From an economic point of view the European Union continues to get stronger and is arguably the most important trading bloc in the world. "Around the 450 million citizens of the EU, there are another 1.5 billion people who depend completely on an EU that is their biggest trade partner and their biggest source of credit, foreign investment, and aid." Leonard (2005). Certainly since its inception the European Union continues to grow and is an essential participant in the global economy. If the European Union can continue to build on its foundations then it has the potential to become a superpower. However the European Union can not yet compete with the United States from a military perspective.
This paper will examine the possibilities for the European Union in the near future, look at the United States in comparison and argue that there will be a redistribution of global power throughout the next century.
Prior to this century Europe had always been a hegemonic force throughout the world and
References: Baylis & Smith (2006) The Globalization of World Politics: An introduction to international relations BARRY BUZAN (2006) Will the 'global war on terrorism ' be the new Cold War CORNISH & EDWARDS (2005) The strategic culture of the European Union: a progress report International Affairs 81 (4), 801–820. doi:10.1111/j.1468-2346.2005.00485. Kupchan, Charles A. 2003, ‘The Rise of Europe, America 's Changing Internationalism, and the End of U.S. Primacy ', Political Science Quarterly, Vol. 118 Issue 2, Summer, pp. 205- 232. Leonard, Mark (2005) Europe: the new superpower, The Irish Times, Feb 18th http://www.cer.org.uk/articles/leonard_irish_times_18feb05.html MARY KALDOR, MARY MARTIN and SABINE SELCHOW (2007) Human security: a new strategic narrative for Europe International Affairs, Volume 83, Issue 2, Page 273-288, Mar 2007, doi: 10.1111/j.1468-2346.2007.00618.x http://ilearn.bond.edu.au/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab=courses&url=/bin/common/course.pl?course_id=_12705_1 Mason, Garrick (2004) Superpower? Not for the EU http://www3.sympatico.ca/ian.g.mason/EU_NonSuperpower.htm Ritter, Bruce (2006) The European Counterweight Part 1: A Leaderless Superpower, The real truth. http://www.realtruth.org/articles/413-tec.html