This post was originally posted at FRS FreeStates on WordPress, February, 2012

AlterNet: Opinion: Edward Harrison: A United States of Europe? What it Will Take to Save the Continent From an Economic Collapse

The European Union created the Euro currency in the late 1990s because when they were a continental union of 350M people or so. But weren’t one country that could respond as one to whatever the crisis’s or issues they were facing. They are basically the United Nations of Europe, but a lot more efficient and saw the power of the United States growing after the collapse of the Cold War and decided they need to move as well.

Especially after the Soviet Union had collapsed in 1992 and China, India and Brazil emerging, with Japan still an economic power. And these countries are huge, with the smallest country being Japan 130M people. The largest country in the European Union in population is Germany 85M people at the time, but they are now down to 80M people. And were feeling a little overwhelmed with all these huge countries with all of their influence. And the EU being made up all of these mid size to big countries, but none of them with a lot of world power by themselves.

Thats why the European Union was put together sixty years ago. As a response to the power of the United States and Soviet Union. Because these Euro states knew that by themselves except for maybe the United Kingdom, they didn’t have much power on their own. But together and unified, when they agree, they feel they can match the power and influence of these world powers. Especially with the Russian Federation emerging again as both a military, but also an economic power. Thats now energy independent and with an economy that’s just getting stronger.

Russia is also growing in influence, this is why the European Union was created and the European currency so these Euro states could have more influence in the World. On paper the European Union and Euro currency sound like good ideas. Unifying one huge market that’s larger than the United States in population. And a Union of nothing but developed nations. And with four of the largest economies in the world. Britain, Germany, France and Italy.

But again they aren’t one country, that can respond to different issues as they come up. Unlike one country with a federal government, they have to work together and be unified to make any decisions. But one country with a federal government, with an executive and legislative could do these things. And with power like that the EU could solve a lot of their problems. And meet their economic and fiscal issues in a more efficient way.

There are several reasons why we won’t see a United States of Europe. But we may see a United Federation or Federal States of Europe. And they have to do with ethnicity, language and culture, as well as nationality. This would easily be one of the most ethnically diverse countries in the world with around 400M people. And would probably have the largest economy in the world.

A brand new huge country without a majority ethnicity. Each state would have its own dominant ethnic group and language. But there are several reasons why Europe could unify. Again because they would be a major economic and world Power, that could defend themselves and dwarf Russia economically. All these States speak English at least as a 2nd Language. So they would have a unifying language that their federal government could work in as well.

I don’t see the United Kingdom ever becoming part of a Federal Europe. Too much ethnic and national pride in Britain, that already has four major ethnic groups. But the other countries from Portugal in the Southwest, to Italy in the Southeast, to South Ireland in the Northwest to Poland in the Northeast, could form a Federal Europe and all of these States could have one country. That could match these other World Powers in several areas.