Not that this appears to affect the intentions of the political-bureaucratic elite, which in Britain as elsewhere in Europe believes that it has an overriding mission to achieve European integration by hook or by crook and which is convinced that History (with an extra0large 'H') is on its side.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Thatcher criticizes European political elites who feel compelled to force integration regardless of method, convinced history supports them.
- In plain terms
- European elites force integration by any means because they believe history supports them.
- What can you take from it?
- Do not assume history guarantees success for political agendas.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- When does ideology override practical concerns?
- How do we question official narratives?
Another view
It dismisses the genuine ideological commitment behind integration efforts.
More from Margaret Thatcher
'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…
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Permalink to quote #86 What we should grasp, however, from the lessons of European history is that, first, there is nothing necessarily benevolent about programmes of European integr…
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