In 1957 the European Economic Community, or European Common Market, was formed to promote trade among member countries, with the common goal of preventing military conflct by creating an interdependance. In 1993 the EEC becme the European Union, seen by many as a half way stage to a European superstate, with the stated aimes of political and cultural integration. This resulted in a deal of specialisation, countries, as intended, becoming dependant on each other.
Though neither contry is a member of the EU, we now see the folly of the EU stragegy of indterdependance in the Russian/Ukraine conflict. As major oil and, particularly, gas producers, much of the EU, and the international community in general, have become so dependant on Russia that their sphere of influence has far exceded their military and economic capabilities with both the economies and infrastructures of Germany, Italy and several other major European economies being dependant on Russian energy supplies.
International trade is it only a necessity, it's very much desirable to facilitate diplomacy, turism, and, not least, economic growth but when we become so dependant on other nations for our day to day existance, it's gone too far. Not only do we risk countries like Russia emloying military force to achieve the personal ambitions of a few elite leaders, we also risk a virtual takeover of our econmies as we flounder in trying to cope with any international disagreements. What is more worrying to me, far more than our reliance on Russia for our energy needs, is the insidious takeover of our manufacturing base by China, from our toothbrushes to our cars and even extending our national infrastructures.
I urge national governments to encourage international trade to increase choice, econimic growth, cultura exchange and political freindships, but to simultainiously facilitate a level of self reliance so that an international incident may make things a little less comfortable, but should not threaten our security and very futures and will increase our ability to aide those unfortunates to be impacted directly, like the Ukraians currenly fleeing their homes in search of safety and solice.
