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Yes. Logically, monetary union should lead to political union, so that sovereignty will continue to shift from the nation states to Brussels. Whether this is practical or desirable is another matter, and I hope the UK stays out. Most Europeans value their national identities, cultures, and languages and want to keep them. On current evidence I doubt Euroland will compete effectively with the US - how can it project world power when internal rivalries and bureaucracy make it incapable even of running its own subsidy schemes?
Malcolm Watson, UK

It is naive to think that integration will stop with money. The process cannot be stopped. If there is political union, that's better for Europe because then we won't have to be spoon-fed by the U.S. all the time and can finally tackle our own problems by ourselves. I would think the Americans would welcome that as well and be able to concentrate more on their immediate problems as well, whatever they might be at the moment.
Jan, Austria

The single currency at this stage is putting the cart before the horse. Before we can have stability in Europe, we need a European constitution, so that the European Parliament can have some real power. After all, Eurosceptics' biggest argument is that we have no control over Brussels bureaucracy. We already have a common human rights accord - let's build on this success to create a solid foundation for the new Europe. But at present, there can be no political unification.
Alex Gurney, UK

You cannot have a common currency without a common economical policy and to have that you need a single government. It's inevitable. Britain needs to decide if it wants to keep its sovereignty or be swallowed up into a European superstate. We have always proudly fought to keep our freedom and sovereignty from other nations in Europe.
Sue Kelly, USA (British)

The danger is not a common currency but the centralisation which will rob nations little by little of their sovereignty. The project is ill thought out and far too rigid in its thinking. You can be pro-Europe without being a slave to this political dogma.
Jeremy Boot, UK

Whether the French or Germans will prevail is unclear. It's a recipe for Continental bureaucracy and higher inflation.
Howard Sereda, USA

The Euro will lead eventually to a European super state but I think it will take at least another fifty years.
Nilesh Shah, USA

I love Europe! I have got a Irish Dad and Spanish Mother and I'm fully aware of the unity of Europe, but as nations, each have there own beliefs and cultures and a Euro United States would be difficult to manage!!!
Brian Howat, England, but Scottish

It's a good step, an inevitable one. But a superstate? Don't compare Europe to the US. Traditions will hold out way longer. And once Europeans are ready for melting more, we hopefully will strive for the highest common cultural denominator instead the lowest one.
Zsuzsanna Madarasz, Hungary

An economic superstate certainly, after all that is the point of a single currency. However, I don't see how it could become a political one, as the various countries simply will not give up their own individual governments. Nor will similar political parties from different countries be prepared to join together. Politics is simply too quarrelsome.
NASZ, GB

Of course the Euro will lead to a superstate. The politicians know it but the British people certainly don't. Britain should leave "Euroland" now. Britain must not get sucked into this mess. I don't believe it is inevitable, but Britain needs to have confidence to trade globally as it has historically. Britain is not a European country - the British have always looked to the world.
Peter Wallace, Brazil

Yes, it will lead to a superstate, an economic superstate. But, I feel that it won't be along the lines of a United States of Europe. European people and governments can be united for economic reasons, but not on foreign policy, social welfare, domestic policy and defence.
Yes the Euro will bring us together, as the colour of our money will be the same, but we have a long way to go before we become a Single Nation.
Pee Haych, Ireland

It makes sense to harmonize Europe. Sovereignty is a red herring used to strike up fear and concern. On my travels to Europe I can't help but see happy people, moderate wealth, free, unoppressed and with a working infrastructure. Remind me what are we scared of? Answer - politicians losing their jobs!!
Gary Starling, UK

There cannot be a European superstate without FULL labour mobility, i.e. people move to where jobs are more abundant thus allowing market forces to adjust and "kick start" a recession stricken European country. This is what occurs within the United States where if one state is in recession people uproot and move to where they can find employment. This mobility and labour flexibility has helped in making the US the largest and most powerful economy in the world. This type of situation can never occur within Europe due to such diverse cultures and languages.
Manish Gajjar, UK

Think of the shopping opportunities. The ability to compare prices with England should at least bring pressure on UK retailers who have been overcharging us for just about every conceivable product for too long.
John Wells, UK

Yes. I think the Euro will certainly boost the tourism around Europe because the currency exchange can be done so easily now.
Ryan Wong, New Zealand

There is need for another super-power to compete with USA in world politics, trade and technology.
John Van-Zwienen, USA

Money is a tool invented by man to enable trade. Currency is a unit of money. So there is no rational reason why monetary union should be a bad thing. Unfortunately people assign emotional values to currency which are bound into the culture within which they have been raised and without which they feel threatened. The British people are insular, essentially xenophobic and will never accept a thing which links them so closely with another culture(s). The UK will therefore never join EMU, should therefore be expelled from the EU and will ultimately become the poor relations to the rest of Europe.
Graham Read, UK

The Euro is an irreversible step. A common currency will lead to central taxes and control.
Chris Ashley, Great Britain

We would be crazy to stay out. The traffic of business must be made as efficient as possible. We will still retain out own cultural identity.
Kathy Collins, UK

Euro has considerable potential to cause high unemployment in Europe. The outcome would be chaotic and unpredictable. Perhaps Europe will embrace free trade, low taxes, and free fluid labor markets, or perhaps Europe will collapse and fragment along with the other socialist regimes. The spectacle is more interesting than any football game.
Keith Beatty, USA

I believe a huge external event is required to form a Superstate. For example; In the U.S. it took the Civil War to create a strong Federal Government. More Americans died in the Civil War than all other wars combined, that America fought in.
Scott Martin, USA

Economic union does not mean political union. I see no desire to unify politically among the states, excepting most noticeably France and Germany. Each nation-state realm has its own petty little quibbles that cannot be possibly resolved by a huge European superstate. Each nation, simply loves its power too much to let go of it, regardless of how much power it might have. I believe the euro will be successful, but political union is a another thing.
Jeremy Craig, USA

It will take time but it is inevitable and right that Europe becomes a Confederation.
Arnaldo Guidotti, Italy

I look forward to the day when the UK and the remaining three EU countries outside "Euroland" embrace the Euro. A federal Europe is surely the desired goal of this exciting act of integration.
Iain Munro, Scotland, UK

I don't think that the euro is ultimately going to lead to a European Super state. I think that in 25 years time, there will be a break up of the European union. The European Union itself is formed by countries which juggled with their figures so that they would be able to join the euro. Ultimately, the euro will give way to the currencies of individual countries and that will spell the doom of the Europa concept. The very concept of a greater Europe is doomed to fail from the start due to the politics between the various participating countries. The French, British and the Germans, in my opinion, are not capable of co-existing and maintaining a common European state.
Vivek Chandy, India

Indeed it will. The lack of common currency has up to this day remained the one and only distinguishing factor separating us Western Europeans from each other. Hopefully the Swedes & British will soon come to their senses. Not to forget the Greeks, Danes and other non-euro EU-members.
Martti Keihänen, Finland

If a European legislature can prove that it is better able to serve the needs of individual regions than a national government, then yes, I believe that a European superstate is a possibility. However, it has proven impossible historically for Europe to unify itself peacefully. For it to happen now would require a leap of faith, a vision, that is probably far beyond the grasp of most of the people currently holding positions of power in the various national states.
Mark Goode, Yorkshire, England

I think it is inevitable that political union will eventually follow monetary union. This may take many years, but it will happen sooner or later, since monetary control cannot be properly effective without the political control to back it up.
Andrew Wallace, UK

It's always good that certain countries stay outside confederal or federal blocks - we never know when 'outsiders' could be useful as 'honest brokers'.
Adrian Worsfold, England UK

More like a confederation. I see no problem with this, so long as the democratic deficit is put right with more elections and accountability. I think we should join with the Euro, it is potentially disastrous to be left out.
Adrian Worsfold, England UK

People are naive to say this should stop future wars in Europe. A European superstate! Look what happened in the former USSR, Yugoslavia and the old British Empire. This will create wars.
J Hildred, England

The Euro will cause big economic problems in countries for which its interest rate is not appropriate. I expect this will lead to the Euro being abandoned but I suppose it might in theory be saved by a rapid move to a European superstate. Of course this would involve daunting practical and political problems. I don't think the Euro will survive and I don't think there will be a European superstate for at least a generation.
Gilbert Hall, UK

Assuming it doesn't all go belly up within the first year or so, it must eventually lead to at least a federal Europe, if not a full Union. The only way to stop individual governments from tampering with the tax system to gain a benefit, is to remove tax powers from individual governments. With taxing powers gone or limited, spending will be much more controlled, and the need for old national governments will disappear. Whether it will work is a different question. Even in the quite homogenous US, individual states are quite different, and openly exploit each other.
Adam Trickett, USA

It could be argued the development of a European superstate began at the end of World War II. Under NATO, European nations placed their troops under a unified command. Now, with the birth of the euro, European nations are surrendering one of the most cherished prerogatives of kings throughout the ages - control of the money-supply - to one central bank. The process merely continues. Europe is already in the transition from autonomous rival states to a pan-European superstate.
John de Nal, USA

I do not believe the Euro will lead to a United States of Europe. As an American I see the European Union to Europe to what the Articles of Confederation (our first constitution) was to the United States. However, the European economies will be unified and strengthened by the euro. Europe cannot be unified into a single political state as long as there are differences in religion, languages, and culture.
James Chou, USA

All the analysis about this situation seems a waste of time to me. the answer lies clear within prophecies, which time and time again have proven to be correct. we are heading towards a world government, with a world leader, and in this way man will bring destruction upon himself. It is inevitable, so stop analyzing, and start praying.
S Jones, Israel

There are many countries today in which the US dollar is the de facto currency of daily use and which still remain sovereign states. The Euro will, however, provide an Economic bloc to diminish the dominance of the American dollar to the benefit of all including the US.
Edward Margerum, USA

I don't live in Europe but I think the born of Euro will not only affect deeply European countriey economics alone but it also unconsciously gives opportunity to other countries like in Asia to be liberated from US dollar 'syndrome', the sole comparison of healthy economic growths in the regions for a long time.
Ongky, USA

This is undoubtedly the biggest threat this country has faced since 1940 and should be resisted at all costs.
Peter Willmott, UK

Yes, just as inevitably as the Schumann Plan and the European Coal and Steel Community have led to the European Economic Community and this new currency.
Campbell McClusky, USA

Yes, I hope. A European superstate is the only way thet britons will get any human rights because it will prevent any further Tory dictatorships.
Andrew Wright, UK

As we move into the 21st century it is inevitable for financial reasons more than political ones that individual countries cannot sustain a go it alone policy. As a result of this a realignment of status and power will occur throughout the major economic regions of the world. Passing over centuries of petty localised unrest. However before we all rush out and rejoice over this new world order, what of such regions as Africa and South America, let alone the middle east?
Paul Sims, UK

Without any doubt to an obvious conclusion, the "United States of Europe" will become a superpower or "the" superpower of the world. Putting man-made-religions aside, the mouth of God, The Bible, has prophesied this inevitable scenario before the existence of the dinosaurs. Let's watch, because actions speak louder than just words.
John Fitzgerald Vargas, USA

(British expat) Regrettably, the single currency will lead to a United States of Europe, unless it is made clear that it is not wanted. Unfortunately, public opinion will eventually support it (in the UK), which is what democracy is all about. Pity but that's progress.
Mark M Newdick, USA

I'm an Expat, now living in the US. Like the Common Market over 25 years ago, it will be the UK that is left behind as the European Superstate takes place. Those left out will be the losers. Political 'harmony' will develop in time as we recognize a 'SuperState' but we'll never see a single government nor should we. In time, efforts to converge standards for the benefits of all European citizens will be achieved but nothing like the USA will be developed. The US is in fact a nation of 50 different countries held together by a single currency yet multiple languages. 50 different states with different state laws and federal laws there after. The original signing of the constitution was only signed by 13 states.
J Mankin, USA

Global economics is already here (influence of Asian market crash). All European Nations should benefit from a strong and unified Europe, although there will be short term problems. Can the UK afford the longer term view?
Steve, UK

Absolutely not. If there's one constant in this world, it's that Europeans cannot get along. Predictions about a 'Euroland' are simple wishful thinking. This unification of sorts comes, lest we forget, 50 years after the nations of that continent fought the greatest war in our history. Half a century later, I think you may be getting ahead of yourselves.
Wayne Thompson, USA

A European superstate need not be a fearsome ogre robbing us of our freedoms a la Napolean or Hitler. Instead, history provides useful lessons of how closer European integration and co-operation can be beneficial to all of Europe's citizens. The Roman Empire is not the only example. The diplomatic framework established at the Peace of Westpahlia 350 years ago which governed relations between European States can be seen as another example. For some people, unification has come to be seen as something belligerent - Europe united by conquest. In 1999 all the nations in EMU are in because they wish to be. A European superstate would not subsume its peoples or their individual identities. It would simply provide a prosperous, peaceful and enlightened framework within which those identities could thrive. It would not mean the "we" lose our freedom, our cultural identity or our historcal heritage. It would simply be another chapter in the ongoing process of history that defines our freedoms our cultural identity and our heritage.
Sam Mohit-Mamudi, UK

I sure hope so! Being a European currently living in the United States, I have worked hard for the past thirty years to make this personal dream a reality. It was passed on to me by my grandfather who survived two World Wars in Europe.
Constantine Alexander, USA

Mass media and culture have changed the nationalistic tendancies. Europe is being trasformed slowly by Hollywood. Though, at a local level there may still be select people keeping their culture, these people will become fewer and fewer as they become more participatory in the American mass media process. We are in a boom economy if you are a state that can utilize the power of the computer. These states can, as education is good there. Since there will be an economic boom, there will be a push for unity. We need to already see that the key player in unification is not government, it is multinationalistic corporations, who get the job done better. Do you want a job? Since they can work for cheaper, they'll push to unify europe.
Greg Westin, USA

It should lead to a confederated union at least for the next hundred years and then progress to a United States of Europe.
John Pearce, USA

I am sorry but I see nothing good to come of this. My first point is two super powers are with out a doubt going to compete. This could lead to another cold war. ala former USSR. My other point is while the USA might not be the best world policeman I do not think that a Superstate superpower in Europe would be a better policeman. This is clearly evident in numerous conflicts around the world that needed US help because of slow European advancement. Although having another super power in the world would help to better push for technological improvement and living improvements. My third point is the US was able to join together so easily because we had a common enemy and common interests. Europe has many different enemies with highly different interests besides the fact that they want to become unified. I see high amounts of national racism, corruption and high unemployment from this deal.
Mark Isaacson, USA

Hopefully the euro will lead to full and irreversible European integration as there has already been far too much blood spilt over European soil, and a type of united states of Europe should prevent this ever happening again ( hopefully!! ).
Andy Jupp, UK

The introduction of the Euro does not automatically lead to the creation of a superstate. Whilst there will be legislative convergence associated with ensuring that nations trading within the Euro zone do not compete unfairly, the result will be a common trading system not a common language or a common culture. The thought of the French having to speak English or the British German is laughable. As well as the language constraints the formation of a superstate will be impractical as more, poorer nations join the EU. One final thought, there is always democracy to ensure the politians represent the views of the people and not those of the bureaucrats. I cannot see William Hague and his party running to sign-up no matter what the bureaucrats in Brussels master plan says.
Michael Franklin, UK

You cannot have monetary union WITHOUT political union.
Darren Green, UK

I believe so as this may gain them more power and international status.
Judy, New Zealand

The steam roller of a European super state is gathering speed. It might be already too late to stop it.
Bruce Plowman, Qatar

No, I don't believe the Euro will create a super state. To think so would be naive or almost plain ignorant.The nations of Europe are far too diverseto ever unite peacfully. Though the Euro might bring some economic unity, it could never bring any real political untiy.Take for example the U.S.A. It is a political struggle to keep the U.S. politicaly unified with the vast cultural differences in all the various states that it reigns over and we've been unified for over two centuries save for about twenty years during the cival war, Johnson impeachment, and reconstruction. So with that in mind I believe that the idea of a European super state is a farce.
Andrew van Tassel, USA

Not if I can Help it. This is obviously a ploy to lure in powerful countries like the U.K. into giving up all they have accomplished in their long histories. And I weep when I think of the men who died to protect our freedom from Continentals in the past century who if they could see us now and look on how passive we have become. We MUST stand up for our countries so that they will remain free forever!!!! This further union is not inevitable it can be stopped and if we are at all patriotic we must stop it!
Jonathan Bradshaw, UK/USA

After reading s number of comments on this topic, I would like to reflect upon a few things myself. First of all, I'd say that there are a number of British & Americans who are rather scared of a united Europe. It will be a superpower both in capital & politics to rival the USA. Therefore, Europe will once again become the centre of world politics. And this is the crux, the UK was once the centre and America is currently the centre, but a united Europe will change this - and the Americans won't be happy about it. Russia, like the UK, is a meduim power now... albeit a nuclear one, but Euroland, with the French nuclear forces (& if the UK joins) will also rivial the USA in this important, but perverted, power status. The Euro dollar is only the beginning, but the patterns in Europe since 1945 all indicate that Europe will join as a commonwealth; something akin to New Yorkers as New Yorkers & Americans.
Marcus West, Australia

A state is a sum of many factors, not just a financial union. There is a number of cultural, traditional, language, mental and some other inter-national problems still not solved in Europe. In my opinion, even with the Euro the Old Continent will remain for a long historical time as it is now - a close and strong union of different countries.
George Tsvik, Trinidad

Those who say that the Euro will not lead to a United States of Europe are obviously unaware of the attitudes that prevail the other side of the Channel. On the continent the Euro is seen as a necessary step in the construction of a European superstate. The creation of a superstate is the Euro's purpose. This is clear from the statements of many continental politicians & eurocrats, and is exemplified by the way the economic criteria for membership were 'fudged' for political reasons. Membership of a European superstate is one possible future for the UK, but those who favour it should be straight with the electorate as to their aims.
James Harvard, UK

And its aimed right at nothing less than the destruction of the U.S.A. Those Europeans - the most warlike, destructive of all people in history - have set themselves on the same course again (every 50-100 years, someone wants to take over all of Europe, and his name is usually French or German).
Denny R, USA

No I don't think so because as long as the EU has a bureaucracy around its foot like a leg iron.
Lars A Kjellström, Sweden

As a country we would be crazy to continue down the road with the european Union as we should learn from the mistakes of the former USSR. We are unlikely to agree to the extent of political harmoney and many years down the road we could be fighting each other to regain our independence as Scotland and Wales want to now.
G W Turner, UK

The Euro will make of the European Union the biggest superpower on Earth, the WEALTHIEST COUNTRY in the world. The Euro will lead to political union and European will be the WEALTHIEST people in the world.
Humphrey Hubert, EU

Yes it will. 50 years of peace in Euroland has strengthened the Regions at the expense of existing national Governments, whose influence will be eroded as they no longer control interest rates or issue money. The Regions will increasingly leapfrog their national Governments to deal directly with Brussels, thereby providing the counterveiling power upon which a Super State will be eventually built.
David Peover, France

The creation of the euro cannot and will not lead to super anything. These are all just stunts being tried by economists for problems such as high unemployment for which no solutions have been found for over ten years by the so called 'european economists', so all I can say is good luck!
Raj Mahraj, USA

A qualified "no". I do think that the true purpose of EMU has been a political union. Just as "the single market" justifies EMU, so will EMU justify political union.. although it will probably be put in warmer, fluffier terms like "harmonisation" and "enhanced co-operation". It's refreshing to see this goal finally being publicly admitted, by people such as M. de Silguy. What really troubles me is that such an important move has received little actual *debate* here. Even so we have had much more choice than those in other member states.
Richard Gregory, UK

Yes the end result will surely be a superstate that is undemocratic, unelected, unaccountable, a dictatorship in short. That is why it is necessary for Britain to withdraw from the whole sorry mess before it is too late. Remember if Britian enters monetary union there are no provisions for exit, it is binding.
Kristian Ulrichsen, UK

Yes, the Euro will lead to a European superstate, a United States of Europe if you wish, but it will not happen overnight, probably not even within a generation. Meanwhile, the new currency will bind the European nation states closer and closer together. That, after all, was the intention of the original founders of the Union. Nie wieder, as the elder generation of Germans might say. No more war in the heartlands of Europe.
Ismo Karvinen, Finland

The obsession to bully people into political union is dangerous. Europe is composed of nations with very different cultures, traditions and languages. Cooperation regarding trade, such as the Common Market was a reasonable idea idea, that should be extended to include North America. Anything else is a dangerous pipe dream that could lead to the opposite of the original aim, ie it won't stop conflict - it will lead to conflict.
Matthew Wright, UK

Yes, the Euro will inevitably lead to a stronger push towards full political integration of the member states, if only because leading European politicians have openly declared that this is the primary objective.The 'ever closer union' of the Maastricht and Amsterdam Treaties can only be interpreted fully with this objective in mind. Increasing pressure from the EU leaders will work in ratchet fashion to force Blair further and further into political cul-de-sacs! It is up to the British people to simply say 'NO', and to keep on saying it to the Heaths, Blairs, and Ashdowns of this world until they get the message.
Graham Wood, UK

This only being the first step towards more cohesion and equality all over the world, we still have a long way to go... If Europe manages to do well in the forthcoming years it will definitely become a stronger partner in the world, since all its members will have to cooperate more in different fields.But therefore it needs not to become a superstate, at least if the subsidiarity principle is respected... Europe should set the principles, the framework, the benchmarks and let its member states and regions implement them.
Patrick Boeyden, Belgium

I think the European union will end like the building of the Tower of Babylon! Confusion and mis-trust.
Pat O'Leary, USA

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