Product Description

At one time the American Dream was the ideal and envy of the world. But today, at the dawn of the new Millennium, Europe is pointing a new way to the future. In this major new book, best–selling author Jeremy Rifkin argues that Europe has a vision of its own and is overtaking America as the world′s next superpower.


The American Dream was based on economic growth, personal wealth and independence. It was synonymous with love of country and patriotism, frontier mentality and the unbridled exercise of power. Yet what were once considered prime virtues – cherished and idealised not only in America but throughout the world – are increasingly seen by many as drawbacks and even impediments. But while the American Dream tires and languishes in the past, a new European Dream is being born. Today we see a new set of values emerging which are focused on sustainable development, quality of life and multilateralism. More cosmopolitan and less concerned with the brute exercise of power, the European Dream is better positioned to accommodate the many forces that are propelling us into a more interconnected and interdependent world.


Where does Britain fit into this story? The British find themselves betwixt and between a fading American Dream and a newly emerging European Dream which is gaining the upper hand in our contemporary global age. Rifkin argues that Britain is uniquely positioned to play a bridge role between Europe and America and has the potential to help create a synergy between the two superpowers of the 21st century. But in order to exercise any real influence in world affairs, Britain must choose to be part of a larger political entity. In a globally connected world, no people can exist any longer as an island unto themselves. The only question for Britain is whether it will make its home with America or with Europe.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #240556 in Books
• Published on: 2004-09-15
• Format: Illustrated
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 400 pages

Review
"The European Dream should be required reading on both sides of the Atlantic."

Andrew Moravcsik, Financial Times

"Jeremy Rifkin, whose European Dream compares the economic and cultural boasts of the United States against the statistical and European reality, is that rare phenomenon: a management guru on the left of US politics, who eschews jargon, questions assumptions and feels as comfortable in Europe as in the US. Rifkin′s argument is so compelling because it uses simple facts and figures to challenge US claims of supremacy."

Mary Dejevsky, The Independent,

"Rifkin gives Europeans something to cheer us up and to which we should urgently aspire. "

Chris Patten, The Guardian

Occasionally, in history, an outside observer is best able to define the spirit of a people. In 1831, for example, the French political philosopher, Alexis de Tocqueville, visited a young America and wrote about his experiences in a book entitled Democracy in America. De Tocqueville helped Americans understand the American Dream and its importance for the world. Now, an American observer, Jeremy Rifkin, has written a book about the new European Dream which captures the very essence of the great experiment unfolding in Europe and its importance for a globalizing society. Europeans are in the midst of a profound debate about our vision of the future. Mr. Rifkin’s book mirrors the European soul, providing us a clear reflection of who we are, and what we stand for and aspire to in the new Europe. The European Dream is a thoughtful and inspiring work."

Romano Prodi, President of the European Commission

Chris Patten, The Guardian, 27 November 2004
Rifkin gives Europeans something to cheer us up and to which we should urgently aspire.

Mo Mowlam’s choice for Book of the Year, The Observer, 28 November 2004
...the most thought provoking book I have read this year...plus a perceptiveness about both American and European societies.

Customer Reviews

Two-Coloured Dreaming *
According to Rifkin, the "American Dream" is living in the past tense. The "frontier legend" of endless land and resources, adminstratively concluded over a century ago, is socially and economically moribund. As Americans expand into former farm and pasteur lands to establish autonomous "burbclaves" [thank you, Neal Stephenson!], Europe is becoming increasingly integrated. While still fitful and incomplete, the term "European Union" is advancing beyond being merely a political structure. It is becoming a continental identity well on the way to becoming the "European Dream". Although still nascent, the idea is sinking ever deeper roots into the European psyche. In this excellent study of two cultural structures, Rifkin offers lessons to America and to the world.

Organised in three themes, Rifkin's book notes first that a new age is dawning. The tenor of that age is symbolised by Europe's shedding of old disputes and animosities. Although Rifkin avoids judging the impact of European imperialism over the centuries, he recognises that Europe's aid to developing countries far outstrips that of the United States. Whether that makes up for past intrusions remains to be seen, but the effort is under way and having a positive impact. His second section is an examination of the process of Europe's cultural and economic evolution from scattered communities to the rise of the nation-state. Religion's impact is described, particularly from the religions which fled to North America to provide a new political entity. One, Puritanism, developed essentially in isolation. In conclusion, he claims for Europe the role of a "new land of opportunity". The opportunity is a new economic drive, giving the EU nations a trade surplus, which stands in stark contrast to America's deficit. Beyond economics is the wider cultural view in Europe contrasted with the US. This "soft power" approach is gaining adherents in many world regions, offering a model for other areas to emulate. The EU flag of but two colours, gold stars on a blue field, represents new ways of thinking and doing that are worth emulating.

Rifkin is clear that Europe and America have different "psyches", their shared historical roots notwithstanding. More than simply blurring national boundaries and supporting a common currency, the respective approaches to life are growing ever more disparate. He compares economic endeavour, lifestyle approaches and socio-political aspirations. There are drastic differences, he argues in such things as rate of growth, leisure and productive time and the number of people in prisons. In short, "America is worth dying for but Europe is worth living for". Such expressions are signs of how variously Europeans and Americans view themselves. And these indications will have serious impact on future developments in both regions and beyond. The European approach to freedom and security, which is communal rather than individual, has already led to other nations seeking closer ties with Europe. They are knocking on its door seeking admission. This situation stands in stark contrast to America's method of exporting these ideological commodities by intrusion.

Rifkin is the first to acknowledge the European Dream is in anything more than an emergent condition. He recognises the issue of cheap immigrant labour has generated stresses, both social and economic. "Security" can only be maintained with an effective response force, something which is already in process. Bosnia was a disaster, not to be repeated. Rifkin argues that it was a lesson learned. Each step, even if halting, Rifkin feels to be in a forward direction. Europe, he argues, isn't striving to be a superpower, just a workable and effective one. If its dream continues to built along the forms laid down over the past generation, it is likely to be fulfilled. Read this book to find out how and why. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

* Australian Aborigines trace their origins to "Dreamings". Surely, Rifkin is describing an origin here.

The Numbers Speak for Themselves: Recommended Reading
I was a bit skeptical when I started to read this book, but after a few chapters, it is hard to find fault with many of his arguments, and overall the author is convincing in spite of the odd lapse in judgement about not for profit institutions. In any case, the book is not about the future or trends, it is about the present state of affairs, the current reality today, and the heart of his arguments is based on hard numbers such as crime statistics, education numbers, employment, industrial productivity, economic activity, all numbers that are essentially impossible to refute and stand on their own. The book has a measured and thoughful pace, and is not an anti-American diatribe, nor the rantings of a vegetarian, or racism, or similar such nonsense.

Jeremy Rifkin has a number of books out on current affairs including some relating to the use of hydrogen as a fuel, see for example the well known book: The Hydrogen Economy. I was not aware of the present book until I ran across the new paperback at our local bookstore. At first I did not know what to make of it but the social numbers presented are solid. It is a well written and a well researched book about 386 pages of text in medium font plus a number of pages of notes, etc. I highly recommend the book, and suggest reading it cover to cover.

In short, the 20th century was a time of change. Europe was fragmented and run by colonial empires at the opening of the century. Over the first half of the century, Europe had two highly destructive wars with tens of millions killed. By 1945 it was a social basket case, virtually destroyed in central Europe, and divided between the USSR dominated states and the western European democratic states. In contrast, the US was united from sea to sea with a single language, free of internal strife, good communications, a developing rail and road system, lots of land and many resources including oil, minerals such as copper and steel, pulp and paper, and some of the best farming lands on the planet. The US had great success, but as the century closed the dark side of the US free enterpise system and the "American dream" became evident. The US has the world's highest number of poor, the highest crime rates, and the most in jail, about 1 in 100, and in general some of the worst social numbers among the industrialized nations. Europe on the other hand, seems to have found its footing after 1945, pulled itself together, the USSR has left, and slowly Europe has emerged as a socialist super state. Interestingly, it has simultaneously achieved high industrial productivity rates with low crime rates, much lower, and in general much better measures of social development than the almost pure free enterprise USA.

How did we get there? Why are we different? What are they doing right, and what is that we are not? What has changed between 1945 and 2004? Why is crime high in America and low in Europe, while industrial productivity and techniology has caught up and passed the US in parts of Europe, perhaps personified by Airbus's latest A380 monster jet, but backed up by broad productivity statistics, not just personal stories or one aircraft?

That is what this book is all about. The author has divided the book into two parts: part I is called "New Lessons from the Old World", just 3 chapters 88 pages long, and the rest of the book is 13 chapters to page 386 called "The Making of the Modern Age".

He goes through step by step comparing the strengths and weaknesses of each system in terms of producing innovation, educating and caring for the citizens fostering sustainable growth, and protecting the environment.

The basic premise - and many will not like what he thinks - is that the "America spirit", the willingness to work hard, make sacrifices, and take chances such as building a family business or a farm, and to develop communities with shared responsibilities for the common good, have been replaced with self interest, short term profit, sloth, entitlement, and gambling. A high percentage of American's now gamble and play the lotteries, and perceive success as making a quick buck on the stock market, or some get rich quick business scheme, or winning the Power Ball lottery, not investing 20 years of hard work to build a business, saving, having the children receiving an education through sacrifices, working nights, and developing a family business or farm. Taking gambling as an example, Casinoes are no longer confined to Nevada but now surround almost every major city - six around blue collar Buffalo, New York, alone (my example). America has become a land of contrasts between rich and poor, and of people with strong religious beliefs but often living in social isolation, alone in cars or in front of TV sets or computers, and too many behind walls in gated communities and condominiums, disconnected from their communities.

The author thinks that the telling point in the development of Europe has been their quick adoption of the cell phone, something that far exceeded US utilization, while the US remains preoccupied with large personal vehicles and social isolation. He thinks that is because of a stronger social connections in Europe, more emphasis on the local community and the well being of all the citizens, the result of developing social values and culture.

He has a number of topics in the book:
- diversity over assimilation
- better quality of life
- sustainable development
- human rights ahead of property rights
- more emphasis on global cooperation.

Think what you want about Europe and the author, and Europe does have its own problems such as Muslim immigration and its military largely supported by the US military, and sometimes one wonders if the EU foreign policy is more about being anti-American, or it is run by faceless Belgian bureaucrats, but at the moment, many of the important social numbers such as crime crime statistics, education, and even worker industrial productivity tip towards Europe beating the US. Those are current real numbers, not the future or speculation by Rifkin, or stories of a few people.

Good book, lots of ideas for thought - and action, highly recommend buying and reading: 5 stars.

Interesting, detailed, but ultimately unconvincing
This book is written by an American who feels that the European Union is constructing its own rival narrative to the American Dream. He argues that whilst the American Dream prizes individualism, entrepreneurialism and the free market, the European Dream prizes collectivism, welfare and environmentalism. He believes that the European Dream is superior.

Throughout the book, he repeatedly show cases statistics that at first viewing seem to support his view that Europe is superior to America, and thus that his belief in the power of the "European Dream" is correct. However, it is actually on second reading that questions arise. When the EU-average statistic on a certain measure is better than the equivalent US statistic, he quotes this as example as more proof of the superiority of the "European Dream". Yet when the EU-average statistic is weaker than the equivalent US statistic, he switches tactics, and instead finds a single country in the EU which happens to be better than the US on said measure. This inconsistency is a little irksome, and weakens his own argument.

Another issue with the book is its rather over simplistic explanation for why the US and Europe are so different. For example, the author suggests that because Europeans used to live in castles, they are more inclined to socialism and collectivism. This ignores the fact Americans are descended from these same Europeans, and thus should have the same folk memories. It also ignores the European countries like Britain and the Netherlands which are more free market orientated, yet which also have castles.

At times his statements make the reader laugh out loud, such as when he says Europeans are superior to Americans because they walk to work slower. He also says that Europeans are superior to Americans because of their "sense of style", presumably their fashion sense. These two points are utterly infantile attempts at "proving" European superiority to America, and had he stuck to economic statistics, he may have stood a better chance of convincing the neutral. Instead these remarks do nothing but make him look like he is trying to prove a petty point.

All in all the book is an interesting read, especially if you are interested in the US-EU rivalry. However, the authors creativity with statistics to attempt to prove his point, his over simplistic explanations and his rather arbitrary definition of what constitutes the "European Dream" weaken the book.