Looking at the Anglosphere Part One - Page 4

The English monarch was never absolute in the same tradition of the Continental European and from the Magna Carta- the powers of the Monarch were restricted. The belief in the restriction of government has given Americans and the rest of the Anglosphere an advantage over their competitors. In the Anglosphere nations, entrepreneurship has flourished and spread beyond their borders. From the time of the American Revolution and development of constitutional rule, the French have endured two Napoleons and five Republics. Outside of England, no European had more experience with democratic rule than the United States. The development of a strong civic society and long time understanding of constitutional rule has fostered both political and economic freedom within the Anglosphere and led to its present domination throughout the world.

Within the Western traditions, there are now two competing ideas. For the French intellectuals, there is a continental system that features extensive government intervention within the economic sphere and beyond. Many French have derided what they call the “Anglo-Saxon” Ideas. In the 60’s, De Gaulle envisioned a block of nations as a separate world power that stood as a counter to the Soviet Empire and the American led “Anglo-Saxon Empire.” The intellectual fantasy developed during the Cold War has now come to forefront as many in the French communities believe that the United States stand in the way of French goals and have become a de facto enemy. Whether it is attacking American culture or complaining about America hegemony, much of the French intellectual and foreign policy apparatus view American ascendancy counter to their goal of dominating Europe through the EU. France wants to become major players on the world scene through various international bodies such as the European Union and the United Nations. For many French intellectuals, the EU is a the both the political and economic counterweight to what they view as “cowboy capitalism.”

One of the future key issues for the Anglosphere nations will be Great Britain relation with Europe. The present EU and continental system favors more bureaucratic control over the economy and increase industrial policies to favor specific industry. The harmonization of taxes and budgets within the EU is designed to maintain high taxes and support an ever-expanding welfare state. The policy of harmonization is being used as wedge against lower tax countries such as those in the emerging Democracies in Central Europe and Ireland. Britain goal of being “the Anglosphere voice” will be compromised by dealings with the French and Germans, the present leaders of the EU. The French goal is to use the EU to separate the British from the Anglosphere. James Bennett own observation is, “Were the United Kingdom to leave the Union and join NAFTA, it would lead to far more productive partnership.” For Bennett, Britain needs to look to a closer relation to the Anglosphere through inclusion in NAFTA and the other Anglosphere’s nation. This is a more logical alliance as Bennett observed that alliance would, “accelerate the existing trend toward mergers, partnerships, and alliances between U.S., Canadian, and British infotech companies. It would extend them into allied defense and defense-impacted fields such as aerospace and commercial aviation.”

Article Author: Tom Donelson

Visit Tom Donelson's author page — Tom Donelson's Blog