This is the 40th piece I have written for PostGlobal, so to celebrate my own small anniversary, I am happy to discuss the Old Continent. We Hungarians have had a difficult time placing ourselves within Europe, particularly joining the European Union – a club originally formed by so-called “Western” states. Hungary spent much of the last century in the “Eastern Bloc” – the Soviet hemisphere, which is no more.
Hungarian intellectuals have always believed that they were Europeans. But throughout the decades of socialism, they had little or no evidence to support this belief. Hungary’s accession to the EU on May 1, 2004 was, on the one hand, a giant leap forward for the nation. Hungarians can now cross borders freely within the EU using their identity cards, and can get jobs in at least some of the other member countries. On the other hand, not much has changed within Hungary since the celebrations began. The EU cannot change Hungary all at once; it is after all merely a union of independent states.
Europe’s capacity to act as a superpower on the global scene is directly related to how far member states are willing to go in complying with common rules and regulations. But not all member state interests are identical. There are really two groups within the union today: traditionally developed countries, and the rest of us. The newly admitted countries are much weaker economically, politically and morally, and require much more aid from the collective pot. We make no secret that we need the EU.
The EU as a union of equal parts does not yet exist. In my opinion, we would first need another ten years for all European countries to accede and for a more or less final union form. By then, one might hope that the lagging economies will reach at least a minimal level of growth and stability relative to the original members – with a great deal of help from the latter. Only then can the EU truly consider not only common goals but common means of achieving them.
The only hope for achieving an effective union lies within the union itself. The stronger countries must accept the responsibility of helping the weaker, in order to realize the benefits they seek from the union as a whole. The EU has the potential to be the number two superpower in this world, but it needs a renewed effort at unity if it wishes to avoid taking a backseat to a rising China.
As a European, I trust Europe, and its Union, and the future of both. But we still have a long way to go to become what we can be.
Please e-mail PostGlobal if you'd like to receive an email notification when PostGlobal sends out a new question.
