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.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- She warns that European integration plans can threaten freedom and notes past attempts at unity failed.
- In plain terms
- European unity plans can hurt freedom, and past tries did not work well.
- What can you take from it?
- Be cautious of grand European political plans.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Is unity worth the cost to freedom?
- What lessons do we learn from past unions?
Another view
It presents a one-sided view of European history.
More from Margaret Thatcher
You only have to wade through a metric measure or two of European prose, culled from its directives, circulars, reports, communiques or what pass as debates in…
Permalink to quote #82 'Europe' in anything other than the geographical sense is a wholly artificial construct. It makes no sense at all to lump together Beethoven and Debussy, Volta…
Permalink to quote #84 Constitutions have to be written on hearts, not just paper.
Permalink to quote #81
Related quotes
During the last 100 years, the House of Lords has never contributed one iota to popular liberties or popular freedom, or done anything to advance the common we…
Joseph ChamberlainJoseph Chamberlain quote #1 For any exam in history, here is the answer: all human history is the struggle between systems that attempt to shackle the human personality in the name of som…
Ben SteinBen Stein quote #1 How can we still speak of the salvation and reformation of Europe, when we have to ask Europe's destroyer for help?
Alfred RosenbergAlfred Rosenberg quote #2