Culture

Framing European Identity

Diversity and identity are two profoundly intertwined topics when discussing contemporary European politics. Not for nothing one of the EU’s key mottos is in varietate concordia. This slogan exemplifies a desire to make Europe’s internal differences a strength, not a weakness. After all, the one point shared by all 160 European cultures and 124 different languages is the fact that they are different. Is it really possible to bring all these different people together? Can a single European identity truly encompass them all?

Common values

Sharing a common identity would not be possible without the existence of a shared set of values. This is an essential tenet of civic nationalism, and in many ways it’s part of the ontology of many different countries. To put it in very simplistic terms, the United States cherish the value of personal freedom, Canada the value of tolerance, Japan the value of hard work, and this works for any country on Earth. But the idea of a similar value-set acting as the cornerstone of European identity remains as hotly debated as it is vague.

The most common answers would be respect of human rights, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law, pluralism, tolerance, justice, etc. These values also appear in the Eurobarometer polls when asking Europeans what they personally value the most. As philosopher Claude Obadia wrote in an article for La Croix, these values follow three maxims: “First maxim: being proud of being democratic and secular. Second maxim: being proud of believing in dignity of the person without distinctions of sex, religion or opinion. Third maxim: assert that these values aren’t negotiable”. The third maxim explains perhaps why the European Union is inflexible when it comes to its values when its citizens are concerned in subjects such as Brexit.

One might argue that these values are more humanistic than European, and it is true that many countries across the globe share these ideals. However, geographical, political, historical and social context create significant differences in these values. Europeans have a more social approach to many questions (healthcare, transport, education, etc), are more liberal on social issues (abortion rights, death penalty, etc), believe strongly in multilateralism and international institutions, and support a much higher level of secularism within public spheres. Ecological concerns is also much higher within Europe than in other parts of the world, with 71% of European citizens thinking it is important to prioritise environmental protection, as shown by Eurobarometer polls.

European and LGBTQ+ flag in Brussels. Courtesy of Gayta Science.
European and LGBTQ+ flag in Brussels. Courtesy of Gayta Science.

Christian roots, History and common culture

European identity can also be partly defined by the continent’s past, as well as the modern cultures built on that legacy. While this is not an exhaustive list by any means, a number of developments left a lasting impression on the whole of, or at the very least most of Europe: Greek philosophy, Roman laws, Judeo-Christian spirituality, the Renaissance, the Enlightenment, and more.

Whether one adheres to Christianity or not, it is undeniable that its influence shaped Europe as it is today. For instance, even though Europe does not have any clear geographical border, people often refer to the continent as the geographical zone of Latin Christianism during the XIth century. Indeed, “Christendom” was the first conception of a wider European political community. Moreover, the various Kings, Lords or other various leader of the time used religion as a way to gather unity around them and across their territory. And for a long time, clerks and other religious officials could cross the different territories carrying ideas regardless where they came from. This is a clear indicator that Christianity acted somewhat as a “supra-national” common identity, as much as supra-national makes sense in a feudal context, where polities were not nation-states.

On the flip side, religion also provided justification for plunging Europe into countless wars. The most famous example, the Thirty Years’ War, takes the unenviable prize of being one of the bloodiest pre-industrial wars in history. However, the end of the war saw Catholic France ally with Protestant rebels against the Catholic Habsburgs, proving that even religious wars were ultimately subordinated to the very secular concept of great power competition.. Finally, the peace of Westphalia (1648) put an end to such wars, reducing religious strife in Europe. It also created the European state system as we know it today, and its impact is still foundational to the present-day world.

However, this is only a part of the common European legacy. The Renaissance, for example, which was a European revolution in many ways saw the creation of modern concepts such as capitalism, market economy, representative and liberal democracy, nation-states, universities in the modern sense, etc. Without such a European event, the European Union as we know it would never have existed.

Common legacy and culture can also be explored further if one looks at the various languages across the continent. Almost all of them – with some notable exceptions – have Indo-European roots. But the goal is not to praise a common language that existed before the invention of writing, but to praise the diversity, the richness of multilingualism. Opening minds, understanding the language of a political neighbour and understanding the world through different lenses  can only help develop a deeper sense of belonging to Europe.

Signature of the Münster Treaty, Gerard ter Borch, 15 June 1648
Signature of the Münster Treaty, Gerard ter Borch, 15 June 1648

Neo-liberalism’s role in this identity

European integration and institution-building have also, over time, contributed to a new sense of identity. Initiatives such as the common market and Schengen, which ease movement between Member States and outright eliminate internal barriers, have had an impact. Photographs of peaceful country towns technically split in half by inter-European borders are numerous on the internet nowadays. The Euro furthers this sense of unity, the sense of a European community, and necessarily a European identity. Even after the Great Recession, the Greek economic implosion and the Euro debt crisis, this new identity did not falter. And while Brexit specifically challenges it, the EU presently seems to enjoy more internal cohesion than Great Britain does.

When it comes to European cultural projects that are instrumental to building a common identity, the Erasmus student exchange programme definitely takes the cake. By providing students from different backgrounds with the opportunity to access education anywhere in Europe, the programme has massively contributed to the creation of a kindred spirit among the youth.

European identity has been built on several European successes of the past few decades, chiefly on political stability and a high standard of living. Most national identities, even within Europe, are older – and largely based on language, culture, or history. The two identities can easily coexist, since they operate on entirely different levels. That is not always the case, and as Brexit has shown, opposition to a common European identity can also be a political rallying cry, although whether such a political exploit is possible on the mainland remains an unanswered question at present.

Every European Member State today is fertile ground for this European identity to develop. The European Union has proven to be a good catalyst for a shared set of civic values, around which most citizens of the continent are willing to gather together.

 

Guest article by Valentin Dantec. This content does not necessarily reflect the official opinion of My Country? Europe. Responsibility for the information and views expressed therein lies entirely with the author. 

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This article was written by a guest. The content does not necessarily reflect the official opinion of My Country? Europe. Responsibility for the information and views expressed therein lies entirely with the author.

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