16 November 2006Ilana Bet-El
Europeans, or at least those citizens of states that are members of the EU, are spoilt. They may be the most spoilt people in the world, or maybe just runners up - possibly to the Japanese or the Americans - but either way, they are spoilt rotten. And like many such, they have now become petulant and are on the way to becoming mean. It is an ugly sight, being brought to the fore by a flawed, and potentially tragic, mishandling of Turkey in its bid to win EU membership.
Europeans enjoy excellent health and education systems, which at the very least offer insurance that every person has access to both. Across the continent and in the UK there is magnificent infrastructure and more or less sufficient housing of an adequate nature. There are many jobs, and in addition vast social security schemes for the unemployed; and then there are extremely generous paid weeks of vacation. All of these are provisions by governments, which are then augmented in many places by those of private enterprise.
Taken as a whole, these all suggest life is good. Very good, in fact - when one also considers that no European state is at war, which is a first in history; and that as a bloc the EU is the richest in the world with the greatest global trading power.
There are of course clouds and problems: terrorist threats, disaffected minorities, an aging population and declining birth rates, to mention a few. But in reality, the latter three - and possibly the first - are all derivatives of the good life: the disaffected minorities, of every ethnicity, are all housed and schooled and get to hospitals. They are, however, often barred from proceeding to the full spoils of European life, and are quite rightly complaining. The aging population is due to the excellent health systems and generous social security benefits; and the declining birth rates are due to a combination of women being well educated and therefore unwilling to simply sit at home and have babies, and an unwillingness on behalf of many couples and individuals to compromise the richness of the good life in any way by sharing their time or income with offspring.
There is nothing at all wrong with the good life, nor indeed with trying to provide it to Europeans, who have a very long history of going to war with each other and also dragging in the rest of the world when life is not good. But there is something very wrong in not understanding that such a life is unique, given many parts of the globe do not live in peace and prosperity; and that maintaining such a life demands a price - both in money and political accommodation.
The EU would probably say it was in credit on the money side: between the EU as an institution and the contributions of member states, the EU is the single largest aid donor in the world, which is a significant feat. Following enlargement, it would probably also say it is on the credit side politically - having effectively transformed the post cold war mess into a coherent continent. From this perspective a small group of nations, the "old" member states, generously gave funds and know-how to all the "new" ones and thereby ensured stability and prosperity across the continent. Moreover, with its money and emphasis on human rights and the rule of law - the sacred "soft powers" - the EU can also claim political clout across the world.
This may be true, but it is not the only narrative. To many on the outside the EU appears at best indifferent: a removed rich benefactor doling out funds without too much interest while trying to impose its values and agenda through its soft power. At worst however, the EU is beginning to appear defensive and even callous: obsessed with immigration, jobs, social benefits and preserving long weeks of holiday. A union always ready to condemn abuses of power and human rights violations elsewhere, but having no compunction in turning people away, even when they are starving and desperate. A bloc willing to send its soldiers far and wide to defend ideals, but one in which little is said about hundreds of immigrants dying in inadequate boats or stifling to death when being smuggled in. In short, it is seen as a union of hypocrisy, which spoils its citizens.
Turkey and its citizens are well aware of this hypocrisy, and they are getting tired of it. Just in this past year many polls have reflected that the average Turkish citizen has a steeply declining interest in EU membership, and it is mostly due to the hypocrisy: a strong feeling that Europeans do not want to fully share the good life, though they desire all the potential benefits of Turkey - its cheap labour, its military capability, its cultural richness, and above all its crucial strategic location. But they do not want to pay the full price for these.
Turkey sits at one of the most crucial crossroads in the world - between east and west, in every way: between the Middle East with all its conflicts and peaceful Europe; between oil- and gas-rich Asia, and especially Russia, and energy-hungry Europe; between an increasingly radicalising Muslim world and a seething underclass of European Muslims. It is the great meeting point of the modern world, but also the great tightrope act of the world: besides Greece and Bulgaria in the west, Turkey has borders with Russia, Armenia, Georgia, Iran, Iraq and Syria. It currently has relations with them all, aided and abetted by strong US ties and membership in Nato. But in truth it cannot keep its balancing act going forever: it is too weak, and the external forces are too strong. If Europe does not let it in, it will have no choice but to look to the east - and then the EU will have radical Islam, hostility and conflict on its near border.
The EU cannot afford this outcome: it lacks the resources to sustain itself against constant hostility - which in any case will be a far greater threat to the good life than any new membership. It must therefore stop thinking with its soft white hands and start thinking more practically: if the EU and its citizens are to survive, they need Turkey in the union, sooner rather than later. In other words, it must stop behaving like a spoilt child about to have a tantrum, and start to grow up.
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/ilana_betel/2006/11/post_638.html
