Until a few decades ago, the vast majority of European citizens shared a common dream, a European Dream.
It was originally a dream of peace, the fundamental reason why some European countries decided to unite. They started with industrial and economic collaboration under the philosophy that countries that work together do not wage war. This original reason was powerful, easy to understand for everyone, shared from top to bottom and it worked. The united countries have known the longest period of peace in Europe since Roman times (Pax Romana), more than 70 years.
Over time, peace was taken for granted and economic collaboration became the main focus, while, for a period, there was also room for the creation and growth of public and social services. For most people in the community, the dream went on as a combination of shared prosperity, human values and ideals.
However, since a few decades, those public and social services have been gradually reduced again, privatized or even disappeared, while the industry and economy became totally dominant to the point where today the European Union and its citizens basically appear to be seen and treated as nothing more than a "market".
This development seems to have caused, also gradually, the oblivion of human values and ideals, and with it, the fading of the European Dream. Today, many citizens are critical of the EU or even skeptical and want to leave. The European Union, as it currently exists, no longer seems to cover any dream, at least not that of its citizens.
Is countries leaving the EU a danger to the original dream of peace? Do you think the European dream should be recovered?
