It's The WWII Axis Vs. The Allies Again

The blog bitter sanity has an interesting take on the different viewpoints of the Americans and the Europeans when it comes to how we view the UN. His argument that we in the US are taking a Jeffersonian approach is an interesting one, and one that I think has some validity to it. However, I do not think that a Jeffersonian approach vs. a fear of nationalism really describes the difference in viewpoints.

The fear of nationalism argument fails when applied to Britain, Australia, Spain, the Vilnius 10 and several other nations. The French and Germans do have an absolute fear of nationalism unchecked. The Germans because they have a psychological complex left over from the hell of Nazism. The French because they are afraid of having to be rescued by foreigners for a third time. Other nations, notably Belgium, that have strong French or German heritages tend to feel that same fear of nationalism.

But when you look at those other countries I mentioned, you will find that there is no fear of nationalism; there is no fear of an activist United States. Why?

The difference, as theorized by the author of the referenced essay, does in fact come from the respective histories of each nation. But the event with the most influence on the collective thinking of each nation is World War II.

When we look at the nations opposed to us in the UN right now, we see primarily the nations that were conquered by National Socialism. The Nazis unchecked aggressions and ambitions left deep scars across the Continental psyche. So deep that the affected nations now feel that they cannot protect themselves from themselves which necessitates a supernational body like the UN.

The British, Australians and the nations that make up the Vilnius 10 were part of the coalition that came together to defeat the Nazis. Had we listened to world opinion back then, the French would be speaking German and wearing lederhosen. All of Continental Europe would have been opposed to the Allied effort. But these nations knew that they needed to stand up for their national interests. So nationalism rose in those nations to meet the challenge posed by the nationalism of Germany. Nationalism in Britain and the former Soviet Union was a key to keeping up morale during the darkest days of the European war.

The Spanish are the oddballs here. They really didn't participate in WWII, but in the years following the war, they never really had problems with nationalism or nationalists and therefore they have no fear of nationalism. Which really makes them about the only unbiased party to the current discussion in the UN.

The UN has been fatally flawed with this difference in viewpoints since it was founded. But, instead of the split being along North American vs. European lines it is closer to being along the lines of the Axis (and their colonies - past and present) vs. the Allies (and their colonies - past and present). But regardless of the split, the fundamental flaw is still there and is just now surfacing as a serious point of contention.

Thomas Jefferson was an amazing man who shaped man of the principles on which this nation was founded. Many of our most basic beliefs as a nation can be traced back to him. In this case, harkening back to Jefferson isn't a good explanation for what has happened, but is an excellent way to explain what is going to happen. The UN has served a purpose up until now. But it has lost that purpose. It is time for the UN to be altered or abolished. Jefferson would expect no less.