Is Europe Doomed?

The simple answer is "of course not". Europe still has much going for it, certainly a large population, albeit an aging one. There is still much technology and now-how in many of the European countries. And certainly a stable lifestyle that is still in demand by many immigrants.

As the saying goes, you learn by your mistakes not by your successes. Certainly, the recent mistakes encountered by a collection of nations with different languages and cultures is huge. But I do believe that there is a desire to have a notion of a "collective" Europe. Of course, different nations have different views of that means. Does this mean a common currency, common government, no passport required? Depends on who you ask.

Europe has lots of potential, but that is meaningless unless that potential is applied. The idea of a cooperative union among european counties is wonderful. This certainly is an alternative to the wars that were inflicted on the continent during the last century. The devastation brought on the continent is something that the peolple of Europe desire to avoid.

Europe is a continent that is a polyglot which makes integration highly difficult. It does not share a common language or cultural identity the way China or the US do. Can a linguistically and culturally diverse set of nations come together under a single cohesive union? Can there me a modicum of mutual trust the transcends old rivalries and prejudices? Time will tell.

The financial crises exposes bad economic management, but that is no different from what is happening in the US. If the powers that be in Europe can deal, and not resolve because resolution is probably impossible, then maybe there is hope. If a major crisis is avoided then maybe Europe can move forward towards integration albeit at a much slower, wiser pace.