Nova Europa: Europe's Second Renaissance (Conclusion)

Old Europe finds herself at a crossroads. Two paths are presented to her. One leads to nationalism. To past mistakes. To mediocrity, irrelevance, weakness and even, potentially, self-destruction. Europe's been there before. Divided, Europe is a dangerous beast, mostly to herself. She is also weak and stupid. The second path points towards the future. Towards union, safety and strength. Ahead lies the glory that can only be achieved in unison by the peoples of Europe in the new century. A strong European Union is the only future that makes sense for Europe. It can be the primary agent of change in a number of areas.

Politically, the European Union can bring together a number of countries that are weak by themselves and make them strong by uniting them under one banner. Militarily, it can give Europe an army capable of protecting it from the super-states of the modern world, such as China, India, Russia and the United States. It would also allow Europe to fully escape the area of influence of the US and establish an area of influence of its own. From an economic perspective, a well managed European Union can give Europe a string currency and a stable, circulation free, economy capable of competing and thriving in the world arena. Culturally, a destitute Europe can be revived by an energetic central government who is willing and able to kick start a second European cultural renaissance. Scientifically, an European Institute of Science and Technology could serve as a motor for scientific and technological innovation and a well funded and well managed European Space Agency can help uniting the European peoples in the pursuit of one great endeavor that could grant her the renewed admiration of the world.

The process of European integration should be used to restore Europe's greatness. To unleash its second renaissance. Europe must leave behind the nationalistic divisions that harmed her so much in the past. Europe's nationalistic movements of the twentieth century drove her into the ground and almost destroyed her completely. The time has now for Europe to retake its place in the world, using its diversity as a source of strength instead of using it as a pretext to self-destruct. A united Europe, respectful of its differences but armed with powerful common institutions is the only intelligent way of understanding the future of a continent which has had enough internal wars in the past to last it for a thousand years. It's now time to work together towards the construction of a Europe that is more than the sum of its parts.