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The Next Superpower?: The Rise of Europe and Its Challenge to the United States
 
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The Next Superpower?: The Rise of Europe and Its Challenge to the United States [Hardcover]

Rockwell A. Schnabel (Author), Francis X. Rocca (Author)
4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)

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Book Description

August 4, 2005
Americans have been recently lectured that "Americans are from Mars and Europeans are from Venus." But this slogan fails to account for the economic might of the European Union, which has elevated the EU—and its member countries—to near superpower status. What are the implications of this development for the United States? Ambassador Rockwell A. Schnabel and Francis X. Rocca take up this critical and complex question in a detailed, firsthand analysis of the EU institutions, their leadership, and the member countries. Although Europe today cannot challenge America in military terms, the 25-nation economic giant can influence world events to the benefit or detriment of the United States. This book will answer the timely and crucial question of how the "rise of Europe will affect U.S. prosperity and security for decades to come."

Ambassador Schnabel dispenses with diplomatic niceties. He is critical of both U.S. and European policies. Schnabel and Rocca give readers a compelling and provocative inside look at the people and issues that will decide whether the world's most consequential partnership flourishes or flounders. While alerting readers to the economic and geopolitical challenges posed by a stronger EU, the authors reject the complacency of those who see American "unipolarity" as a license to neglect our allies, or those who entertain the illusion that we can "divide and conquer" Europe. This book will make clear why the U.S. must work with the EU—or expect the EU to work against it.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Schnabel, a successful businessman . . . brings a fresh perspective to transatlantic relations in his book, which should be used as a textbook for American students hoping to learn something new about the European Union and how it operates. ... The author's 'hope that this book will be a small contribution' for better and closer transatlantic cooperation has been fulfilled. (Robert J. Guttman Transatlantic: Europe, America and The World )

The best book yet written on the geopolitical significance of the economic colossus of the European Union and its tendentious relations with America. It is a must-read for Europeans and Americans who are concerned about the future of the Atlantic partnership. (Robert Mundell )

GE knows that the regulations that American companies have to follow—even within America itself—are increasingly set in Brussels. Ambassador Schnabel explains why every global company must understand how the EU affects the way they do business. He also explains why, and how, the United States and Europe should work together for our mutual good. For business people, government policy makers, and other Americans wishing to understand the EU, this book is an indispensable guide. (Jeff Immelt )

As a European born, naturalized American, with a strong pragmatic business streak, Rock Schnabel brings a singular perspective to EU-U.S. relations. A must read for those who want to understand why this historic alliance is critical to global security and prosperity. (Niall FitzGerald )

Ambassador Schnabel's well-written, intelligent, and entertaining book should be read with profit by Americans and Europeans alike. Americans will learn what has been happening on this side of the Atlantic—some of it with American help. Europeans will discover what we look like to a smart insider and friend. All should recognize that America and Europe are best served when we work together as partners—the rest of the world is better off too. (Lord Patten of Barnes )

For Americans who have puzzled over the meaning of Europe's economic and political integration, and for those who have frankly wondered why they should care, Rock Schnabel's book is a revelation. In clear and forceful terms, our former ambassador to Brussels explains what the European Union is, how it works, and how it is changing the world balance of power. (Vernon E. Jordan, Jr. )

For more than half a century, the Atlantic Alliance has been the basis for European security and a cornerstone of global stability. Now Europe is beginning to develop a collective military identity of its own, without the participation of the United States. In this timely and insightful book, Ambassador Schnabel identifies the dangers and opportunities arising from the European Union's growing authority in security and defense; and explains why and how Europe and America should reaffirm our historic partnership. (General Joseph W. Ralston )

Having worked closely with Ambassador Schnabel during my term as President of the European Parliament I can attest to the pivotal role which he played in the vital arena of EU-U.S. relations. This book is testimony to his insider witness and feel, and a convincing argument that the best option for the future of both Europe and America is one of intelligent interdependence. (Pat Cox )

America's political and business leaders have long wondered, in Dr. Kissinger's famous phrase, whom they are supposed to call when they want to reach Europe. Ambassador Schnabel's book answers that question, and explains why the rise of the European Union is making transatlantic relations at once more challenging and potentially more fruitful for both sides. (Jorma Ollila )

The Next Superpower is one of the most important books ever written about the European Union, one of the least understood but most important institutions in the world. From an inside perspective, as America's widely respected U.S. Ambassador to the European Union, Rockwell Schnabel clearly and convincingly explains, in ways few have done, how the EU works; its crucial economic and political impacts; the need to support a strong, unified Europe; and the critical importance to U.S. economic and security interests of assuring that in the post-Cold War era, America and Europe remain essential partners in championing democracy, free markets, and human rights around the world. (Eizenstat, Stuart E. )

The task of revitalizing the Atlantic alliance is one of the highest priorities for American foreign policy. Only by restoring a sense of common purpose to history's most successful coalition of free-market democracies can the Bush administration achieve its lofty ambition of spreading freedom around the world. Nobody understands this mission better than Rockwell Schnabel, who has served with great distinction in difficult times as the United States ambassador to the European Union. This book explains why transatlantic rivalry is self-defeating and how Europe and America must rebuild their partnership to succeed in coping with the economic and security challenges of the 21st century. (William M. Drozdiak )

"thoroughly researched yet eminently readable" (Marina Malenic American Spectator )

"Rockwell A. Schnabel...is among the most astute observers of European affairs" (Michael Potemra National Review )

From the Back Cover

"Ambassador Schnabel's well-written, intelligent, and entertaining book should be read with profit by Americans and Europeans alike. Americans will learn what has been happening on this side of the Atlantic—some of it with American help. Europeans will discover what we look like to a smart insider and friend. All should recognize that America and Europe are best served when we work together as partners—the rest of the world is better off too." – Lord Patten of Barnes, Chancellor, The University of Oxford.

"The best book yet written on the geopolitical significance of the economic colossus of the European Union and its tendentious relations with America. It is a must-read for Europeans and Americans who are concerned about the future of the Atlantic partnership." – Robert Mundell, Nobel Laureate in Economics, "Father of the Euro".

"GE knows that the regulations that American companies have to follow--even within America itself--are increasingly set in Brussels. Ambassador Schnabel explains why every global company must understand how the EU affects the way they do business. He also explains why, and how, the United States and Europe should work together for our mutual good. For business people, government policy makers, and other Americans wishing to understand the EU, this book is an indispensable guide." – Jeff Immelt, Chairman & CEO of General Electric Company

"As a European born, naturalized American, with a strong pragmatic business streak, Rock Schnabel brings a singular perspective to EU-U.S. relations. A must read for those who want to understand why this historic alliance is critical to global security and prosperity." – Niall FitzGerald, Chairman of Reuters Ltd.

"For Americans who have puzzled over the meaning of Europe's economic and political integration, and for those who have frankly wondered why they should care, Rock Schnabel's book is a revelation. In clear and forceful terms, our former ambassador to Brussels explains what the European Union is, how it works, and how it is changing the world balance of power." – Vernon E. Jordan Jr., Senior Managing Director of Lazard Freres & Co. LLC.

"For more than half a century, the Atlantic Alliance has been the basis for European security and a cornerstone of global stability. Now Europe is beginning to develop a collective military identity of its own, without the participation of the United States. In this timely and insightful book, Ambassador Schnabel identifies the dangers and opportunities arising from the European Union's growing authority in security and defense; and explains why and how Europe and America should reaffirm our historic partnership." – General Joseph W. Ralston of USAF (Ret), Former Supreme Allied Commander, Europe.

"Having worked closely with Ambassador Schnabel during my term as President of the European Parliament I can attest to the pivotal role which he played in the vital arena of EU-U.S. relations. This book is testimony to his insider witness and feel, and a convincing argument that the best option for the future of both Europe and America is one of intelligent interdependence." – Pat Cox, Former President of European Parliament.

"America's political and business leaders have long wondered, in Dr. Kissinger's famous phrase, whom they are supposed to call when they want to reach Europe. Ambassador Schnabel's book answers that question, and explains why the rise of the European Union is making transatlantic relations at once more challenging and potentially more fruitful for both sides." – Jorma Ollila, Chairman & CEO of Nokia Corporation.

"The Next Superpower is one of the most important books ever written about the European Union, one of the least understood but most important institutions in the world. From an inside perspective, as America's widely respected U.S. Ambassador to the European Union, Rockwell Schnabel clearly and convincingly explains, in ways few have done, how the EU works; its crucial economic and political impacts; the need to support a strong, unified Europe; and the critical importance to U.S. economic and security interests of assuring that in the post-Cold War era, America and Europe remain essential partners in championing democracy, free markets, and human rights around the world." – Stuart Eizenstat, Former U.S. Ambassador to the European Union (1993-1996), Under Secretary of Commerce, Under Secretary of State and Deputy Secretary of the Treasury.

"The task of revitalizing the Atlantic alliance is one of the highest priorities for American foreign policy. Only by restoring a sense of common purpose to history's most successful coalition of free-market democracies can the Bush administration achieve its lofty ambition of spreading freedom around the world. Nobody understands this mission better than Rockwell Schnabel, who has served with great distinction in difficult times as the United States ambassador to the European Union. This book explains why transatlantic rivalry is self-defeating and how Europe and America must rebuild their partnership to succeed in coping with the economic and security challenges of the 21st century."- William M. Drozdiak, President, American Council on Germany, Former Foreign Editor of The Washington Post.


Product Details

  • Hardcover: 192 pages
  • Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers (August 4, 2005)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0742545474
  • ISBN-13: 978-0742545472
  • Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,963,783 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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5.0 out of 5 stars An Insider's Guide to the Future of the EU, October 17, 2005
By 
Christine (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Next Superpower?: The Rise of Europe and Its Challenge to the United States (Hardcover)
As a US student in global political affairs in Washington, DC, I have spent many hours debating what it means to be considered a "superpower," who rivals the US for the title, and who is essentially the next "superpower." Rockwell Schnabel and Francis X. Rocca's well-researched book sheds light on the existing power dynamics of modern Europe and the EU in global society and what implications this 25 member state holds for our future. With its ever-impressive economic strengths coupled with its cultural and institutional influences, they believe the European Union should be viewed as a force to be reckoned with, but more importantly as a strong ally. Rockwell Schnabel draws from his experiences as a native European citizen and former ambassador to the EU to highlight crucial choices the EU must make if it is to become geopolitically stronger and, in fact, be the next superpower. Long- term decisions regarding a free market economy and Europe's stance towards the US will not only have direct impacts on American businesses, but also on global security. Considering the rising power of nations like China and India, transatlantic cooperation provides an opportunity to unite to achieve our common goals. By pooling vast resources together, the US and EU can have real effects on world hunger, poverty, and disease.
The Next Superpower? unites theoretical concepts with observations to provide insightful, yet critical analysis of global affairs from a US/EU perspective. It is a must read for every student of politics, economics, or business who cares about the future of the US, Europe, and the world.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Required reading for a rational view of modern Europe., October 5, 2005
By 
Kendrik de Koning (Pine, CO United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Next Superpower?: The Rise of Europe and Its Challenge to the United States (Hardcover)
In 2001, $300 billion market-cap Connecticut-based General Electric was moving toward closing a $42 billion deal to acquire New Jersey-based Honeywell. The executives, directors, and shareholders of each company had tendered their approval, as had the regulatory authorities in the United States. But some 3,500 miles away, European bureaucrats sitting in Brussels had other ideas. The threat to the international aerospace industry, they said, was just too great to risk letting these U.S. based companies combine as they had already agreed. And that's where the deal stopped.

Rockwell Schnabel-until a few months ago U.S. Ambassador to the European Union-essentially put U.S. business interests on notice that, like it or not, this is the new reality, and understanding the construct within which European commerce now takes place is critical to success in that very large market. The Next Superpower? is a brief yet highly insightful book that will serve as an indispensable primer to every American businessman trying to comprehend and penetrate the increasingly formidable market that is the European Union. In 188 pages, Schnabel, together with co-author Francis Rocca, takes the reader from the history and economic theories behind the formation of the EU, to what is essentially a How-To guide through its institutions, and those of its member states.

Those looking for an ideologically-charged paper in the vein of either Robert Kagan ("Of Paradise and Power"), or, conversely, Joseph Nye ("The Paradox of American Power"), will be disappointed. While the Ambassador clearly has a firm grasp on these competing views, this is a book that is about the practical realities of getting things done. The comparison, for instance, of the opposing dirigiste tradition of socialist France and the (classical) liberalism of Adam Smith, while worthwhile topics unto themselves, are clearly addressed with the purpose of giving the businessman, politician, and diplomat an historical and cultural framework as they move down what is an irreversible path toward free markets and capitalism in its highest form.

Schnabel, himself raised in the Netherlands-not exactly a hotbed of American-style conservatism-and clearly an admirer of much of the European tradition, has very much perfected the American way of doing business and getting things done. His career path apparently took him from young immigrant, to investment banker, to the Reagan and George H.W. Bush Administrations, to technology fund principal (starting in 1993...not bad timing) and back to public service as EU Ambassador. It would seem that the "revolving door" between public and private sector has, in this case anyway, served the U.S. very well indeed.
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7 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Europe!!! The Next Superpower;Believe It, November 1, 2005
By 
J. Upchurch (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: The Next Superpower?: The Rise of Europe and Its Challenge to the United States (Hardcover)
I just finished reading Amabassador Schnabel's excellent book and realize how little I understood or knew about the EU. Many of us have been a bit overwhelmed by all the China and India growth stories; as a result, I for one, have totally missed the boat on what's happening in Europe. If I had a choice of where to spend the next 20 years in business, I would clearly choose the European Union (even after reading The World is Flat while on a trip to India). Because the US and the EU have "common values" and huge economic power, we together have the opportunity to "shape the world" in the next two decades. After that, we will be forced to share this power with the emerging Asian giants.

I have given the book to my college son to increase his awareness of the EU and its importance to the United States, up to now it's been all China. I think his views may change after reading this book, besides, Europe is a great place for kids his age!!!!

Highly recommended reading and much easier to consume than certain other "World......" books.
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