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[omg]

good point i should have voted "later" rather than "no"

[troop18546]

Now 3 of us vote for YES.

:Titan: :Titan: :Titan: are better than =>

[PrejudiceSucks]

Yeah, on thinking about it so should I... oh well....

hindsight - a beautiful thing in politics.

[Stroggy]

Originally posted by troop18546@Jun 6 2005, 01:09 PM

We should unite, because alone, many countries are strugling

wouldn't that just spread out the misery over the other member states?

[troop18546]

Originally posted by Stroggy+Jun 6 2005, 03:26 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Stroggy @ Jun 6 2005, 03:26 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-troop18546@Jun 6 2005, 01:09 PM

We should unite, because alone, many countries are strugling

wouldn't that just spread out the misery over the other member states? [/b][/quote]
Well, youre so optimistic... :whistle:
No, it wouldnt, besides, the country which is strugling to keep it self alive, wont get any worse, so it shouldnt care about that. The strong countries will have a great comrade if they help it build its spirit and power.
Clear now?

[Reup]

One of the main achievements of the EU is that through cooperation it has kept it's territory war-free for 60 years. By agreeing on certain joint values (such as peace, prosperity, human rights etc.) the EU has kept it's stability. Even though the nations have kept their identities and local issues, the overall picture is quite good.
If economics where the only basis for cooperation between the EU=-countries, I'd vote against it, but since stuff like air pollution, human rights etc. don't stop at a nations border we HAVE to think broader. For this, the EU is a great institution.
Off course it's not all hunky-dory, the sheer amount of red tape involved in running the thing has made it in-efficient and sluggish. It's too bad my fellow countrymen have voted against the 'constitution' because it would have made things a little bit easier (not perfect, but a little bit better at least)...

[Sebatianos]

Well it's a difficoult question (much more then it actually seems to be).

I voted yes on the real referendum - before Slovenia joined the union.

But the problem is this:
The Union is getting too big - way to big. Such a union might have worked with 3 or 4 more or less equaly big and equaly developed states (like the Benelux states, or the Baltic states). In such cases you could get an effective union. But like the EU is now... It still presents great economic oportuneties, but everything else - I doubt very much.
I still support the idea though - mainly because of the following logic:
As long as the countries are in the union there is a lesser chance of another great war breaking out.
This logic doesn't always apply, but as long as the countries are working on a way to resolve their differences in order to live together in a union - they won't really prepare for any hostilities among themselves (at least I hope).

As a historian I'm really scared that another huge war is about to happen (there are many indications for that). a unified Europe would reduce a chance of such a war happening on the European continent.

[troop18546]

What war do you have in mind? Who against who? :blink:

[PrejudiceSucks]

Basically the equivalent of a civil war. I can personally see one coming too.

It will probably start off as minor actions between those who wanted an EU and those who didn't before starting off properly with the government funding its side of choice.

It will probably be more than slightly reminiscent of the early Weimar Republic days before kicking off on a Europe-wide problem.

[Spoonman]

You'd really think so? You should work for the dutch government :P

please elaborate