More likely than not, he would turn the title of the speech upside down — instead of talking about “threats to globalization,” he would make a very Gallic speech on “globalization as a threat” and elaborate on how Europe and the world could be best saved from it before it is too late.

Globalization and its enemies

Next, imagine a typical German — a believer in, and practitioner of, Rhenanian capitalism.

In order to survive and prosper in a globalized world, the European Union has to strike a realistic balance between social protection and economic competitiveness.

He or she would likely praise globalization. After all, Germany is a major exporting nation. But at the same time, notes of caution would shine through on the excesses of unrestricted, heartless free-market capitalism as the main threat to that very process.

In other words, the argument would be in favor of a “managed globalization” of sorts. This is likely the view held by a majority of well-informed and well-intentioned Europeans.

Threats from the inside

In contrast, a quintessential European Anglo-Saxon, which is not necessarily a contradiction in terms, would take the floor and single out the French and the German views as threats globalization is experiencing from the inside — that is, from precisely those who are benefiting the most.

Toynbee-like, this person would be relied upon to deliver a stern warning that the possible demise of the globalized civilization is not due to the revolt of the internal or external "proletariat" — but to the defection of the elites.

A fact of life

But what about the civil servant working for the European Commission? He or she would be more or less entitled to speak on behalf of Europe — but would at the same time be very careful in choosing words.

Globalization is a fact of life to which the European Union has to adapt by preserving its social values, principles and policies.

This person would affirm that globalization is a fact of life. The European Union has to adapt through the use of common policies, while at the same time preserving its social values, principles and policies.

In other words, in order to survive and prosper in a globalized world, the European Union has to strike a balance between social protection and economic competitiveness.

The EU's unique position

The Commission's representative would argue that the European Union — through its institutional and idea-oriented soft powers — is uniquely positioned to limit the negative side-effects of globalization.

In politically correct Eurocratic language, the European Union is one of the best ramparts against at least some of the threats to globalization.

Globalization and Europe

By exporting its norms and standards, particularly those rooted in social consciousness, the European Union can

The European Union — through its institutional and ideas-oriented soft powers — is positioned to restrict the negative side-effects of globalization.

counteract or manage the inequalities allegedly produced by unbridled globalization.

In this way, it deprives the enemies of globalization of their favorite arguments against it.

The European Union can also lead by example, and show the virtues of a benign variety of liberal globalization — by coupling the free movement of goods, services, capital and labor with a high standard of living for the majority of its citizens.

Enemies from excess

But one can extract a common view from these various European perspectives.

The greatest threats to globalization come from its own excesses: Hedge funds, hot capital, subprime lending, greedy CEOs, and so forth are the worst enemies of globalization.

How to save globalization

But globalization can and must be saved from inside — if only because there is no other viable alternative out there.

The European Union shows the virtues of a more or less benign variety of liberal globalization.

Hence the need to establish some set of rules or codes of conduct within the existing multilateral institutions to moderate those negative side-effects — without unsettling the delicate fabric of the one-world economy.

Against this backdrop, Europe feels called upon to set the example as a model of a human-faced globalized and globalizing polity.

Other views

As it happens, these various European perceptions are also shared in some parts of the world beyond Europe.

The first one is that globalization is mostly a process led by economic forces. Globalization is about the opening up of markets and the free flow of capital, goods, information — and maybe even of people.

European integration

In this regard, as authors like Brian W. Blouet have put it, the triumph of globalization should imply the demise of

The European Union, which is perceived as a post-geopolitical and postmodern polity, fits perfectly well within the narrative of an increasingly globalized world.

the era of geopolitical competition for space and resources among great powers.

This being the case, the European Union — which is perceived as a post-geopolitical and postmodern polity — fits perfectly well within the narrative of an increasingly globalized world.

The European Union can be the model towards which most other actors should converge, especially those (like the United States and China) who still guided their international behavior by the principles of Realpolitik.

Looking at emerging economies

Emerging economies can accept the existing market and institution-based rules of the global game — provided that those rules can be modified to accommodate emerging economies who find themselves squeezed by circumstance.

Europe could live with the essentially economic nature of globalization, as long as the main emerging countries have been effectively co-opted within the system.

Western control of geopolitics and globalization

The advocates of managed and liberal globalization can live perfectly well with the processes of European

The greatest threats to globalization come from its own excesses: Hedge funds, hot capital, subprime, greedy CEOs, et cetera are the worst enemies of globalization.

integration and globalization — provided that the underlying economic forces prevail above other considerations.

Another perspective — permeating some of the most influential European thinking — sees globalization as a continuation of geopolitical competition by other means.

In this view, globalization is perceived as a mainly political (cum economic) process, originated in the West and dominated by Westerners, whether they be continental Europeans or Anglo-Americans.

Informal empires

Since the Age of Discovery, by controlling and creating new markets and having unrestricted access to essential resources, successive European powers made the transition from formal empires to informal ones — and finally to the current networks of capital and information.

The fact that the latest phase came to be dominated by an extra-European power like the United States is considered by some Europeans as an irritant.

A change in rhetoric

The essential matter is that both the main forces of geopolitics and globalization remain under Western control to the benefit of a more or less enlarged Euro-Atlantic community.

Globalization is about the opening up of markets and the free flow of capital, goods, information — and maybe even of people.

Of course, this idea is being challenged by the rise of emerging powers like China, which is completely recasting the entire edifice of globalization.

The rise of China and other emerging powers is causing a rhetorical shift at the geopolitical level, which is causing many Europeans to rethink their collective posture on global affairs.

Emerging powers

There is a growing sense that globalization is being used not only by the United States, but also by emerging powers like China and India — all of which have the potential to undermine and further diminish Europe’s role in the world.

If the European Union proves itself unable to counter that trend, then we may see more questioning of its common policies on trade, foreign affairs and security.