Angela Merkel’s calm steadied a wounded nation — but it also put it to sleep. For sixteen years, Germany mistook caution for competence and comfort for courage. This essay dissects how the myth of …
why would you think we are strong enough to enforce our will onto, i.a., China and the US?
Why do we have to enforce our will?
Do you have the same problem with the EU helping China win against the US as you have with the EU helping the US win against China?
Yes. If one wins, they will rule the world according to their values.
With China, there is the slight hope that they actualky mean to implement a multipolar world. With the US, I have less hope that they do all this for fair global free trade without monopolies.
Why do we have to enforce our will?
Yes. If one wins, they will rule the world according to their values.
With China, there is the slight hope that they actualky mean to implement a multipolar world. With the US, I have less hope that they do all this for fair global free trade without monopolies.
Because the others are only interested in dominating trade by power.
What do you base that assumption on?
That’s why we need both, and the goodwill of the rest of the world, to keep them balanced.
There is always a chance, and unlike the US, they haven’t spent a decade or more wasting their power.
Do you understand? Neither China nor the US are interested in what you envision. The only way to make them support that is by us forcing them.
That’s not really the strongest basis to build an assumption on, but if you want to keep dreaming, I’ll let you.
That’s ok for me.
What leverage do we have?
If they force each other, we don’t have to force them.
You said we have none.
What will they force each other and how will they do it?
And you said that we have to force them. How do you want to force them?
They will try to stay competitive in all fields and thus prevent the other to have an advantage.
…to achieve what you want? Nah, that’s a question you’ll have to answer.
…and they’ll try to achieve that by pressure and dominance on others. The only way for Europe to stay out of that is to become dominant themselves.
I say we have to keep them in balance with the help of the rest of the world. You say we have to force them.
Yes
By pressuring others? How do we get dominant? You have seen the limits of Europe’s finances.