United States of Europe

The United States of Europe is a name occasionally given to one version of the possible future unification of Europe as a national and sovereign federation of states similar in formation to the United States of America. An alternative version of unification by a confederacy of sovereign states has been given the name United Europe (which is also the name Valéry Giscard d'Estaing proposed for the Treaty of Rome of 2004, arguing that it would reinforce the united meaning of the project). Sometimes reports use these names interchangeably without qualification, while discussing unification as an objective rather than the purpose of achieving unification.

Origin of name

In concept it was first proposed in the early 1700's by William Penn, the Quaker founder of Pennsylvania, as a plan for the establishment of a "European Dyet, Parliament or Estates." The term 'United States of Europe' (États-Unis d’Europe) was used several times by Victor Hugo, including during a speech at the International Peace Congress held in Paris in 1849. In 1867 Giuseppe Garibaldi, and John Stuart Mill joined Victor Hugo at a congress of the League for Peace and Freedom in Geneva. Here the anarchist Mikhail Bakunin stated "That in order to achieve the triumph of liberty, justice and peace in the international relations of Europe, and to render civil war impossible among the various peoples which make up the European family, only a single course lies open: to constitute the United States of Europe". The French National Assembly, also called for a United States of Europe on March 1, 1871. Trotsky raised the slogan "For a Soviet United States of Europe" as early as 1923. It was also the title of a 1931 book by French politician Edouard Herriot.

Interpretation of European unification

As a Federation

The phrase "United States of Europe" usually identifies a federation. The United States of Europe advocates a federal system of government similar to that of the United States of America where power is drawn from member states to a central governing authority. Historically, France has been a strong advocate of this form of government in order to maintain independence from the financial and military strengths of the USA and the now defunct USSR.

As a Confederation

The alternative viewpoint of European unification has been to push for a European Union as a financial trading confederation in the form of a United Europe. This approach has been supported by both United Kingdom and United States.

Winston Churchill

The term "United States of Europe" was used by Winston Churchill in a famous speech which he delivered in 1946 at the University of Zürich. This speech is frequently credited with beginning the process that led to the formation of the European Union.

When Churchill made this speech he did not envision Britain in Europe. He believed that Britain's destiny would lie with the United States of America, the Empire and the Commonwealth.

Guy Verhofstadt

Following the negative referenda about the European Constitution in France and the Netherlands, the Belgian prime minister Guy Verhofstadt released in November 2005 his book Verenigde Staten van Europa (Dutch for United States of Europe) in which he claims - based on the results of an Eurobarometer questionnaire - that the average European citizen wants more Europe. He thinks a federal Europe should be created between those states that wish to have a federal Europe (as a form of enhanced cooperation). In other words, a core federal Europe would exist within the current EU. He also states that these core states should federalize the following five policy areas: a European social-economic policy, technology cooperation, a common justice and security policy, a common diplomacy and a European army. [http://www.standaard.be/Artikel/Detail.aspx?artikelId=GVTL4S2C

Franz Josef Strauß

The focus of interest by Herbert W. Armstrong eventually became the career of German politician Franz Josef Strauß following the Der Spiegel scandal. Strauß also became the author of a book titled The Grand Design, in which Strauß set forth his views of the future of Europe. Armstrong originally portrayed Strauß as the future dictator who would lead the future United States of Europe. Strauß seemed to play along with this portrayal by becoming a guest of Armstrong in 1971 in his home and at his Ambassador College campus in Pasadena, California where he even agreed to appear on The World Tomorrow television programme. According to a document written by Armstrong in 1983, he became lasting friends with Strauß, but he could not understand why Strauß had returned the friendship.

Geography of creation

There is debate amongst those in favour of the creation of a European nation as to the geographic composition of such an entity. Frequently, commentators exclude Russia, a predominantly European country, from their ideals of inclusion. Indeed, whilst many in the EU are currently happy for the culturally European but geographically Asian country of Cyprus to be an EU member state, there is much debate about excluding Turkey, of which 3% of the area is in Europe, from the EU: Valéry Giscard d'Estaing has stated that the admission of Turkey to the EU would be "the end of Europe", interpreted to mean that he means that such an event would be the end of his ideals of a united Europe, rather than the end of Europe itself.