Mickey, since this is the off-topic board I'll put in my 2 cents.
Over those centuries how many times did the nations within Europe go to war with each other. Maybe the European Union will fail. If it does then will Europe revert to the violence of centuries past?
Yes, the southern European nations are in big trouble financially. They were able to borrow money at the European Union (German) borrowing interest rates. But the Southern Europeans also served as a large market for German output. Everybody was happy until it came time to pay the piper.
Yes, the bureaucracy is stifling and needs to change. And the voting rules need changing. Another big problem is the immigration issue, which is not working in its present state.
England's vote is interesting on several fronts. Over the past several centuries England was very good at maintaining the balance of power in Europe. Sometimes they joined Germany against France and sometimes they joined France against Germany besides other conflicts they got themselves involved in. England was in the European Union and now they are going out of the European Union.
Another factor, in my view, the English vote is a push back against globalization. It makes sense to me that while globalization raises living standards in developing countries there will be a reduction in living standards in the developed countries. I know when I worked I earned less salary because my company was able to hire contractors on work visas for the same job function that I performed.
But in my view globalization has the potential to reduce the occurrence of another world war. I state potential because man's violent nature seems to find a way to assert itself now and then.
