“What we should grasp, however, from the lessons of European history is that, first, there is nothing necessarily benevolent about programmes of European integration; second, the desire to achieve grand utopian plans often poses a grave threat to freedom; and third, European unity has been tried before, and the outcome was far from happy.” ShouldFirstsHas BeensPoliticalDesireFreedomHistoryPlansAchievePoliticianLessonsEuropeThirdsThreatUnityGravesOutcomesStrong WomenIntegrationUtopiaProgrammesBenevolentUtopianEuropean HistoryDesire To AchieveEuropean Integration Book:On Europe Source: On Europe
“In 1917 European history, in the old sense, came to an end. World history began. It was the year of Lenin and Woodrow Wilson, both of whom repudiated the traditional standards of political behaviour. Both preached Utopia, Heaven on Earth. It was the moment of birth for our contemporary world.” WorldYearsEndsMomentsEarthPoliticalHeavenBirthStandardsContemporaryTraditionalBehaviourWorld HistoryUtopiaWilsonHeaven On EarthEuropean History Author:A. J. P. Taylor
“With calm, knowledgeable precision, Daniel Ziblatt wades into the adjacent swamps of federalism and nineteenth-century European history, emerging with hands full of gems. Beneath the tangle of great statesmen and national culture he discovers conflicting regional political interests, sharp regional variations in political capacity, fearful defenses against excessive democracy, coercive conquest of weak states, and unintended consequences galore. Read, think, and learn.” ThinkingStatesHandsPoliticalCultureInterestDemocracyCenturyConsequenceCapacityWeakCalmDefenseFearfulConquestVariationEmergingStatesmenPrecisionNineteenth CenturyGemsKnowledgeableSwampsWadeFederalismEuropean HistoryUnintended ConsequencesNational Culture Author:Charles Tilly
“John Paul II, above all, managed to contain the huge mass of frustration, of hate that had accumulated in that region, in favour of a peaceful transition. This was, without doubt, something that changed European history.” HateDoubtChangedHugeMassPeacefulFrustrationRegionsTransitionFavourJohn PaulJohn Paul IiEuropean History Author:Rocco Buttiglione