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Ah, so you're blind and have no sense of taste?

I agree. French castles are the way to go. Or German castles. There are some pretty sweet German castles.

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but don't mock the French for having different beliefs and culture than we do.

yet everyone mocks American culture...because it is purly corporate and consumerist. Americans have no idea what it is like to experiance a culture of their own, where is the history of grandeour, glory and enlightenment? nothing has been born there...no great social science, theory or revolution. Understanding the fabric, complexity and diverseness is key to understanding Europe...it is where the history comes from, and where Americans come from (mainly). Although France may not be far away from the UK their histories are complex and vastly different, intertwining and exploding throughout history...it is more than a political dispute, being where we are in Europe runs in our veins...We are British, we are French, Italian or Spanish, Dutch or German! being a European is very different to being an American.

France has indeed been through many revolutions, and one explanation for this is the right-left divide which has been the major social cleavage in French history. My knowaldge isn't as detailed as FMLs, but as I believe the liberal lefties gave way to De Gauls staunch and strict views when the Algerian crisis was in full swing.

Then he gave way to Mitterand after losing a referendum, and in turn his leftist ways set up France for another swing right and France's current coalition government headed by Chirac. However they have had to adopt middle ground because of the socialists dominating the left and the FN the right, so an unstable and torn party is in power so they don't know where they want to be....imagine what this does to the people..

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Ah, so you're blind and have no sense of taste?

This from someone who includes an anime character among his heroes. I think I'll find someone else with which to discuss fine food and vin. And Bakunin isn't to be beleived you crazy anarchist freak. Considering he died during the third republic I don't think he really had much of an opinion on De Gaul.

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I'll take English castles, Wisconsin cheese and Australian wine.

Ah, so you're blind and have no sense of taste?

Historicaly, attempts to unify Europe have fallen apart, look at napoleaon and hitler, in part because of nationalism. The Europeans aren't willing to be governed by a bunch of Brussles Burecrats.

And as to the 5 Republics, if Bakunin is to be belived, the reason for this lies in the defeat of Protestantism in France, and the french never aquired a tradition of tue liberty. Catholocism, the state won out, and all the republics are merley corrupt states anyway. Anarchy!

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I'd rather my country create beautiful medieval castles, spectacular cities, wine and cheese, than a banjo.

The banjo's origins are spain and west africa.
I'll take English castles, Wisconsin cheese and Australian wine. But that is off topic. I love French culture. Great food and literature. But the French government(s) never had my respect. They go through governments like Trump goes through wives(Trump isn't quite as bad as France). Trump is on his third wife, France is on their Cinq Republique. And curiously they tend to skip a few years in between the third and fourth Republique. Seems that they are in Vichy denial. It's understandable right? I mean It's not like anything historically memorable happened in western Europe between 1940 and 1945. Aside from their loose relationship with historical accuracy they have ceasar type power secured in their executive. Charles De Gaul(who wrote their constitution) must have had cheque-and-balanceaphobia. At any time the President of France can order new legislative elections. He gets to personally pick the prime minister. Legislation can be introduced by officials in his administration. He has no term limits. Just in case you think he never uses these powers, just a few weeks ago he ousted Prime Minister Refferin in favor of our old U.N. P.I.A. Dominique De Villepin(full name: Dominique Marie François René Galouzeau de Villepin). If you had gone through Six Republics since 1789 you think you would learn something. You or I, probably. The French: not so much. So after two Napoleons, a World War 1 general heading a Nazi government, a World War II General writing his own constitution before he gets to be president, a Pompidou here and a Mitterand there we've ended up at this point. Once again trying to tollerate the Gauls with too much gaul.

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not the people from the land of cheese and WHINE

I'd rather my country create beautiful medieval castles, spectacular cities, wine and cheese, than a banjo.

red:

SHUT-UP! My dear good GOD, you sound as if you haven't ever stepped foot outside this country! I'm not saying the USA isn't great, I LIVE here, I am AMERICAN, but don't mock the French for having different beliefs and culture than we do.

"That's because France IS more devoted to internationalism. France, a FIFTH the size of Texas, provides more charity for Third World countries than ALL of the US."

Im sorry, but bul****! Who gives the most aid to tsunami victims? in a place where most people hate us btw. who gives the most to AIDS victims in Africa? Who is ate the center of every world tragedy providing aid? not the people from the land of cheese and WHINE. The Patriotic and the Magnanimous people of the USA.

No, not at all. Quite the contrary. However, I just found it ironic.

Do you find France to be brilliant Hub?

I was suprised to look at "International Relations" and find a thread titled, "Stupid France." Sort of an oxymoron there, don't you think?

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The Maltese currency is stronger than the pound, doesn't mean its the top currency however.

Long term stability? I didn't think so.

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Never was. The Pound has always carried greater value and has better long term stability.

The Maltese currency is stronger than the pound, doesn't mean its the top currency however.



I also don't believe Americans can have a good enough view of what it is like to be European to make any kind of judgement for the future of the EU. The sheer culture gap between certain nations is too much. And look at Scandinavia, getting on fine without the Euro, Switzerland, a non-EU member doing very well with good living standards. Those who did adopt the Euro are now struggling, such as Germany, France and talk in Italy of changing back to lira.

Nobody will ever be able to command an army of Europe, make decisions for all Europe and therefore uniting us any closer will bring nothing but stagnation and argument. Look at the individual conflicts within Europe...

the UK has been to war with every part of Europe throughout history except for Portugal, Europe was never meant to be united, for trade ok, but talk of a federal system is worrying for people here, for the region which invented democracy, and for countries like the UK who have best put it into practise longer than anywhere else...nobody wants to give it up to a greater power, Britain shall be ruled by the British, not by the Europeans. France by the French, and Germany by the Germans. (with the odd hippie thrown in)

I think that globalization (to a certain degree of the term) could be a really positive thing like Cplo13 mentioned. The E.U. was that, except that the countries were supposed to retain their cultural and domestic autonomy; which, I believe is extremely important.

In theory the E.U. unites and benefits everyone, economically for example. It also automatically makes the European countries powerful allies, because in a sense they are one country. The E.U. could be the next superpower.

The legistics weren't specific or defining enough in response to how unification would really impact the nations for it to work this time around. But in the future, I would like to see it happen, revised and with more satisfaction.
Instead of nationalism, there nees to be continentalism!

One wonders how long it will be until Europe is shown as just one color on the maps.

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Never was. The Pound has always carried greater value and has better long term stability.

I meant in terms of usage. More people are switching from the American dollar to the Euro for legal and not-so-legal transactions.

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France, a FIFTH the size of Texas

Texas is 268,601 square miles. France is 211,207 square miles. Not quite a 5th bigger really.

And by the way, the UK public give more money to charity than anywhere else we were the biggest contributers to the asian tsunami fund.

Hold on voice, I believe that the US provides the most international aid in the world.

FML:

That's because France IS more devoted to internationalism. France, a FIFTH the size of Texas, provides more charity for Third World countries than ALL of the US.

All we've done lately is invade countries. That doesn't exactly count as internationalism.