The Union Founding Members in France and Germany - Case Study Example

European Societies Name: Course: Tutor: Institution: Date: Introduction The European Union, formerly the European Common market growth and increased influence has resulted to a series of mixed reactions across the members’ state nations. In this regard, the benefits and challenges for involvement in this union have complicated the overall national perceptions. Consequently, as statistical analysis identified, only six in every ten citizens in the member states perceive themselves as citizens’ of the union. In order to critically evaluate the implications and reasons for this perception, this evaluation essay develops a strategic analysis and review on both France and Germany, key among the union founding members. France The France nation was among the founders of the European common Market, the predecessor to the current EU. In this regard, since the inception of the Union, the Franc society has increasingly benefited. One of the regulations developed under the Union establishment was the free movement of all the factors of production across the member states in the EU. In this regard, Bruter (2008, p.272) in an evaluation of the implications of the EU establishment argued that such movement allowed the free movement of citizens and tourists as well as businessmen across the European region. To this effect, the French nation benefited a lot. In this regard, the nation on a society front has benefit through increased interactions with tourists onto the nation as well as the exhibited free movement of its citizens to other nations under the membership with no restrictions. On the other hand, on an economic front, the nation’s industrious citizens have benefited from the expansive regional market in the EU members. In this case, the France manufacturing and processing industries have exponentially grown and expanded over the years. In addition, France as a nation has politically benefited through an alliance with the EU. Barbier (2012, p.379) developed a study evaluating the EU implications to member states a case study of the EU 2020 strategy. In its analysis, the study established that besides the social and economic benefits, the Union allowed for political structures development. In its organizational structure, EU has a presidency system shared on a regulatory basis among the members’ states. Moreover, it has an independent parliament that legislates on the unions’ operational legal framework. Therefore, the study established that through inclusion and membership into the union, the structure offers the respective nations political muscles to offset geopolitical forces in the globe. This has been a solace especially for France that is among the G20 nations striving to retain a global influence and control. As such, the EU membership has offered the nation a geopolitical platform to mitigate the influence of other regional blocs such as the BRICS and the UAE. Therefore, through the above listed two key merits and rationale of the union to France through increased cultural integration and relationships, economic benefits through market expansion at reduced tariffs and the political umbrella, the French society feels and identifies itself as members of the union. On the contrary, some of the French citizens and on some instances majorities are not proud of their membership into the union and therefore hardly identify as the union citizens. Larner (2007, P.213) conducted a study evaluating the French labor market changes over the years. In its analysis, the evaluation established a rising rate of increased unemployment in the nation. Moreover, the evaluation revealed a trend of decreasing employment and job security. Moreover, an evaluation developed by an evaluation of the BBC News (2014) established that the market registered increased expatriates workforce. In this regard, although the 2008 global financial crisis had devastating on employment rates in nations across the globe, the rising number of expatriates establishes that the national unemployment is not related to the financial crisis set ups. On the contrary, the nation has registered increased labour force competition from the regional markets. Consequently, with the free movement of all factors of production, labor included, has led to market infiltration. In particular, nations with high populations such as Germany and those with high unemployment rates due to economic failures such as Greece have encroached the France labor market. Additionally, on a negative note on the execution of its perceived regional interest mandate, the EU parliament has emerged and legislated on controversial issues over the years. In this regard, France in particular as a nation has been opposed to the Euro adoption as the single currency in the region, leading to the abolishment and removal of all the other currencies used in the region (Ranyard, 2007, p.315). Consequently, the above analysis on the challenges the French society and France as a nation is experiencing due to its membership in the EU, form the basis through which the citizens are uncomfortable and such fail to identify themselves with the union but with France as a nation due to the perceived supremacy threat on the national monetary interests as well as on the labor market competition that if unchecked would lead to regional growth at the cost of declining societal lifestyle and living standards in France. Germany Similar to France, Germany was among the funding national members of the EU. On its part, Germany was drawn by the penalty costs imposed on it to cover for the World war expenses. In this regard, German sought to establish a political platform through which to boast regional integration and peace resolution and operations platform to block a repeat of the world war. As Thompson (2013, p.7) argued, Germany sought a redemption platform in the Union. Consequently, the current developments and success of the union has served as a key German political asset in developing a global goodwill. Consequently, the German population and society has largely identified with the union as a measure to build a goodwill as well as elevate the nations image after the negate perceptions of the world war. In this regard, statistical evaluations as Ginsberg (2007, p.146) established indicate that among other members states to the EU, the German population has the largest population of the society expressing goodwill and a positive attitude and perception on the EU success and continued performance in the society. In addition, the identification of the German society with the union is not limited to the political social aspect but also on an economic platform. In this regard as already argued in this evaluation and as Hall and Hondroyiannis (2006, p.21) stated, the EU member states have established the Euro zone through which the currency in a majority f the member states have standardized their currency of use in domestic and foreign transactions as the Euro. In the execution of this policy, German served a lead role in the process. As such, it legalized the Euro as its official currency. Consequently, adoption of the Euro and the strong export base allowed the nation to overcome the growing inflation of its currency use a move that enhanced increased economic development and growth in the nation. In turn, German GDP has ever since increased with an exception of the 2008 global financial crisis. Therefore, this serves as an additional reason as to why the German society could easily identify as citizens of the EU rather as citizens of Germany as a nation state. Nevertheless, in some of the operational issues and working process of the EU, the German population is unsatisfied and thus lacks pride enough to identify with the union. One such instance is in the huge economic expenses born by Germany in bailing out economically failing states in the region. In its operational formulae, the EU resolved to work and operate as a support union to its members. As such, it initiated the move to salvage Greece from failure due to its excess wage bill and deficits. This was based on the argument as developed by Bowen (2014). In this case, EU resolved that letting Greece fail would initiate a chain of economic and political failures in the union thus weakening it. As a committed member of the union, Schuman (2012) evidenced that Germany contributed towards the bailing out of Greece from its eminent economic failure. However, despite its effort to justify the move, evaluations revealed that the German population was unsatisfied with the genesis of bearing the burden of other nation’s economic failures due to funds misappropriations and poor planning. Therefore, the public s opposed to continue and any future bailing out process. Therefore, this forms a key dissatisfaction point leading to the failure by the German society to identify with the EU as it is perceived to violate their individual gains and resources utilization. Conclusion In summary, this essay offers a strategic evaluation on the operations both current and the future of the EU. In this case, the evaluation essay critically assesses the factors that increase individual states citizens’ satisfaction and dissatisfaction. In its evaluation it adopts the cases of both France and Germany, key founding members of the union. On one hand, an evaluation on France establishes that increased market base and integration is a key satisfaction end for its citizens while as declining employment security is a major dissatisfaction base in the market. On the other hand, a German evaluation establishes that increased political goodwill and economic development offer increased citizens satisfactions while the bailing out trends are among the dissatisfying factors to the German citizens. References Barbier, J. 2012, "Tracing the fate of EU "social policy": Changes in political discourse from the "Lisbon Strategy" to "Europe 2020"", International Labour Review, vol. 151, no. 4, pp. 377-399. BBC News, 2014, French Unemployment at Record High. [Online] Available at < http://www.bbc.com/news/business-25922231> [Accessed November, 12 2014] Bowen, A., 2014, German minister says no going back on Greek bailout, [Online] Available at < http://www.worldaffairsjournal.org/index.php?q=content/german-foreign-minister-warns-greeks-bailout-vote> [Accessed November 12, 2014]. Bruter, M., 2008, “Legitimacy, Euroscepticism & Identity in the European Union–Problems of Measurement, Modelling & Paradoxical Patterns of Influence”. Journal of Contemporary European Research, vol 4, no. 4, pp-273. Ginsberg, R. H., 2007, Demystifying the European Union: The enduring logic of regional integration, Rowman & Littlefield, Lanham. Hall, S.G. & Hondroyiannis, G. 2006, "Measuring the correlation of shocks between the EU15 and the new member countries", Economic Change and Restructuring, vol. 39, no. 1-2, pp. 19-34 Larner, M., 2007, Working and living France, Cadogan Guides, London. Ranyard, R. 2007, "Euro Stories: The Irish Experience of Currency Change", Journal of Consumer Policy, vol. 30, no. 4, pp. 313-322. Schuman, M., 2012, What Happens if Greece Doesn’t Get a Bailout? [Online] Available at < http://business.time.com/2012/02/16/what-happens-if-greece-doesnt-get-a-bailout/> [Accessed November 12, 2014]. Thompson, W. C., 2013, Nordic, Central, & Southeastern Europe 2013, Stryker-Post Publications, Lanham M.D Read More

As such, the EU membership has offered the nation a geopolitical platform to mitigate the influence of other regional blocs such as the BRICS and the UAE. Therefore, through the above listed two key merits and rationale of the union to France through increased cultural integration and relationships, economic benefits through market expansion at reduced tariffs and the political umbrella, the French society feels and identifies itself as members of the union. On the contrary, some of the French citizens and on some instances majorities are not proud of their membership into the union and therefore hardly identify as the union citizens.

Larner (2007, P.213) conducted a study evaluating the French labor market changes over the years. In its analysis, the evaluation established a rising rate of increased unemployment in the nation. Moreover, the evaluation revealed a trend of decreasing employment and job security. Moreover, an evaluation developed by an evaluation of the BBC News (2014) established that the market registered increased expatriates workforce. In this regard, although the 2008 global financial crisis had devastating on employment rates in nations across the globe, the rising number of expatriates establishes that the national unemployment is not related to the financial crisis set ups.

On the contrary, the nation has registered increased labour force competition from the regional markets. Consequently, with the free movement of all factors of production, labor included, has led to market infiltration. In particular, nations with high populations such as Germany and those with high unemployment rates due to economic failures such as Greece have encroached the France labor market. Additionally, on a negative note on the execution of its perceived regional interest mandate, the EU parliament has emerged and legislated on controversial issues over the years.

In this regard, France in particular as a nation has been opposed to the Euro adoption as the single currency in the region, leading to the abolishment and removal of all the other currencies used in the region (Ranyard, 2007, p.315). Consequently, the above analysis on the challenges the French society and France as a nation is experiencing due to its membership in the EU, form the basis through which the citizens are uncomfortable and such fail to identify themselves with the union but with France as a nation due to the perceived supremacy threat on the national monetary interests as well as on the labor market competition that if unchecked would lead to regional growth at the cost of declining societal lifestyle and living standards in France.

Germany Similar to France, Germany was among the funding national members of the EU. On its part, Germany was drawn by the penalty costs imposed on it to cover for the World war expenses. In this regard, German sought to establish a political platform through which to boast regional integration and peace resolution and operations platform to block a repeat of the world war. As Thompson (2013, p.7) argued, Germany sought a redemption platform in the Union. Consequently, the current developments and success of the union has served as a key German political asset in developing a global goodwill.

Consequently, the German population and society has largely identified with the union as a measure to build a goodwill as well as elevate the nations image after the negate perceptions of the world war. In this regard, statistical evaluations as Ginsberg (2007, p.146) established indicate that among other members states to the EU, the German population has the largest population of the society expressing goodwill and a positive attitude and perception on the EU success and continued performance in the society.

In addition, the identification of the German society with the union is not limited to the political social aspect but also on an economic platform. In this regard as already argued in this evaluation and as Hall and Hondroyiannis (2006, p.

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