Europe as a System

[Jean-Marie Gogue <jmegogue@wanadoo.fr>]

A system may have several aims, and corporations actually have several aims
concerning finances, market, etc. Deming made no objection. But the
system's aims must fit together. A system which has opposite aims is on the
road to ruine.

The European Union has several aims. I'll just mention three of them:

1 - A strong currency (the Euro will be in our pockets in  January 2002)
2 - A consistent foreign policy
3 - Enlargement with Eastern Europe countries

For the moment, aim 3 is opposite to aims 1 and 2. Perhaps one could argue
that accepting Hungary, Poland, Slovenia, etc. in the EU is a noble aim,
which can help peace and prosperity in Europe in the long term. Perhaps one
could also argue that it's not an immediate aim. But I'm afraid that, for
obscure reasons, politicians confound 'aim' with 'wishful thinking'. In a
democracy, the People defines the system's aims through a slow process, and
some aims can change eventually. In the EU we have not well defined the
system's aims because the process is not yet run in properly.

Best wishes,

Jean-Marie Gogue
jmegogue@wanadoo.fr