So, what has Europe ever done for us? Apart from...

This is from a point of view of a Brit. A lot of it is Socialistic in nature. Here is the full list:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/europe/so-what-has-europe-ever-done-for-us-apart-from-441138.html

The more "success" the EU has, the more appealing it is going to appear to people around the world, particularly the US and North America.

Here are a few that I have qualms with, though there are more:

13. Small EU bureaucracy (24,000 employees, fewer than the BBC)

Despite the eurosceptic claims, the number of EU officials is surprisingly small. After the scandal of 1999 when the Brussels based European Commission resigned, strict new rules were imposed on spending.

17. One currency from Bantry to Berlin (but not Britain)

The Euro is now the only real alternative to the dollar on the international stage. You can travel throughout 13 countries and use one currency. Slovenia became the 13th and latest nation to join the single currency this year. Several more nations have yet to meet the necessary criteria.

42. EU gives more, not less, sovereignty to nation states

Switzerland and Norway, two independent countries have little or no negotiating leverage when they deal with the EU. In fact they have less sovereignty than member states who decide the policy. Britons are more able to control their own destiny - in areas from international trade, to environmental protection, to consumer rights - because they are part of a 27 nation, democratic bloc. Real sovereignty, rather than theoretical sovereignty, is enhanced by EU membership.

Hans Hoppe was quoted as saying that the EU represented a progress for freedom when it acted as a competing center of justice that could be appealed to, much like you could appeal to different lords in the age of the Holy Roman Empire.

The creation of the Euro, in my opinion, has been a net positive, as it has created the first truly independent fiat currency (the ECB is not dependent on any single government to set policy).

I think, whatever European opinion on socialism may be, that the transformation of Europe into a post-state continent may represent a better hope for freedom than whatever is happening in America.

ViennaSausage:

42. EU gives more, not less, sovereignty to nation states

 

That depends on what you think sovereignty is. I think maybe you are confusing the concept of sovereignty with power. Sovereignty is the ability to act as the final judge in all disputes. Because sovereign judgment is final, it cannot be shared or subordinated. Clearly the EU weakens the sovereignty of its member states. This is a good thing, at least for the time being. But I think it is only a matter of time before the EU claims itself to be a sovereign.

Don't put your faith in that small bureaucracy promise either. There will be a crisis of some sort and that ideal will be quickly forgotten.

Most definitely. Just for clarification, I do not support the claims listed. I just thought it would be good to hear the other side of the story from every on this forum, to better understand the libertarian position with respect to what is going on in the world today.

I second what DBratton said. Right now the EU is alright. However, it is increasingly usurping ever more powers.