A Critical / Progressive Look @ Regional Integration: July 2006

From: E.K.Bensah II[mailto:webjournalist@twnafrica.org]
Sent: lundi 17 juillet 2006 14:26
Subject: COMMENTARY: A World of Nation-Blocs -->a rather skewed and trade-centred view of regional integration...

Hi,

It’s amazing that people (still) write like this…

The article is, first of all, very trade centred: “What are America’s plans—to remain sovereign or join a government community of nations? It is simple to understand the advantages of a trading bloc patterned after the European Union. Businesses will save a lot of money in the free trade zones and there will be a rule of law and plenty of security”

The writer makes believe that the EU is the precursor of regional integration, and that other regions will emulate them. Ok, so, the AU modelled itself on the EU, but that is besides the point. Besides, he makes no mention of the other sub-regional organisations on the continent—most of which we know, instead maintaining “A whole list of African nations has formed AEC, COMESA, and SACU”!!

His points are these:

1. if the US joins the “government community of nations”, it might lose its superpower status, which would be bad for the country

2. the UN is “waning” , and will face “extinction in this new age”

3. “It is likely that the major holdovers from the UN will be the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund as money will always be needed for governments and trade”

Try to enjoy if you can;-)

Emmanuel

COMMENTARY: A World of Nation-Blocs

By Tom Proebsting
Special to HNN

Moberly, MO (HNN) -- The Roman Empire was the last world government and world economy. Rome’s government ruled all of civilization as its superior army, scattered strategically throughout its subjects’ lands, secured the empire. Trade took place worldwide with merchants traveling by land and sea to barter and vend. The world empire resisted the persistent attacks from outsiders for one thousand years. The western section of the empire, Europe, finally fell to German invaders around 500 A.D.

The Early Middle Ages (500 to 1050) was characterized by decreased centralized government and slackened trade. Each town or village governed itself. Agriculture, grown by and sold to primarily the townspeople, was the main staple. By around 1200, the Agricultural Revolution started and the result was that crops improved, populations increased, and towns grew. Trade increased in volume and in distances as the decades passed.

By the 1600’s the Renaissance and Enlightenment hit Europe full force. Kings and queens ruled empires and nations, such as Great Britain and France. Cities and nation-states flourished and trade spread to all corners of the earth. By the 1700’s, great trading enterprises sold agriculture to customers near and far. By the 1800’s, the Industrial Revolution arrived and international firms sold new machinery and mechanical inventions the world over.

During the last sixty years there has been an occurrence not seen since the days of the Roman Empire. Six nations formed the European Coal and Steel Community in 1951. It proceeded to grow into the European Union (EU) which has 25 member nations at present. The EU elects its own president and has executive, legislative and judicial branches. They have formed their own military, have a common currency, and their borders are more or less porous. When the EU started, it centered on economic factors. The governmental and security details followed.

Other nations around the world are also forming economic communities or trading nation-blocs. America is a member of NAFTA and CAFTA. Several nations in South America are members of Mercosur and Andean. Several countries in southern and Southeast Asia have joined ASEAN and SAARC. A whole list of African nations has formed AEC, COMESA, and SACU. China and Russia, along with four Central Asian nations make up the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. These are merely a few of the new blocs around the world. The Technology/Information Revolution revved up in the last 25 years and has connected the earth’s citizens by computer and phone with the added bonus of possessing any needed information at our fingertips. One of the effects is that trade today is increasing in all areas, agricultural, industrial, and technological.

The United Nations is currently not a major factor in unifying the world’s nations as it spends a lot of time battling its own inefficiencies and demons. It was created to form and lead countries through the Post World War Two era of which the Cold War was a major factor. Many historical analysts believe this period ended with the tearing down of the Berlin Wall and the dissolution of the Soviet Union. We have entered a new, but yet undefined, age. The United Nations is now showing the signs of waning and extinction in this new age. It appears to be an idea whose time has come and gone. It is likely that the major holdovers from the UN will be the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund as money will always be needed for governments and trade.

Can we expect the world’s trading nation-blocs to set up executive, legislative, and judicial branches, complete with their own military just as the EU did? We can peek into the future today. Many South American citizens have desired some type of a federation between its nations since the days of Simon Bolivar. Two trading blocs, Mercosur and Andean, plan to merge next year into the South American Community of Nations (CSN). They seek to model their new community after the European Union, complete with a central bank, common currency, parliament, and common passport.

What other nations may decide to pattern their trading blocs after the EU? Will Asian or African nations duplicate the European Union? What are America’s plans—to remain sovereign or join a government community of nations? It is simple to understand the advantages of a trading bloc patterned after the European Union. Businesses will save a lot of money in the free trade zones and there will be a rule of law and plenty of security.

America must decide on a course which will take it in the direction we need to go in the twenty-first century. A sovereign America may offer the best decision for our future as it has always put us on top. The pros and cons of any other direction must be assiduously plotted and thought out.

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Tom Proebsting is a writer and blogger in Missouri. Tom Proebsting, 823 N. Ault St. Moberly, MO 65270

e-mail: truthprobe777@yahoo.com

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