Madam, - Desmond Fennell (Opinion, November 23rd) presents a very pessimistic view of the European Union and its future.
It will, he claims, be nothing more than a "listless European quasi-state" with a "bumbling, marginal future" and it "unlikely to ever have a military force of significant size".
He points out that the EU lacks something which, he says, is essential to success "namely, a predominant ethnic group". He compares the EU unfavourably with those other great multi-ethnic, high achieving states which were driven by "ardent nationalism" - American, Japan, China, Soviet Union, France and above all Britain. He claims that the EU "entirely lacks any distinctive and animating ideology, rhetoric and symbolic system", unlike the above .
There is no doubt that much of what Mr Fennell says is true. The EU is not dominated by one "ethnic group" - but is this really a defect? It is not driven by "ardent nationalism" - what a relief to the world! It has not got a "military machine of significant size" - and so we hope will not be tempted to indulge in destructive military adventures.
What Mr Fennell is blind to, however, is that the EU is a totally new construct. It is a very brave experiment in bringing about peaceful co-operation between nations, each of which is driven by its own "ardent nationalism". Also, at its best, the EU does have a "distinctive and animating ideology" which he seems unable to see - that of bringing about peaceful and prosperous co-operation between the old nations of Europe and perhaps in the process showing the rest of the world the road to a more peaceful world.
If it succeeds it will have added more to human progress than any of the older ethnic dominated empires. And don't tell me that that is an ideal incapable of motivating especially the youth of Europe, as I witnessed recently in Berlin at a session of the European Youth Parliament where 31 nations were represented.
It is time, Mr Fennell, to look to the future and its possibilities and not to remain permanently rooted in the past and its failures. - Yours, etc.,
MAURICE PHELAN,
Orchardstown Drive,
Dublin 14.