As one who has spent a number of years living in Europe, I am fascinated by the differences between the European and American outlooks on life. Though many Americans and Europeans share a common heritage, our unique cultures have contributed to different experiences that lead us to see the world in very different ways.
In The European Dream: How Europe’s Vision of the Future Is Quietly Eclipsing the American Dream
Rifkin describes the European Dream this way:
“The European Dream emphasizes community relationships over individual autonomy, cultural diversity over assimilation, quality of life over the accumulation of wealth, sustainable development over unlimited material growth, deep lay over unrelenting toil, universal human rights and the rights of nature over property rights, and global cooperation over the unilateral exercise of power.” (3)
In this lengthy book, Rifkin recounts the development of the American Dream and then offers reasons why it has begun to wane. He argues that, even though the European Dream may not be put into practice by all Europeans, this new Dream is a powerful vision for the future.
Rifkin believes that Americans equate freedom with autonomy and security. The more wealth you have, the more secure you feel. But Europeans find freedom in “embeddedness” – having access to interdependent relationships with other people.
Though the developments of the growing European Union receive little attention in the media, Rifkin believes that the birth of this union is very important. Few people realize how quickly Europe is changing:
- Today, you can make a pilgrimage across the continent of Europe now without ever stopping at a border crossing.
- Europe has implemented a common currency.
- English is quickly becoming a common language for business and culture.
- The European Union as a new commercial force has become the largest trader of goods in the world.
I have watched with great interest as Eastern European countries like Hungary and Romania have sought to gain entrance into the Union. Since Romania joined (2007), there are signs of economic fruitfulness in the cities. Anyone visiting Romania today will notice marked improvements over the time when Romania was still independent.
Rifkin is right. The birth of the European Union is one of the most significant world developments of our era. It is true that the “nation-states” of Europe have more “rights” than the states that make up the USA, but we must not miss the fact that Europeans are “uniting” in many significant ways: currency, language, military, culture, and source of identity.
Thankfully, Rifkin is not completely rosy-eyed when it comes to Europe’s outlook. He admits that the European military machine was “lame” when it came to the Kosovo war. Europeans talk peace while Americans clean up the mess. Even some Europeans agree with this assessment.
But not all of Rifkin’s analysis can be taken at face value. For example, he says that there are more people living in poverty in America than in the sixteen European countries for which data is available. Is that so? What exactly is poverty? How do we define it?
Rifkin is clearly enamored with the socialist structures of European government and health care. He sides with Karl Marx over Adam Smith when it comes to democracy and community commitment to address the problems of the poor.
Here is an example of Rifkin’s socialistic enthusiasm: admiration of the fact that Europeans receive a gracious maternity and paternity leave that is mandated by the government. Sounds nice on the surface. But one cannot help but wonder why this law has not resulted in more and more people having big families in Europe. Perhaps people are less likely to have families when they realize that long absences from work are harmful to their employer. Could it be that social pressure keeps people at work and makes them less likely to have lots of children?
Rifkin also thinks it wonderful that workers in Europe can take a year off without severing their contract. But can you imagine what it would be like to employ people who can disappear without reason for a year? This kind of socialistic structure creates havoc for business owners.
It is true that many Americans are plagued by busyness. We have a harder time enjoying our leisure and relationships. Europeans have something to teach us in this area. But socialism is not the answer.
Conservatives will hold their nose as they read much of this work. But should you choose to read it, you are more likely to catch a glimpse of the European mindset, which (like it or not) is more socialist than capitalist.
Despite Rifkin’s liberal leanings, he offers insights that Americans should consider. For example, he points out the dehumanizing language that Americans use – language that is rooted in our desire for efficiency. Consider the mechanical terms we use regarding our behavior: “geared up,” “revved up”, “burned out,” “tuned in,” “connected,” etc.
Where does faith fit into all this? Rifkin sees faith as valuable, and he applauds America’s religious community for making us see beyond self-interest to the needs of the community. But it is clear that faith has value only in its instrumental sense – in that it helps speed along the vision for the world that he believes should become prevalent.
Overall, I recommend The European Dream to anyone considering mission work or long-term ministry in Europe. Despite its flaws, this work presents a compelling analysis of worldview differences between Europeans and Americans.
