Civitas Blog

It surprised me the level of interest that many Americans displayed towards British current affairs and that some even knew enough about our ties with the EU to engage in a valuable debate about the coming Reform Treaty (which is more than most Brits, but that is another blog entirely!).

Of such people many echoed the thoughts of John Bolton who, writing in the Sunday Times recently, posed the question ‘do you want to be an independent country or a county in a big Europe?’ and went on to issue the stark warning that if ‘Britain wants to be subsumed into the European soup, the united States will have to react accordingly – and we will, make no mistake.’ Harsh words but it seems elements in Washington are genuinely concerned at the direction the UK’s membership of the EU is taking.

This was clearly indicated by the American press following Brown’s cold-mannered appearance on the White House lawn (quite a feat considering the searing summer heat in DC) and it seems the reasons are at least two fold. The first reason is diplomatic pragmatism as concern grows that the US may lose its firmest ally in the ‘War on Terror’, as it continues to be known stateside. This anxiety has been increased by the passing of Blair, who still receives overwhelming praise, even if only because he can string his sentences together effectively, and the recent proclamations of those ‘loose cannons’ in Brown’s new government.

The second reason seems to me to be far deeper rooted. Americans neither understand nor like the Europeans, or really wish to do either, and they are concerned that the British are increasingly looking East across the Channel rather than West to the Atlantic. They seem to have a genuine fear of the old country being gradually turned to become like the ‘cheese eating surrender monkeys’ of the continent.

Bernard Lewis in the American Enterprise Institute’s 2007 Irving Kristol lecture asserted that the European reliance on “constructive engagement – let’s talk to them, let’s get together and see what we can do” is both idealistic and a weakness, leaving European institutions, especially the EU, as apologists and appeasers. Lewis talked of the resultant anti-American elements and that ‘for some in Europe, hatreds apparently outweigh loyalties’.

Similarly American academic David Gelernter recently produced a book entitled ‘Americanism: The Fourth Great Western Religion’, in which he argues Americanism is a secular version of Zionism, firmly based upon the ideals of its puritan founders who created their ‘Jerusalem’ in a new world and have now successfully exported their faith to every coke swilling, freedom loving consumer on the planet. Except of course the Europeans, a heathen lot responsible for the death of God and now harbouring dangerous resentment toward pax Americana.

Religion is key, as many Americans (including those beyond the evangelical communities) believe that Europeans have ‘killed God’ and now lack the moral guidance they benefit from. Gelernter’s own assertion is that there is ‘a virulent anti-Americanism in Europe… a reaction against this religious conception of America on the part of those who adhere to the rival religion of pacifism and appeasement’. He argues that such false religion has left Europe vulnerable to threats from both without, and now also from within. Hence the concern for the direction in which the UK appears to be turning its attention.

It would be wrong to suggest this is the American line on Europeans, or the EU, but it did mirror many of the comments I heard from a range of students and individuals with a working knowledge in this area. The EU is generally perceived as the ‘Old World Club’, formed to bolster ailing European power and enable it to shackle American foreign policy and compete economically. They consider the nations of Europe cowardly and appeasing, a result of an obsession for consensus.

Yes this ‘Old World’ is often condescending in its relations with young Sam, but is that borne of a hatred for him, or more likely envy? With the passing of a constitutional treaty in Europe this jealousy may soon prove understandable in relation to the strength of it democracy.

I appreciate this may appear a dubious claim given the activities of the present White House occupant and the means employed to place and keep him there, let alone the fact that the presidency may conceivably be held within just two families for over a quarter of a century should a second Clinton take the elections next year. But look at the passion the Americans show for these Presidential politics. Already New York apartment windows display placards in support of candidates and people walk the streets wearing T-shirts emblazoned with campaign slogans. There is currently an energetic optimism to Americans’ engagement in their national politics, never mind their high levels of participation at the local level.

What really reinforced this disparity in our two governments’ respect for democracy was a comment from a university lecturer I met who simply could not believe Brown is preparing to sign Britain up to the Reform Treaty – “if Bush were to sign away his own state’s sovereign powers, without even consulting the American people, he’d be impeached”.

A visit to the States is uplifting, a refreshing experience being amongst those who still retain some sense of liberty as ideology, and a grateful rest bite from all that European Anglo-cynicism… and yes maybe even that tendency towards 'pacifism and appeasement'. Let’s hope some of this wore off on Brown during his trip and that he may even have had the chance to reflect on Brtiain’s own relationship with democracy.

It seems, just as de Tocqueville did in the early 1830s, we too must look beyond the continent if we wish to find a truly working model of democratic union.