Ξύπνα Ευρώπη

by Daniel Cohn-Bendit, Guy Verhofstadt, Γιάννης Καυκιάς (Μεταφραστής)

Η Ευρώπη είναι σε κρίσιμη κατάσταση. Πώς φτάσαμε ως εδώ; Τι δεν λειτούργησε σωστά; Υπό το κράτος του πανικού, μήπως οι ηγέτες της ευρωζώνης με τις ενέργειές τους δημιουργούν ένα αντιδημοκρατικό τερατούργημα; Μήπως ο ευρωσκεπτικισμός δεν είναι πλέον αντιδραστικός; Θα μπορούσε να λειτουργήσει σωστά μια ομοσπονδία 27 κρατών; Αυτό το βιβλίο είναι ένα εγερτήριο σάλπισμα που απευθύνεται σε όλους τους πολίτες. Μια άσκηση στην καθαρή σκέψη που θα μας επιτρέψει να εμβαθύνουμε. Είναι επίσης και ένα σήμα συναγερμού. Γραμμένο με τόνο άμεσο και ειλικρινή, το βιβλίο παραθέτει ισχυρά επιχειρήματα:

"Η Ευρώπη πρέπει μια για πάντα να απαλλαγεί από την εθνοκεντρική εσωστρέφειά της. Είναι ώρα για μια ριζοσπαστική επανάσταση. Μια μεγάλη ευρωπαϊκή επανάσταση από την οποία θα προκύψει μια ομοσπονδιακή ευρωπαϊκή ένωση. Μια ένωση που θα δώσει τη δυνατότητα στην Ευρώπη να σταθεί στον μεταεθνικό κόσμο του αύριο. Εξαιτίας της οκνηρίας, της δειλίας και της έλλειψης οράματος πολλοί επικεφαλής κυβερνήσεων προτιμούν να αποφεύγουν το διακύβευμα. Ας τους ξυνπήσουμε. Ας τους φέρουμε πρόσωπο με πρόσωπο με την ανικανότητά τους. Ας μην τους χαριστούμε ώσπου να πάρουν τον δρόμο της Ευρώπης, τον δρόμο που θα οδηγήσει στο μέλλον, σε μια Ευρώπη για τους Ευρωπαίους. Η εποχή των κενών λόγων και των κενών κορυφών παρήλθε. Τώρα είναι ώρα για δράση".

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Cohn-Bendit was born in Montauban, France, to German-Jewish parents who had fled Nazism in 1933. He spent his childhood in Montauban. He moved to Germany in 1958, where his father had been a lawyer since the end of the war. He attended the Odenwaldschule in Heppenheim near Frankfurt, a secondary school for children of the upper middle class. Being officially stateless at birth, when he reached the age of 14 he chose German citizenship, in order to avoid conscription.
Daniel Marc Cohn-Bendit (born 4 April 1945) is a German politician, active in France and Germany, and was a student leader during the unrest of May 1968 in France. He was also known during that time as Dany le Rouge (French for "Danny the Red", because of both his politics and the color of his hair). He is currently co-president of the group European Greens–European Free Alliance in the European Parliament, becoming "Dany le Vert" (French for "Danny the Green", because of his new fight for ecology).
In 2010, he was involved in founding JCall, advocacy group based in Europe to lobby the European parliament on foreign policy issues concerning the Middle East.

Reviews

[Zoli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why would two very different politicians write a manifesto toghether? The Green/liberal MEP Daniel Cohn-Bendit and the liberal/libertarian MEP and former Belgian prime minister Guy Verhofstadt gathered together as they have (at least) one thing in common: they're both committed and true Europeans. With the EU on the verge of crucial decisions that will have impact on the future of the European project, Cohn-Bendit and Verhofstadt argue in favor of more rather than less Europe (as more and more have been voicing throughout the current crisis), and the right kind of more Europe.
This book doesn't give you any new information on the future of European integration, but it's still worth reading what the two authors bring forward in favor of the European Union.

[Peter Bartlema · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dit boek is van alweer een tijdje geleden: het kwam uit in de periode dat Europa aan het bijkomen was van de in de Verenigde Staten ontstane bankencrisis en de daaruit voortvloeiende Europese crisis rond staatsschulden, met name die van Griekenland.
Het manifest van de Frans-Duitse politicus Daniel Cohn-Bendit en zijn collega uit België, Guy Verhofstadt, geeft oplossingen aan hoe dit laatste kan worden voorkomen. Een federaal Europa staat daarbij voorop. Een dergelijke eenmaking zou dan niet zozeer het werk moeten zijn van politici en bankier, maar ook van ontelbare Europeanen die zo'n project in woord en daad gestalte geven.
In tijden van grote geopolitieke turbulentie leest hun manifest opnieuw als een zinnig pleidooi voor een andere politiek dan het enge nationalisme dat in tal van landen na eerdergenoemde crises de kop is opgestoken.

[Nikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is part manifesto, part interview. The interview part is definitely more interesting, since the manifesto just repeats the same thing over and over again. It's a bunch of rewordings of the same idea, never really offering substantial proof or solid arguments for the claims they make. In the interview on the other hand, they do give some serious reasons that back their propositions. Overall it was interesting to read, although it was definitely a case of preaching to the choir, since I was already all for further European integration. I wonder what 'non-believers' will think of this book.

[Matthias · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chouette livre, assez simple et proposant un projet politique urgent: donner plus de pouvoir à l'Europe! Aller vers une Europe fédérale, voici le projet défendu depuis quelques années par Guy Verhofstadt, notamment dans son manifeste "Les Etats-Unis d'Europe". Un projet ambitieux et nécessaire à mes yeux, mais qui reste beaucoup trop libéral. Plus d'Europe, oui, mais une Europe qui soit bénéfique au citoyen plutôt qu'au libre marché. Une Europe mettant ses priorités sur la solidarité, l'éthique, le social et le respect de l'environnement ; voilà tous les composants d'un réel manifeste pour l'Europe!

[Marit · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm thinking I'll write a bookreview and sent it to European Student Think,... or not? It was definitly getting me to start to think about the future of Europe. Although, do keep in mind that it is a federalist who wrote this. He's not lying, but he, like many others writing a manifest, will try to mould the facts into something that fits his picture. He might skip things, so this manifest is NOT the whole picture. It is an opinion, but a more likable opinion than the one of Geert Wilders.

[Erika Grey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Verhofstadt's book is easy to read and written in an interview format. A must read for any student of the EU looking to understand EU politics and especially the teachings of European Federalism. Guy Verhofstadt is a leading proponent of its ideology. While there is a debate on EU federalism within the EU, putting all of those opinions aside, as an observer from the US taking a neutral stance, Mr. Verhofstadt's ideas make a lot of sense for the advancement of the EU.

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

First part of the book isn't strong as it is repeats the same arguments too many times. Also, the Dutch translation needs improvement. The interview, however, was interesting and more in-depth. I gave it four stars because I admire their attempt to convince people to support a federal Europe.

[Ophelia Dimopoulou · Rating 2 out of 5]

Περίμενα περισσότερα για εναλλακτικό τρόπο άσκησης εξουσίας με σκοπό μια νέα "Ευρώπη".

[Jeroen Verhoeven · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book that provides solid grounds for a more federal Europe. Manifesto is inspirational whilst the interview part goes into deeper details. Highly recommended!

[Benjamin Thomas Sutpen]

http://t.co/LLBlVeb707