I see you are a Stateling indeed, Mitchell, because you pull all Europeans together as if they are one. That is so not-European. But after WW II, the Europeans did all agree that it was better to have peace than to go to war. In the West, the USA provided that anchor. In the East, the Soviet Union provided that anchor.
If we look at political systems, then the true democracies of the world are almost all found in Europe (No presidents, and with Proportional Voting). They are not found outside Europe (Greenland, Israel, the exceptions). Not all European nations are pure democracies. France and Germany, for instance, are not, but at least they have some parts of their political institutions elected proportionally. [France just a tad.]
The UK and the USA, are exclusive democracies, meaning that the voters only get represented by the winners of games.
Russia is a completely failed democracy, with the Russians nothing much more than sheep. They don't think for themselves because they have never learned to think for themselves. However, they are not dumb. They see the power games of the West and mirror themselves (and perhaps protect themselves against it).
I am so happy that Brexit occurred, because thé exclusive democracy of Europe left the EU on its own accord. It means that Europe can become more social democratic again because competition for the sake of competition (pure libertarianism) has now fewer bastions in Europe.
What Europeans learned from Trump's election is that the US is a two-faced democracy, and also an exclusive one with much poverty at the bottom end of society. You don't find that many poor on the streets of Europe as here in the US. You don't find as many crumbling streets as here in the US. You won't find uninsured folks like here in the US. Or in jail. Or dying much younger than their peers.
That brings us to Russia, because they see the West playing along with the exclusive democracies of UK and USA, and that is then the game they are playing.
I am very hopeful that Europe retakes its place on the world stage, the one it rightfully lost after two world wars. After World War II, the English and France dominance of the world was removed. They were globally the very bad players (as were others, but smaller). They occupied half the world, so no wonder the Germans needed lebensraum.
The Europeans were bullies. UK and France in particular, with Germany, Italy and Russia becoming extra-bullies (read: monsters). Now, we have one bully left: Russia.
I sincerely hope that the Russian people wake up to smell the coffee they are brewing.
I am communicating with Russians, and I see that they are indoctrinated up to the nines. The West has more information, a lot more information.
But if we want a better Europe, then we have to have two things happening:
Russia needs to become a democracy, and the UK and the USA need to become more inclusive democracies. They undermine the capitalist games in the world far too much now. I just need to mention Thatcher and Reagan to show that these two nations really pulled the rug from underneath the social-democratic nature that brought peace to Western Europeans.
Russia, UK, and USA. Three nations that must improve if we want a more balanced political and socioeconomic world. Their competitiveness has to be brought down by a tad — a big tad.
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Thanks for your American view on Europe.
In the US, there is a grassroots movement Local Revolutions, making demands that Proportional Voting is the Constitutional way for local elections of cities and counties.
Come join, tell your US friends. Our democracy needs a better way. It is not good for everyone at all, and we are exporting our stressed-competitive nature to the rest of the world.
https://fred-rick.medium.com/citizens-invoking-the-us-constitution-325c17290881
