgarian doctors, philosophers, engineers and pastry chefs complete the current vacancies in the job markets of Europe. I am not blaming these workers; they are simply taking advantage of the situation to cater to a new and more economically sound market.

The European Union now counts 27 countries and well over 500 million inhabitants. With a GDP of US$13.4 trillion, it has quickly become a dominating economic and political force on the contemporary risk map. Its predecessor, the European Economic Community (ECC) founded in Rome in 1957, was strictly an economic alliance. The new reality of the confederal EU confronts us with a prime example of “New Imperialism”, it has become a governing entity that establishes economic, domestic and foreign policies and soon perhaps a constitution. The individual gouvernments do retain autonomy (for now), but this situation is bound to create conflicts in fields of responsibility for the future.

Many such federations have existed in the past and the most appropriate for my demonstration is the Roman Empire. From the 3^rd century BC to the 3^rd century AD, the republic and empire incorporated most of the known western world. Most of the local gouvernments remained autonomous, although under the tutelage of Rome. This situation divided interests and popular support, the ultimate implosion of the empire in the 5^th century AD, was exacerbated by provincial administrations that had always remained loyal to Rome but even more so to their national identity.

It is my cynical opinion that the Roman Empire lasted almost 500 years due to its strong army and omnipresent show of power within its province, which the EU does not YET have. As we progress towards an all encompassed Europe (and beyond: Georgia), national identity and affiliation will reinforce racist and social Darwinist tendencies. Already, the cracks are beginning to show as a public opinion poll indicates: 70% of the Romanian population supported their inclusion into the EU although only 45% of the rest of the (much wealthier) EU wanted them. If I were the EU administrators, I would look for Visigoths over the seventh hill.

(Pictured: The Roman crest depicting Romulus and Remus - The current European Union)

End.