Hopes and Fears of Europe: Fall 1962

From Stockholm to Lisbon, one main idea is in the minds of responsible people: the Common Market, together with its expected political by-products. But this problem necessarily brings also into focus the relationship between Europe and the United States, and between the West and the Soviet Union.

The one overwhelming impression I gained from months of European travel is of a growing, continent-wide self-assurance about the present benefits and future potential of the Common Market. Nobody is foolish enough to believe that this will be achieved without tremendous difficulties; but for the first time since 1945, continental Europe begins to consider itself senior to Britain and an equal partner to the United States. Europeans believe that the British, after attempting to torpedo the economic union, are now trying to divide and rule it, but they feel confident that in the end, London will have no choice but to join on European terms. For the first time Left and Right agree on a single objective: the Left expects of the Common Market a continent-wide economic prosperity, and the Right has transferred its nationalism from local to continental loyalty. Neither wants to jeopardize this convergence of outlook.

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Thomas Molnar

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From Stockholm to Lisbon, one main idea is in the minds of responsible people: the Common Market, together with its expected political by-products. But this problem necessarily brings also into focus the relationship between Europe and the United States, and between the West and the Soviet Union.

The one overwhelming impression I gained from months of European travel is of a growing, continent-wide self-assurance about the present benefits and future potential of the Common Market. Nobody is foolish enough to believe that this will be achieved without tremendous difficulties; but for the first time since 1945, continental Europe begins to consider itself senior to Britain and an equal partner to the United States. Europeans believe that the British, after attempting to torpedo the economic union, are now trying to divide and rule it, but they feel confident that in the end, London will have no choice but to join on European terms. For the first time Left and Right agree on a single objective: the Left expects of the Common Market a continent-wide economic prosperity, and the Right has transferred its nationalism from local to continental loyalty. Neither wants to jeopardize this convergence of outlook.