Europe will experience a likely decline and deindustrialization if it chooses to stay within the system dominated by the United States, renowned US academic and philosopher Noam Chomsky told Sputnik.
“Europe has a major decision to make: Will it stay within the US-dominated system, facing likely decline and even, some predict, deindustrialization?” Chomsky said. “Or will it accommodate in some fashion to its natural economic partner to the East, rich in mineral resources that Europe needs and a gateway to the lucrative China market?”
Chomsky noted that these questions have arisen in one form or another since World War II.
“The Gaullist concept of Europe linking with Russia as an independent force in world affairs found echoes in Willy Brandt’s Ostpolitik and other initiatives, and more broadly in Gorbachev’s proposals after the collapse of the Soviet Union,” he said. “Again, we can only speculate.”
When asked whether he thinks we are on the threshold of a new world order and if the Ukrainian conflict can be a catalyst for major changes, Chomsky said: “There is much controversy about the shape of the emerging world system.”
Chomsky explained the basic alternatives are a multipolar United Nations-based system or a unipolar “rules-based” system, where the United States sets the rules and as the record reveals, disregards them when it chooses to.
“The former is largely supported by most of the world. The latter is adopted by the Anglosphere, Europe, Japan and a few others,” Chomsky added, noting that Russia’ special military operation “provided the United States with a most welcome gift, driving Europe into Washington’s pocket and thus strengthening its demand for a unipolar ‘rules-based’ order.”
“There are many uncertainties as to how these tensions will be resolved,” he said.
Earlier in May, US investor Jim Rogers told Sputnik that political unions like the European Union have never survived in history and this bloc is already experiencing problems.
The renowned US academic and philosopher further told Sputnik that he is hopeful Europe will be inclined toward the vision of former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev ‘From Lisbon to Vladivostok’ before it gets worse.
“I also think there is considerable merit in Gorbachev’s proposal for a ‘common European home’ from Lisbon to Vladivostok with no military alliances and common efforts to move toward a social democratic future,” Chomsky said.
The United States chose to pursue the Atlanticist option, based on NATO, which has recently been expanded to the Indo-Pacific region in a Washington-led effort to enlist Europe in its confrontation with China, Chomsky said.
“I hope that the future will tend towards Gorbachev’s vision, before it is too late,” Chomsky added.
None of the actions taken by the successors of former US President George H.W. Bush in violation of the agreements between him and then-Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev on NATO should have taken place, Chomsky said.
Chomsky noted that Bush and Gorbachev agreed that Germany should be unified and join NATO, but the military alliance should not extend “one inch to the East” of Germany.
“The documents, which are clear and unambiguous, are readily available on the website of the National Security Archive. President Bush lived up to the agreement,” Chomsky said.
However, Chomsky said Bush’s successor, Bill Clinton, violated the agreement, overriding the strong objections of high-level US diplomats and a wide range of political analysts, who warned that actions to expand NATO were reckless and provocative.
“His successors went further, also abrogating major arms control agreements that had significantly reduced the threat of war. None of these actions should have taken place, in my opinion,” Chomsky said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly called for building a united peaceful Europe from Lisbon to Vladivostok.
Last October, Putin said that he considers it possible to create a common humanitarian and economic space in Eurasia, stating that “hope dies last.”
