Social And Economic Integration: The Differences And Aspects Of The European Union

Ever since the struggle for colonial dominance, the fight between religious beliefs, and the First & Second World Wars, the Europe that we are now accustomed to today, is significantly distinct from the Europe of before. With current living standards going up, poverty & unemployment going down, Europe has transformed itself into a continent brought about through social and economic integration. This radical change stemmed from the vision of post-World War II Europeans, longing for peace in order to spur development in their countries . Hence, the European Union , more commonly known as the EU was created .

The EU as it stands is a social institution that until today, stands firm on it's guiding principle "economic integration resulting to
In connection to the first, the diversity of Europe often creates a climate of difference, wherein aiming for greater social integration is very difficult. This is especially seen in the distinct ways different European’s on different countries think. Greeks are considered quite indolent people. They rely heavily on the state to provide for them, like greater retirement pay, more coverage on social care & healthcare, etc . The problem with the Greeks is that they barely pay their taxes, thus, this explains why their government had to borrow huge sums of money in order to maintain it's commitments. This prevailing culture of the Greeks is a sharp contrast to many Germans. Germans are considerably hard working people, expect little in the line of state benefits, and meticulously pay all of their taxes . The more individualistic approach of the Germany, where many of their citizens rely more on themselves, than on the state, is key to why the German economy is the largest in Europe. The striking differences of economic mindsets, explains why the Greek economy has a accumulated a huge amount of debt, while the Germans on the other hand, experience a strong and stable economy. Thus, these differences further amplify the belief that further integration of EU member states is very difficult to achieve, because of the disparity on mindsets existing for every
The biggest threat that solidifies the claim that the EU is sinking and already becoming incompatible, is the changing nature of the global landscape today. Many European's have protested against the EU, claiming that it's free market policies have only benefited the top 1%, and have left behind many just-managing families. Many have felt that the EU has done little to nothing to uplift their lives for the better. Because of this dissent , many populist figures , especially from far right parties (i.e: The Front National in France or the Afd in Germany) create bold claims that hit many disgruntled