American reacts to The European Union - Summary on a Map

[@kinnie6104]

In Spain there is a saying: "Ignorant is not the one who does not know, but the person who does not want to know".

[@gerardflynn7382]

We have something similar here in Ireland.

[@vicdean9558]

Similar in Italy.

[@DavidSilva-fm8ys]

Isnt that just like the meaning of ignorant ? Idk correct me if im wrong not my main language dont know everything about it :p

[@Helene_polemrni]

Thta fir US audience very well.

[@reactivelemur846]

​@@vicdean9558Dai maestri di aldo giovanni e giacomo "Lei è ignorante nel senso che ignora"

[@Herzschreiber]

Ryan, you are not ignorant. Compared to lots of your country mates you are trying to get an overview over the world, the connections and the cultures. So I cannot call you ignorant. Maybe "unknowing" but not in the sense of being ignorant. You make an effort to understand the world outside the US and nobody can expect more!

[@Kivas_Fajo]

Dumb isn't bad, because one can always learn new things. The real bad thing is ignorance. Knowing there are other ideas and possibilities and simply not care enough is bad.

[@TheGabrielPT]

For real, he's waaaayyy above average the american level 😂

[@Kivas_Fajo]

@@TheGabrielPT Can't tell. Don't know any Americans privately, and if I did, they would be Americans that left the U.S. for a better life in Europe, so they are not particularly the role model American.

[@KaiHenningsen]

@@Kivas_FajoIt is Fascinating how many people have trouble with the meaning of words like "ignorant" and "dumb". "Ignorant" means uninformed, or as someone else puts it, "unknowing". "Dumb" means stupid. Neither one means unwilling to learn, though you might call that "intentionally ignorant".

[@Kivas_Fajo]

@@KaiHenningsen In German it means what I said...and because English is also a West Germanic language I thought it meant the same there. It doesn't. TIL. Thx PS: Then according to your logic to ignore someone means what?

[@741255]

Before Brexit, back in 2015 or 2014 the UK also blackmailed the EU into giving more extra perks or trigger the referendum for Brexit otherwise. The EU gave up and agreed to extra advantages for the UK and the UK still held the referendum. This says quite a lot about the quality of the British political class and how honourable it is...

[@9tailsninja]

Just like what the Catalans tried to do to the rest of Spain.

[@gestiongmcg3717]

La perfide Albion.

[@diarmuidkuhle8181]

​@@9tailsninja The Catalans have a genuine argument for wanting independence, as it's basically a nation within a nation, complete with its own language. . The EU on the other hand is a club of nations that are each already sovereign, and the UK was a bad faith actor during its membership and separation.

[@9tailsninja]

@@diarmuidkuhle8181 No, it's not.

[@diarmuidkuhle8181]

​@@9tailsninja what is not what?

[@Tim_OWL]

Although Switzerland, Norway and Iceland are not member states of the EU, they are still members of the Schengen treaty, so basically there is no boarder controls between all these countries (at least under normal circumstances)

[@gerardflynn7382]

They are also members of the European Economic Area.

[@e.s.7272]

At least at the border between Germany and Switzerland in Rheinfelden there are controls - even under normal circumstances.

[@Tim_OWL]

@@e.s.7272 these are customs controls, aren’t they?

[@AL5520]

@@gerardflynn7382 Norway and Iceland are members of the EEA (together with Lichtenstein) but Switzerland is not a member. There was a moment where they considered it but it was short and was strongly objected to by the citizens and many politicians. Switzerland has a series of specific agreements that allow some things, like freedom of movement, and strong economic relations and agreements but they are not a member of any group. The EEA is the closest you can be to the EU without being an official member, as they are bound by most of the laws and rules but they have no influence on them. The reason for not wanting to be a full member is to keep some independence in things that are more important to the, like fishing areas when it comes to Norway or Iceland (it is a very important industry, with a long heritage and as a member they would have to allow other members to fish there and they will have restrictions on quantities). With Switzerland it's was their neutrality and, on the economic side, their banking system.

[@Salfordian]

And thus have to fund the EUSSR and follow rules/laws

[@JonasEichhorn-p5z]

Just to clarify: the UK never adopted the Euro to begin with. They always used the pound. The EU is quite a beautiful clusterfuck of treaties and exemptions. GCPGrey has a very good and compact video explaining the difference between EU, Schengen, Eurozone, common economic area and associqted with the EU. As European that was quite interesting to watch and see what can be thought of as common knowledge about Europe in the US.

[@larissaswinkels3661]

Yeah and next to the EU you also have the Council of Europe, which makes it even more confusing! I think we have like 3 councils that sound extremely similar; I think the Council of Europe (which has the European Council of Human Rights as a court), the Council of the EU and the European Council.

[@Valentin-oc5nh]

Also you technically DO NOT need to be in the EU to adopt the euro. So eu membership and euro adoption are 2 different things

[@mancubwwa]

​@@Valentin-oc5nhyes and no. Indeed non EU countries can adopt the Euro as it's currency as well as any other, but they won't have any controll over the monetary polucy and won't be able to mint their own Euro coins. One exception to this is actually Vatican city, which technically is not part of EU but has permisson to mint limited number of uniqe Euro coins.

[@richardmoloney689]

​@mancubwwa So has Monaco. San Marino, Andorra, Montenegro and Lichtenstein use it too

[@mancubwwa]

@@richardmoloney689 no, Lichtenstein uses swiss frank

[@littleDutchie92]

What they left out is 3 of the 6 original countries already had formed an alliance still DURING WW2, the BeNeLux. The three small countries in the north-West of Europe (Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg) made a pact of free transport of goods in 1944. This was already the start of alliances in Europe

[@user-yh5dk7cv5u]

even earlier. Germany was born out of the ambition to abolish customs between their regions. :) see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zollverein

[@Wolfarior]

I never realised, that BeNeLux are starting letters of the 3 countries who formed it. Thank you for that. :D

[@zalkemya4418]

Yeah, union IS an Old utopic plan in Europe ​@@user-yh5dk7cv5u

[@psycus17]

I'm from Belgium and I can say that we even had a common currency with Luxembourg since 1935. They had the Luxemburg Franc and we had the Belgian Franc, but you could use both currencies in the two countries. We had our king on the coins and they had their Grand Duke on theirs. (exactly like the current Euro coins)

[@jasonlouis697]

Your comment about how all these countries came together in spite of different languages is spot on (at 10.50 or so). Take it a step further. For two THOUSAND years, these people had spent more time fighting, killing, and exploiting each other than working together. France came out of WWII saying never again, and reached out to one of their biggest rivals. It's a testament to what cooperation can do.

[@gaetanhillion8342]

The fact the De Gaulle has a profund distate for the UK and the USA helped a lot, this man basicaly ran on spite ^^.

[@alexverdigris9939]

@@gaetanhillion8342 De Gaulle essentially didn't believe that the UK was compatible with the European project, and on that he was 100% correct, as proven by the events of 2016 and the Brexit aftermath. The UK joined the ECC in 1971 purely out of economic interest; the British population at large felt no particular afinity with continental Europe, and it does not feel any to this day. As soon as the UK felt that it isn't getting any economic benefits anymore, it wished to to exit the project, and so it did. De Gaulle was proven right.

​@@alexverdigris9939I believe the UK can be a valuable member, but they have to some extent a similar issue as Russia. It is their colonial past and existence of commonwealth. Obviously it is difficult for a formal world superpower to swallow their pride. You must take into consideration how much the UK has changed since WW 2. I believe that the UK will return to the EU. Not now, nor soon, but once, they do.

[@ivanf.7867]

@ The EU will fall apart sooner

[@Marco-uh5zn]

​@Dan-fp2nu Brits have a history of beeing succesfull and proud pirates in the past. That is the real reason in terms of their attitude, to claim special conditions in the EU for decades. It was annoying and no tears shed in the EU in terms of brexit.

[@WaddleQwacker]

I think the video misses one of the points of why the European countries even started to union. It wasn't just for the sake of growing each other up, and "doing it for peace" is a vague statement. Sure, the European countries wanted to end the wars among them, but they also wanted to avoid becoming the war playground of the USA and USSR, and be able to keep their own sovereignty against the two superpowers. Which explains a lot of things like France vetoing the entry of UK, or the variations of acceptance of the Marshall plan or later NATO, challenging the American unilateral global leadership especially in early 2000s, the internal conflicts within the EU for individual sovereignty, ... We need to remind ourselves that the Hollywood idea of Allies or any alliance being best friends fighting hand in hand against the bad guys and only wishing good things to each other simply does not exist. That makes compelling stories, maybe, but that's just not real (even human relationships aren't really like that to begin with, so national conflicts?). Looking at countries relationships like a high school musical only makes people see them in the wrong way. From the moment one sees History as a story with bad guys and good guys, and placing "that's that country's best friend right there" and "that one bit my feeding hand, what an ungrateful brat", you're not in History anymore. You're in romantic gossiping at best, or manipulative alienation at worst. I don't say this video does that, but people tend to default to that very easily and I see it all the time, especially when they are told a very one-sided story about History. See more international relationships as compromises games.

[@MrFreezeYo]

Wow that's even for me as a German eye-opening, never seen it from that perspective. Thank you!

[@patricialewis1464]

We’ll said Sir

[@valentinszabo4331]

....and did we suceed? I leave the answer to someone else . This has to be approached more in general - like who when how why ... The history will write it down maybe

[@topguydave]

And now there's a mess in store.

[@companyofcules]

Well that failed, anyway, France is an African/Muslim colony with American wokeness as UK or Germany. The game is over boys, you were weaklings and the future belongs to Africans and Asians.

[@lukaszepesi]

I heard that France also vetoed the UK's membership because they felt that the UK didn't really understand the spirit of the European community and the peace keeping aspect of it but were only interested in the trade. And this has been proven true in later years. We can see it in how British politicians talk about Europe and the EU.

[@Soken50]

Yes, we've known they were a pain in the backside since the end of the roman empire. They left because the EU was tired of giving them exceptions to EU rules and said they'd get a better deal with the US and South Korea, the EU squeezed them for all they were worth in the leaving negotiations, knowing they'd wither away without a deal with us, France took their fish when they left too by keeping the fishing rights in the overlapping territorial waters despite them no longer being EU territory.

[@wykydytron]

Well UK was kinda punished when they were leaving as warning to others, sure you can leave but it's not cheap. Its also confirmed UK was bamboozled by russian propaganda into leaving EU, because UK has American mindset and values they were very easily brainwashed as all it required was playing on their emotions, they tried and still do try same with other EU members especially Baltic countries and Poland is constantly attacked by russian propaganda and there is a lot of paid shills acting on behalf of russia but luckily it doesn't get any traction.

[@robheyes6470]

The alternative opinion is that the UK really did understand the spirit of the European community, and rejected if for that reason.

[@adlervonschlesien4869]

in this aspect, the British were right, because the EU is now a communist-socialist dictatorship that interferes with how people in a given country want to live and interferes in intimate and religious matters, and the EU promotes harmful ideologies. Today there is less freedom in the EU than in the USA which is one country and the EU is not a country and I hope it never will be!

[@Soken50]

@@robheyes6470 That's patently false, they asked to join when they saw how successful the trading union and agricultural policies were then systematically asked for exceptions to every subsequent rule until Europe got fed up and stopped listening to their whining, after which the UK tried to bargain with their membership to ask for more, to which all of Europe said "Good riddance and good luck negotiating a better deal outside the EU" and France said "Goodbye and thanks for all the fish"

[@PanamaRedEyes]

For me as a French, it seems normal but when you take a step back, you realise it's quite mad how so many countries succeeded to get (almost) along. And the weird things that it implies, like i bought my car in Germany with money from an account i have in Lithuania and it normal to me.

[@a5cent]

Yeah. Particularly for you Lithuanians none of this should be considered normal. Not too long ago you were stuck behind the iron curtain (from a central European's point of view). The changes you went through in such a short time were HUGE! Don't take this for granted 😉

[@valentinszabo4331]

revolut?

[@AtreidesIV]

Maastricht treaty was a huge arnack, plus the Euro is an arnack too. Plus the assumption that it's value is the same everywhere in Europe, which was the only argument in it's favor, is false. Just take a look at Spain lol. The Franc (for us in France) was wayyy cheaper, and so was life (well now it's even worst with Ukraine and this shrinkflation thing). Plus the Germans are doing lobbyism on energies and gas, great...

[@TrixityMcLight]

this@@valentinszabo4331

[@Beggar42]

For my summer holiday, I passed through/visited nine countries, used one currency and was checked at a grand total of zero borders. It has its advantages for sure.

[@thefurbeastunderyourbed5012]

When I recently spent my holidays in Malta, I went to the reception one morning with a 5€ bill and asked the head lady in charge if she could change the bill into a whole set of Maltese coins (3,86€) and the rest into whatever she had in stock. Now I don't know if she was American or Canadian, but she definitely - to my utter surprise - had a North American accent. She looked at me twice in bewilderment, "Sir, you know you're still getting Euros, right?" I said, "I know, i know, that's why I'm here. I'm a collector and it's awfully hard to get a full set of Maltese coins outside of Malta in the regular cycle. Malta is only a small country and they don't issue that much." And then she looked more closely, "Oh, they all have different faces!". Then the great search began, even her colleague came to aid and they emptied every purse and wallet they had😅, very diligent. We actually managed to get together a halfway complete set, only the 5 and 10 Cents coins are missing. But I'll never forget her face when she realized I was talking about the same currency. 😅

[@rorybrowne4973]

Hmm - maybe because you called it a 'bill' instead of a note. A bill here is a document indicating that you owe money and how much. For example we receive electricity bills, and when we're finished eating at a restaurant, we'd ask for the bill.

[@thefurbeastunderyourbed5012]

@@rorybrowne4973 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_one-dollar_bill You're not wrong, but not quite right either. _Note_ has several meanings, so does _bill_ .

[@rorybrowne4973]

@@thefurbeastunderyourbed5012 This was Malta. Not the United States.

[@thefurbeastunderyourbed5012]

@@rorybrowne4973 Thanks for reminding me where I've been and who I talked to. Please read my initial post. I said the lady was Canadian or American, and it's not my fault if you know only one meaning for a word. In that sense...

[@rorybrowne4973]

@@thefurbeastunderyourbed5012 Yes; I'm aware that in North America they calls currency notes "bills", and invoices issued by restaurants after eating there "checks". I have not noticed this terminology used in Malta, where I've lived for the past 2 years. I guess I missed the part about the person being "Canadian or American" ( in which case I'm assuming that by "American", you mean from the United States, since if you meant the whole of America from Canada down to Chile & Argentina, then the "Canadian or" part would be redundant. I'm not interested in arguing with you. If you're not interested in any insights I have from living in 4 English speaking countries in Europe (Malta, Gibraltar, UK, and Ireland), then fair enough.

[@queenofburggrafenamt5485]

European and 46 here. It's really great that you want to widen your knowledge about the rest of the world, especially as an American - given the average of interest for it by your fellow countrymen. We should all try our best to widen our horizons in general. But tbh what moved me the most was when you said "my parents were alive for this...". Well, I was as well for a big part of it. I clearly remember what an incredible feeling it was when they opened the borders and we could start circulating freely among all European countries [it really lift many local border tensions too: I come from an Italian region at the border with Austria and the Schengen treaty really took away much fuel from the ongoing fire between the local different ethnic communities]. The EU also financed inter-univesity programs like Erasmus, which allowed us students to study a year abroad like it was at our own university. It was an incredible feeling of opening up to a wider future. It really saddens me to see the nationalistic, eurosceptic, small-minded drift that has taken the EU these last years.

[@Henk-007]

It's a sign of the decline of the European Renaissance. We are getting poorer in Europe as we have to share our wealth with the new memberstates...

[@kylemenos]

@@Henk-007 That maybe true for the now but not in the future. Being small and confined leads to stagnation in markets and eventually your looking at the same problems of losing wealth as inflation increases anyway. At least with investment into new states we can diversify the markets and share new foods goods and most importantly decrease the opportunities of other unified nations from growing in competition with us rather than cooperation. Pro and cons to everything were all gonna be poor no matter what anyway in comparison to the people who are truly wealthy.

[@artxiom]

I totally feel you my European brother! I'm 40 and was born in the (back then) eastern block. The EU was the best that could happen for this continent. It's not perfect for sure but people really don't appreciate it enough. You can always find negatives but without seeing the positives it's just an unbalanced view. Where in the world do you have a better working political and economical system on such a scale with so many different countries, cultures and languages?

[@TheKadanz]

Switzerland isn't in the EU but has ratified certain EU regulations that essentially allows it operate within the EU market like any EU member would.

[@samoht.p]

Bankers.

[@alexanderkupke920]

Norway did as well. They are not a EU member, but they are on kind of an advanced partnership. Meaning Norway follows and uses many EU regulations, but on they other hand, when such regulations are made, there are at least consultations. So except for them not having the euro, they don't pay anything and don't get anything, but practically you don't notice them not being a member state visiting Norway.

[@arnaul_de_lapras5853]

Yeah Norway and Switzerland are more EU than Romania and Bulgaria lmao

[@PeterWillems-s5q]

@@samoht.p Smart people, with loads of nazi gold in there vaults.

[@BB-hx4mj]

@@alexanderkupke920well that’s the thing tho… they do pay a membership fee while not having any actual say in how EU works (though they are consulted it isn’t a guarantee)

[@dutchman7623]

Even during WWII the governments in exile of Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg agreed that, once free again, they would harmonize tax, tariffs, labor conditions, and more. By cooperation these 'three small ones' would become more powerful against their hostile 'big brothers', and thus the BeNeLux was born, blueprint for later EU treaties. You could say the founding fathers of the EU were France, (west) Germany, Benelux and Italy.

[@DJChappie001]

Yeah, the Benelux was the real starting of the EU.

[@beltrangarrote1982]

As a Spaniard born in the ‘80 I remember studying the BENELUX.

[@astree214]

As a french, I fully agree. Benelux was the true father of the EU, giving the idea to Robert Schumann to offer the french-german reconciliation through the creation of the steel-coal agreement, inviting the Benelux to share it. Italy joined asap as the 4th "father", it also wanted to erase the WW2 bad memory. It's since the beginning a "Peace" project, not a business project, something UK never understood, and that's the true reason De Gaulle vetoed UK in the project. Thatcher first showed De Gaulle was right, Brexit was a way for the british to endly recognise De Gaulle was right :-)

[@mbos14]

@@astree214 Honestly Britains foreigh policy when it came to Europa for god know how many years should have been a clear sign. They where afraid of the EU. Because the one thing it fears is a united Europa. They saw they couldnt stop it so might aswell try joining it.(tough one of the other main factors was the British Empire falling apart.)

[@xenotypos]

I don't really think Italy had that much if a role in that though. Benelux, France and Germany were more involved, even if Italy is also amongst the first few members.

[@nadineblachetta3202]

As a German this is what I am proud of for my people, after fighting two world wars we managed de reunite our country peacfully, without any shots fired. Ofo curse we are talking different generations, but still.

[@jolantaj4928]

Wam się udało? Jakby nie było biedy w Polsce i strajków robotników nic byście nie zrobili

[@mkolbat]

There have died many people on the way to reunification. It's called cold war.

[@yelenashishkina8804]

Thank Gorbachev. He thought it would be a good idea to allow German unification to improve relations with the West. And look at it now. The USSR withdrew troops from Europe, but the United States only created new bases there. Russian are too forgiving and it harms them greatly. In Russia there is no family which did not lose family member in a war with Germany. 5 of my grandmothers siblings were taken to Germany and never returned. It is petty USSR did not annihilate Germany after the war. Germans did not pay for all the atrocities they done in USSR. Germans remember Holocaust but forget they killed Soviet citizens in concentration and working camps. And Germany did not pay for it. And now they again supply arms and weapons to their little nazi bitchies as they done in 1942. I hope Putin will forget he lived in Germany and gives an order to level German cities in retaliation.

[@Promi374]

Well poland is not germany, so she is right. But most of us respect the strong will for and final succession in independence of our eastern neighbors. But germany is not responsible for these countries. They vote their own governments and have their own political corruption (just like germany has his lobbies, that act like legal corruption). Fact is, since the fall of ussr the western economies have no reason to sugarcoat themselves for the working ppl anymore.

[@Promi374]

​@jolantaj4928 Oh, sorry I mistranslated that. I think the whole process of ussr's collapse had several results in all their occupied countries. It was not one country or the other by itself. But germany as seperated country had a special position and we reconnected on our own. Even though the demonstrations leading to it, were not even intended to do it. 😅

[@flyingfeline7110]

It's interesting to hear Americans say they are 'going to Europe' on vacation when we Europeans don't consider ourselves to be culturally part of a 'United States of Europe', or one big block of united 'states', rather, a grouping of countries - all very unique and quite different.

[@andreajohns-o6w]

They never bothered to give their country a name. Just United States of America, like there is nothing else on the continent of North America

[@tovarishchfeixiao]

And sadly some people in the EU wants to actually make it to be the same as the usa, just in europe.....

[@papermangd]

@@tovarishchfeixiaothat doesn’t seem like a good idea, I like the EU but I would not like the EU to become one big country 😔

[@LETMino85]

That's how Europeans see themselves not acknowledging how similar they actually are. Once you travel the world, out of western and European culture, and not just for two weeks, then you'll understand that Europe as a whole is very, very similar, with nuances of course. Exception, and that is my personal feel & anecdote, are all former Soviet states. But even people from former Soviet states say that.

[@tovarishchfeixiao]

@@papermangd Same. But sadly there are people who want it that way. Even some politicians too.

[@TheMercyBeat]

Since 2020 when the video in the background was made Croatia entered the Schengen Area and adopted the Euro as its currency. Moldova, Ukraine and Bosnia and Herzegovina got EU candidate statuses without starting EU accession talks as well.

[@JaakJacobus]

Moldova has the problem that a small part of the country in the east is occupied by Russia. They placed the 14th army and a puppet government to make sure their playground stays in line with the Kremlin.

[@donquixote3927]

Last time I looked Montenegro had proceeded furthest along the accession process though none of the candidate states are particularly close to joining.

[@Beggar42]

And Croatia's coins have Nicola Tesla on them (the 'norwegian gold' ones anyway) ... quite cool

[@andresmartinezramos7513]

​@@Beggar42They look so good

[@fapmashina1]

​​@@Beggar42 I'm glad you like our Nikola Tesla Eurocent coins! This genius was born and raised at the territory of nowadays Croatia so he's been given huge honour to end up on our Euro coins! Hello from Croatia

[@SimbaLeo-pr9fw]

Charles de Gaulle was against Britain's entry into the "EEC" (European Economic Union), a forerunner of the EU (European Union), because after the Second World War he recognized how the British were "ticking" at the time: although France was one of the Allies alongside the British and the USA, France was not invited to the talks with Stalin on Eastern Europe (Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, etc.). The negotiations only took place between England, the USA and Russia. De Gaulle was very angry about this. And it was only when he died (1970) that the way was clear for Great Britain to join the EEC.

[@patrickh8602]

De Gaulle said 'Non' three times before the UK was allowed to join the EEC. you've got to remember that before the European project the continent was almost constantly at war somewhere. The EU is as much a peace project as it is an economic trade pact.

[@jaapruzius7976]

Good remark! Ever since the ECSC Treaty in 1952 not a single gunshot was fired in the member states, all the way to the present 27 EU members. The EU has stopped over a 1000 years of wars in Europe.

[@IronFreee]

The UK has continuously asked for special treatment and exceptions since it joined, to end up leaving for irrational reasons... I'm not a big fan of de Gaulle, but he was onto something at that time :D As for peace, it was a great preoccupation atter the two world wars, but I would have a hard time imagining the countries in the EU area fighting eachothers nowadays. Even without the EU.

[@IronFreee]

@patrino That's not how you establish causality... I already agreed that the fear of war played a role in the initial idea of rapproaching European nations economically. That doesn't mean that there would have been any wars if the common market or the EU wasn't created. EU nations still have individual military programs and France, for example, have been pushing for more military autonomy since the end of WW2. There was an idea of a Franco-German EU army, but it never was achieved. The EU is not like the USA, European countries are close because they choose to be. There's nothing preventing them to be beliquious. There's stronger cultural ties between France and the UK than between France and Latvia who are both in the EU.

[@jaapruzius7976]

The civil war of Yugoslavia would not have been possible with Serbia and Croatia members of the EU. Even the war in Ukraine is unlikely in that way. The EU is a strategic shield for its members, as much as NATO is. Before the start of both World Wars, many citizens and leaders had a hard time imagining a war in Europe. The rest is.....

[@IronFreee]

@@jaapruzius7976 I have a hard time seing how the EU could have prevented the Yugoslavian civil war. That country, artificially holding together was just ready to explode, part of EU or not. If Ukraine was already part of the EU, it would have disuaded Putin to attack. But the perspective of such a thing would have immediately triggered a war before it could be done.

[@anonymouse8124]

It would be interesting to watch you learn more about the fall of the USSR given your intrigue about how it happened without major war. Gorbachev was a huge factor in that I think, and the Velvet Revolution and the fall of the Berlin Wall were such seminal events that I think you'd find fascinating.

[@LU-jo2jz]

What is major war for you? People were killed, it didnt happen peacefully

[@IQEGO]

@@LU-jo2jz War is when armies of two states fight. That didn't happen in Czechoslovakia etc. There were only clashes between civilians and security forces loyal to the regime.

[@AndreasPeters-r3e]

There was a major war in the former Jugoslavian states. It may have been a civil war or not, depending on how you define it, but a lot of people died there. And both US and russia had role in it.

[@Darwidx]

​@@IQEGOYes, it was civil wars, rebelions, democratic uprising etc.

[@Maur0dm]

​@@AndreasPeters-r3eand Yugoslavia wasn't part of the Warsaw pact. They are saying how the Warsaw pact/Soviet union collapsed whit out major war not Yugoslavia.

[@EtherealBlueRainbow]

The UK always was an opportunistic member of the EU, one foot out the door from the get go, with a million & 1 exemptions, wanting the benefits but not the costs.

[@Lixmage]

Nonsense, the UK was the second largest contributor to the EU - check your facts first...

[@sylvaincroissant7650]

​​​​​​@@Lixmageno the first commenter was right. You never wanted to fully commit to the project. Actually you were invited for the CECA treaty in the late 40's and declined. And invited again for the treaty of Rome and declined again, going as far as to create an alternative competitor union of northern countries to show how it was to be done.. and your union failed compared to the EEC. Only after that you begged to join, but were then vetoed twice as you had proved by then that you were not interested in the project. And to this day even listening to remainders from the UK, it's always about the economy (which has been a miracle, looking at Ireland, Spain or Portugal for instance).never about a European project towards food independence, energy independence or anything. Or just listen to your argument: you were "the second contributor". Well not for the whole time. And you also had a lot of rebates which made your net contribution way less important. And the idea of Europe is that the richest help the poorest... Which you just don't seem to get. You never hear a German or a Frenchman using this argument...

[@Lixmage]

@@sylvaincroissant7650 We actually did very much want to be in the EU initially as it was supposed to be a trading block. It was once it morphed into a political union that we got cold feet. Some of the accusations thrown at us are silly. Our rebates were mostly to bring our payments down to roughly the same level as France, which received huge subsidies under the CAP. We were second highest contributors behind Germany for a very long time, so saying we didn't help is plain wrong. Given the Germans control the entirety of Europe of course they are not going to be against it but a referendum in France might be a hell of a lot closer than you think. Bear in mind it was a very narrow majority that decided we should leave.

[@sylvaincroissant7650]

@@Lixmage I was talking of the very beginnings. In 1948. You were invited to be a founding member of the CECA (along with Belgium, the Netherland, Luxemburg , Italy, Germany and France ) and you refused. Then reinvited to be a founding member of the EEC in 1958 for the treaty of Rome and again you refused. The founding members were never interested in a purely economic Europe and that is precisely why you alienated yourself . But you still do not get it do you? It was never just a trading block. But a protectionist union against economic warfare by the giants like the US or China nowadays. The EU Being capable of retaliating with tarifs that small countries cannot do (as you ll soon realize). Or the EU capable of imposing things to foreign industries such as a unified cable for all smartphones(forcing apple to stop being silly), or in the next year's the possibility for any user to change just the battery of your phone by yourself. Avoiding to buy a new phone every year. For that matter the US never imposed this very simple rule that benefits everyone. Neither did the UK. Also For a way longer time France was a bigger contributor than the UK... Also I strongly disagree that Germany completely controls the EU. They have their say and obviously deserve a lot of weight. But they are in no way in absolute control. It is a union. And the Germans also pay a lot...and let's be frank, they are a Dream to deal with comparing to the UK...

[@dianeadam4926]

​@@sylvaincroissant7650absolutely. The UK used EU financing to really upgrade the country (the town of Liverpool, for example), no one knows about it, there is never a plaque saying "paid for wuth EU funds".....

[@margreetanceaux3906]

Thanks, Ryan! It takes a relatively young American to remind 70-year old me, of how recent all this came about.

[@herrdingenz6295]

19:07 the UK never used the EURO, they alsways had their British Pound

[@biedl86]

The thing with the Schengen area is really amazing. I remember as a child sitting in the car waiting in line to cross the boarder to Poland or Czechia (coming from Germany). But then in 2004 you could just go where ever you wanted, having just a bunch of signs on the road telling you, that you are leaving your country and entering the next. Btw. the UK never used the Euro. And countries like the Czech Republic don't use the Euro either, for they aren't part of the Euro zone.

[@UlliStein]

Oh yes, this is awesome! When I go from Germany to the UK, I pass the borders to the Netherlands, Belgium and France only seeing a sign "Bienvenu en France" and "Welkom to Nederland" but a don't even have to turn the cruise control down. Then I stand at the Eurotunnel checking in and there is a border official, and I don't understand why he is there and what he wants. Brexit was a really bad idea, people start to understand what they did to their wonderful country without a reason. So sad. And although I am really a democrat I oppose referendums because of this horrible experience.

[@biedl86]

@@UlliStein I can totally understand that. Democracy is awesome, but if people are just not informed at all when it comes to politics, then bad shit crazy can easily happen.

[@UlliStein]

@@biedl86 That's the problem! For every issue in life I pay for professional experts, when I'm ill I go to the doctor, when my car has a problem I go to a mechanic, but really important decisions I want to do myself? Why not let the people decide who should have the experience or at least the right consultants? Fun fact: In Switzerland there is a county that had women's right to vote not before the 1990's. Because only men were allowed to vote in the referendums :-D a vicious circle.

[@biedl86]

@@UlliStein What's also analogous to that is the US court system where you have a jury of non-experts deciding for justice. There, due to new scientific findings, the system has been adjusted. The jury is educated on how they can be biased before they can work as a juror, and certainly there will be more adjustments in the future for psychology and neuroscience are always progressing. But I think that the democratic system is much more delicate than that and that it will take much longer before we start implementing education as necessary, before people are allowed to vote. I mean, in Germany we are talking about allowing 16 years olds to vote now, which is actually the opposite direction.

[@ZachSawyer2077]

@@UlliStein "although I am really a democrat I oppose referendums because of this horrible experience". Mate this is a really dangerous statement and it is not very democratic. This looks like an "easy" answer to a problem, but I don't think is the right one. If people are ignorant you don't restrict their freedom or their democratic system to avoid damage, you find a way to ensure that the system can guarantee the correct education for everyone. I think this is one of the biggest problems we have today, people (and especially politicians) are too keen to take the "easy" route instead of the right, but more difficult one.

[@Pawel_Mrozek]

8:09 No. This was very good point not ignorance. The fact that so many nations gained their independence from Russia in the same time was a miracle that should be an international holiday and a universal Day of Freedom. It creates the last three decades of prosperity and global economic grouch that is unfortunately slowly ending.

[@hansmeiser32]

In my life I experienced the German Reunion, the start of a new Millennium and the introduction of a new currency and unfortunately a world wide pandemic. At least 3 historic moments for sure.

[@anacristinaribeiro9592]

I am with you in that, just replacing the German Reunion by the end of the dictatorial regime that lasted for 50 years here in Portugal and ended in 1974, when I was still a child.

[@catonkybord7950]

Or to say it with a Witcher meme: "I lived through a whole dark age and three supposed end of days."

[@tepetti]

Interesting thing about Euro coins is that the other side is always identical but on the other side countries have different designs. My grandpa would always check the change if there were coins from other countries and he would save them.

[@rjbmarchiac8693]

Banknotes are also interesting, but it costs more to save them!

[@blueeyedbaer]

@@rjbmarchiac8693 Banknotes are the same in the whole Eurozone though.

[@soewenue]

Can remember 2001 and the Euro came out, I got a scrapbook for the Euro coins of all countries to birthday and had several nice years to fill it

[@asdfghjsdfgg1841]

It's crazy how little we are taught in the US about the outside world

[@bartrammeloo5046]

It's crazy how little we, EU citizens, are taught about the world outside of the EU ... or even our own little nations inside the EU. Pop quiz for all EU-citizens: name all of the 52 states of the USA. Or the 23 provinces of the People's Republic of China. Or, you know, list me all of the countries in Africa. Or, and that's putting us Europeans really to shame: name all of the 50+ European nations. Not the old names from before the USSR breakdown, but the current names. Conclusion: don't beat yourself up over a perceived lack of knowledge. We all suffer from the same type of ignorance.

[@asdfghjsdfgg1841]

@@bartrammeloo5046 those are minute geographic details. Your examples are not that significant. I'm half american and partially grew up in Europe. At least where I lived, we were taught about history other than just the national (granted mostly national/european), political geography, two mandatory foreign language (english and some other), and just in general an openness to learn and explore other countries. Though there is no way to teach or even learn everything, schools should at least present a minimum of the world as to encourage curiousity and knowledge. Most of our knowledge doesn't come from school, but school is often a trigger for us to seek out that knowledge. Edit: your comment is a disservice to improving education in both the US and EU

[@mbd6054]

​@@bartrammeloo5046 No. We don't. Feel free to speak for yourself only.

[@Fenster134]

@@bartrammeloo5046 Afaik US history and their member states was part of my Geography class at some point. But yeah, nothing about China. ;)

[@SIPEROTH]

@@bartrammeloo5046 Usually it depends on people but i think in general EU people have a little better grasp of the world around them due to wars etc affecting them more. Can most Europeans name every US state or all African countries etc. Probably not. Is not easy to remember all that and only few geography lovers can do so which is probably the same in the US. BUT where the big difference exist is the level of the average knowledge. For example i see myself as an average European. I don't study geography etc that much really but i still know the basics. I know the countries in Europe. Can i point all of them in the map? Probably not but a good 85% to 90% i will get right. I also know major European cities and the countries the belong do. I will never think Madrid is in Austria or Paris is in Germany etc. Do i know every African nation? No i don't. But i know more than a dozen and i know all of them right under Europe and a few more on the map. The same with the US. Can i point every state? No. But i know which country is the USA on the map, i know they have 50 states, i know where Texas, California, Arizona, New York and few others are. I know Washington DC and Washington the state are different, i know they have three branches of government and are a democratic republic etc, i know Canada is above that has cities like Montreal, Quebec, Toronto etc. I know Mexico is under the US and most South American countries. I also know most Asian countries as well. I know where China or India or Pakistan or Mongolia or Korea and Japan and Iran and Afghanistan etc are. Can i name Chinese provenances? I admit not really(language doesn't make it easy as well). But i know their capital and a few major cities along with where Tibet is and Taiwan that they claim and we are having global political issues over etc. So as an average European i don't know everything in depth but i have a general view of the world around me. I will never be so ignorant as to think Vietnam is in Africa or that Somalia in in Oceania or something. It may not be great or detailed but a general view is there. So the question is how many average Americans are like this? I think less than Europeans. I am certain we both have our ignorant groups and the very well educated detail knowledgeable people but how many have a lets say basic general view of the world around them? I think that is where Europeans win. I think the percentage of Americans that have that view is less than the percentage of Europeans. Also in the completely ignorant groups i think US is slightly worse as well not only in percentage but on the level of ignorance. An fully ignorant worst case scenario European probably can't name most European countries let alone other continent countries etc but they will at least know where their own country is on the map and what their capital is. An ignorant American though can't even find the US on the map or knows what the capital is and how many states his/hers own country has.

[@neuralwarp]

There are 54 recognised European countries; 27 of which are members of the EU.

[@inigoromon1937]

52?? Only if you add the Balkans, the Caucassus and what else?

[@yarzyn_5699]

@@inigoromon1937 "Only if"?! Why on earth would you even omit the Balkans and Caucasus? There's also Kazakhstan and Turkey.

[@Thor.Jorgensen]

​@@AlexGys9 That is independent nations, not countries. The UK, for example, consists of four countries. England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. The Kingdom of Denmark also consists of Denmark, the Faroe Islands, and Greenland. These are countries with their own governments, not just regions.

[@jeanpierreviergever1417]

@@Thor.Jorgensenthis is really just semantics.

[@Thor.Jorgensen]

@@jeanpierreviergever1417 I... don't think you know what semantics are. Try a thesaurus or dictionary.

[@thibaultdepre4298]

Just for completeness, Croatia joined the Schengen area on the 1st January 2023. Great video and also as a EU citizen there were several good reminders of key events that you simply forget with time. Quite frankly, how many remembered the Nice treaty? I didn't, and I live in Nice!!!

[@DaGuys470]

Many major corporations run their European business from Ireland. It's completely normal for me to see something like "Google Ireland" on my bank statements.

[@Thurgosh_OG]

Amazon's European HQ is in Dublin, Ireland, specifically for tax reasons.

[@kroche90]

​@@Thurgosh_OGno profits gained in Ireland can be taken out of Ireland, and the tax loopholes have been closed. Ireland is the only English speaking EU country and has a highly educated IT workforce with ideal server conditions.

[@richiss]

Lithuania had the bloodiest guerilla war in Europe's history trying to break out of the Soviet Union

[@vlagavulvin3847]

sounds like bullshit

[@MN-vz8qm]

It wasn't simply that the UK was too close to the USA. While it's true that the French leadership saw the UK as a Trojan horse for American interests in the emerging European community, the main reason is that the UK was never really interested in European integration and was primarily focused on the economic aspects. De Gaulle was obviously right. As soon as the UK finally joined (after two successive vetoes from France), they started complaining. Under Thatcher, they demanded a special financial rebate just for themselves. And eventually, they left, claiming, if you listen to the Brexiters at the time, that they had been forced to join and that no one had informed them about the political project in the EU, even though there were already not one but two European parliaments when they joined.

[@daveologhlen]

You never stop learning, I love to watch what your learning as you teach me as well. keep it up. Love and peace from ireland.

[@katiebouckley4300]

The UK has never used the euro.

[@Thurgosh_OG]

Not as our legal currency but a few shops, especially in Londonstan, did accept it for a while as an addition to the Pound.

[@xrecix]

@@Thurgosh_OG but probably for the tourists right?

[@murrayphillipson4830]

The UK will in the future, when it begs to return to the Eurozone.

[@janolaful]

​@@murrayphillipson4830 we have been worse off since leaving in my opinion 🙃

[@Kborodo740]

this video should be called damn American reacts to eeu

[@rehrbar]

As a Swiss watching this video I was stunned that you didn’t know that Switzerland wasn’t part of the EU. Also that the UK never introduced the Euro and stayed with the Pound. Thumbs up in trying to educate the English speaking world how complicated and diverse Europe is. I enjoy watching your channel. Grew up in Canada but I have been living in Switzerland for the past 35 years now. My fascination of European politics, culture and history is limitless and find channels like yours educational. Keep it up 👍!

[@monetigo]

Yes, the Euro officially started in 2002. I'm in my 30's and in my childhood and teenage eras, the DM (Deutsche Mark) was the currency in Germany. I remember the brand new shiny coins and every grocery store had both prices, Euro and Mark, to calculate how much money it was. Even today, elderlys like my grandparents always says things like "10 EUROS? THATS 20 LIKE MARK!"

[@jensputzlocher8345]

Unfortunately, the old people didn't take the usual inflation into account in their Euro-DM comparison. 10 euros today have the same purchasing power as approximately 6.90 euros in 2001. And because 1 euro is equal to 1.95 German marks, 10 euros today would have a purchasing power of 13.34 German marks in 2001. So Grandpa would actually have to say: "10 euros? That's the same as 13.45 marks!!!"

[@Beggar42]

Remember those conversion calculators? EVERYONE just threw them at you. I had a drawer full of them!

[@supermat1797]

Euros and Mark have a 1:1 change because you German people think you are the ones in charge of everything in the union but you are nobody

[@Unknown_Genius]

@@jensputzlocher8345 8 months late, but: You've made a mistake in your calculation, the comparison to the german mark should be higher in value due to the inflation, not lower - 13.34 marks would imply that things got quite a bit cheaper over the years (Worth of euro went down, worth of mark per euro in comparison to 2001 goes up). Edit: nevermind, I should not try to calculate stuff with my eyes half closed at 4 am, I leave the comment as is as a cornerstone of my own stupidity.

[@hernerweisenberg7052]

@@jensputzlocher8345 In the 90s I payed 50Pfennig for a ball of icecream tho, today its 1,50€. That should be 3 Mark = 6 balls of icecream so inflation =600% right?

[@LynxLord1991]

UK, Denmark and Sweden uses their own coins

[@andyt8216]

And Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Romania.

[@stupidtookmynick]

Poland also still uses their own currency, altho they apparently have a timeline for when they need to start using the Euro.

[@nettcologne9186]

but they are all tied to the Euro

[@u.s.navy_pete4111]

The Danish krone is pegged to the euro. The Swedish krona is free-floating.

[@andyt8216]

@@nettcologne9186 not true.

[@riccardocoletta2398]

As an European citizen I find this video not that bad done. It's pretty accurate and objective, with very few "opinions" and a lot of "facts". I liked it

[@santividal9387]

20:38 Croatia has joined recently both Schengen and Eurozone. I'm from Spain so perhaps I misinterpreted this on the news, but I'm quite sure it happened around last winter.

[@fapmashina1]

You're absolutely right! Croatia really did join both Schengen area and Eurozone from the January 1st 2023. While much easier movement across the western and northern borders (with other EU neighbours) without border controls is something that is very cool, we're still getting used to Euro as the country's new official currency, prices will be shown both in Kuna - our old currency and Euro until the end of this year. But many of us are very satisfied with both changes and we do hope our eastern and southeastern neighbours (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Albania) join the European Union as soon as possible likewise Ukraine, Moldavia and some others furthermore east. Warm greetings from Croatia to our European fellows in Spain

[@santividal9387]

@@fapmashina1 Yeah, I knew I was right! Thanks for your comment and congrats on this achievement. You'll get used to the euro soon, my father remembers when he changed between 'pesetas' and euro and he says it was overall for the best.

[@calinprodan4345]

The UK NEVER used the Euro. It is stated in the video when it reached around 2009 that (together with Denmark and Sweeden) they opted out. They have never given up the pound.

[@blueeyedbaer]

The UK and Denmark got opt outs but Sweden didn't. Sweden actually is obliged to to join the Eurozone when it meets all the Maastricht criteria. Which it doesn't meet on purpose because Swedes don't want the Euro. However, that's changing slowly, as Swedish crown got weaker and weaker during last 10 years, and many people start to see advantages of the Euro.

[@erinnadia0409]

Yes when I lived between Belfast and Donegal I carried two coin purses, one had euros and one had pounds 😂💶💷

[@alis49281]

Common joke: a US-american asks "Why are there so many languages in Europe?" EU answer: "Because Germany lost the war." But honestly: we are proud of this diversity and tge freedom we gained. This feeling drives the help of states like Lithuania against the threat from Russia. We don't share a language, but the same understanding of freedom and culture. Of course our cultures differ, but we also have very mich in common.

[@spyro257]

Switzerland has been neutral, in just about EVERYTHING, since before WW1, and only helped for the first time, when they started sending aid to Ukraine, last year... the vid said, UK never changed to the Euro, along with most Nordic countries, which is why u cant find them, ever using it...

[@anonymusug727]

Laughs in Nazi Gold "neutral" deals 🤣

[@fastertove]

While they aren't legally required to provide the service, you are perfectly able to pay with euro (cash) in most Danish stores. You'll just have to convert currency yourself.

[@gerardflynn7382]

The main reason why they never joined the Euro is they purposely chose not to qualify to join.

[@spyro257]

@@fastertove yeah true, u can, u just cant get Euro back...

[@Jutubowiec1]

@@gerardflynn7382 Slovakia joined and regrets to this day.

[@Bob06390]

Europe especially allow easy international couple. I'm french dating a Spanish girl, she came to work and live with me in France, no visa no questions asked. European Citizenship!

[@CoreFreddy]

The UK and EU negotiated the Brexit for so long partly because UK (1) did not want to be in the EU and at the same time they (2) did not want EU border to be between Ireland and Northern Ireland. In short, they wanted two mutually exclusive things and were surprised that rest of the Europe just laughed at them.

[@Lixmage]

I think you will find it wasn't just the UK. No one wanted a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland owing to the success of the Good Friday agreement. The EU certainly wasn't laughing at the departure of its second largest contributor! The UK's treatment by the EU in the aftermath owed partly to the flawed negotiating strategy of then Prime Minister Theresa May and the EU's determination to curtail further departures by making an example of the UK.

[@CoreFreddy]

@@Lixmage No, no one was trying to "punish" Britain. That's just something the Brits keep repeating to themselves to find way around that. Truth is they just wanted two things that exclude each other. Like four-year olds. You can"t leave and be in at the same time. Deal with it. Be a grownup. :)

[@Lixmage]

@@CoreFreddy We will just have to politely agree to disagree. We didn't want two things at all. We wanted out (albeit by a tiny majority and I actually voted to remain). The Irish border was just an issue because of the Good Friday agreement as decided by pretty much any country who expressed an opinion.

[@CoreFreddy]

@@Lixmage So help me understand - did you want Ireland to exit the EU also because you left? Because from here, it looks like Britain wanted to be out of EU and at the same time not to have EU border in Ireland. And as long as Ireland is in EU that is not possible. Or is it somehow? Enlighten me.

[@Lixmage]

@@CoreFreddy We wanted out of the EU - that's basically it. We didn't want Ireland to leave, cos they are their own country. Obviously, our leaving created a border between Ireland and Northern Ireland as you rightly point out. My point is NO ONE wanted a hard border there. Not the Irish, certainly not the Northern Irish, not the British, not the Americans, and not the EU because it took decades of horrendous violence to reach the Good Friday Agreement and a hard border was seen as a retrograde step by EVERYONE. It was therefore obviously a complex negotiation that took time. But that aside, the EU took a very hard stance on all negotiations with the UK because they did not want any other countries to leave the union. That's partly why it took so long to sort out. The rest is down to the ineptitude of Theresa May.

[@cabritsanscorgaming]

You're definitely not making a fool out of yourself, mate ! Americans tend to be very self-centered when it comes to anything outside the US, but you're open-minded and curious enough to want to know more, that put you at the top of your country (which is the worst).

[@a5cent]

Yup. This. I'm sceptical he's actually an American. Way too curious! 😂

[@publicminx]

@cabritanscorgaming: you should not believe every nonsense. Europeans were also in the 20. century rather self-centered and in the US European history was usually also part (of course to a lower degree). the main difference is that in Europe you cannot avoid to talk about Neighbor countries if you talk about your own history. but likely 95% of Europeans got just within the last 10 years an idea about the baltics, eastern europe countries, the different capitals (many cannot tell them today). Another aspect was the cold war situation and the after-ww2, which automatically brought the US more into focus (then also with pop culture, movies etc.). it is typical that bigger countries are a bit less focused on smaller ones just like most of the time Germans didnt care/notice much about Austria while Austrians had an overfocus on Germany with all kind of love/hate aspects (most Germany were even not aware of, for instance to be called 'Piefke'. Thats an information most Germans even dont know till today;)

[@michelegug9847]

just so you know, the UK never used the EURO, always used british pounds even when they were in the EU

[@BenelliMr]

the UK never really were in the EU and now they didn't really leave the EU ; what do we have to do to really get rid of you and to be free again?

[@whohan779]

@19:09 You can even see their currency is the oldest still accepted legal tender (instead of for its material/sentimental/intellectual value). It's not quite clear, but it may have arisen as early as the late 8th century, which is more than 122 decades ago, therefore almost 56 times older than the Euro is now.

[@OzixiThrill]

@@BenelliMr Really now? So a country that tried to get in several times, got in, obeyed most EU legislation, paid some of the highest amounts of money into the EU annually and had to invoke an EU member specific piece of legislation to cease those payments and gain the ability to revoke those EU legislations. Listen, I get it. You don't like the UK. But do everyone (including yourself) a favour and don't make yourself look like an unhinged lunatic.

[@alh6255]

He does not realize that some countries in the EU do not use the euro (it is not obligatory), but only their own traditional currency, e.g. the euro is not used by Sweden, Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania or Hungary. In addition, after the debt crisis in the Eurozone in 2008-2011, EU countries that have large and strong economies, such as Poland, the Czech Republic or Sweden (as well as the UK, when it was a member of the EU), absolutely do not want to adopt the euro and still prefer their own monetary policy. The euro zone includes Italy, Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, the 3 Baltic countries, Slovakia, Austria, the Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, Finland, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Malta, Cyprus and Croatia (as of this year).

[@cyclistefroisse9267]

The UK hasn’t revoked many EU Regs. What happened of Boris Johnson so-called « Bonfire of EU regulations » ? Nada, Zilch ! And as far as EU standards are concerned, the U.K. will abide by EU standards**, in Brexternity, ( otherwise UK goods won’t cross EU borders, as simple as that) like an obedient little satellite submitted to enormous attraction pull of, ultimately, a 36 countries trading bloc. ** EU standards, present and future, without having any input whatsoever, in the drafting of said future standards.

[@YourTamedLion]

The EU doesnt have to deal with the UK anylonger who didnt really share the european spirit. And unless the UK learns to value the best project Europe ever had, I see no chance of them being allowed back in. That said, it would be the best for Europe and the EU if the UK fundamentally changed their attitude towards the EU and rejoined. EU loyality over loyality to the USA and a european spirit that we put the EU our best project first and dont harm it for nationalist election campaigns as scapegoat. The unjust smearing of the EU is a serious problem and danger. Should the EU fail and we devolve back to purely nation states without any comparable shared indentity and interest in each others success....then the darkest times can come back eventually. Europe has been at war for the longest part of its existence. And under the under the EU we had the longest peace time ever and the biggest prosperity ever. The EU is still the best future possible and therefore we must defend it against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

[@doriancroatia2054]

Little update since this is the older video - from 2023 Croatia is a member of both eurozone and Schengen area.

[@cr10001]

I absolutely love Schengen. There's nothing makes me happier than the sight of a closed and boarded up customs post. :)

[@new44new]

Schengen and the euro define freedom for me

[@geryddle]

Schengen is the main goal for which Bulgaria's weird government in unstable coalition was formed this year 😅 I remember a few years back when the train from Germany just arrived in Austria without stopping! My mind was blown away😄

[@Fenster134]

@@geryddle Hopefully that government keeps going for a while, since Austria and Netherlands still blocking their Schengen entry. I travelled via train from Romania to Hungary a few weeks ago and the Schengen border was pretty interesting, needed some patience. We central Eupeans aren't used to border controls anymore.

[@user-ky6vw5up9m]

Fine until the bad guys turn up at the border.

[@brittadueandersen2519]

I absolutely hate Schengen😏

[@ohrusty]

I… I’ve watched several videos of yours and sometimes though “lol ur american”, but… as a European watching this along with you, I didn’t know a lot of it either, lol. Kind of happy you said the questions and answers out loud so I didn’t have to, hah.

[@barbariandude]

About the soviet collapse and eastern Europe, there was some violence. In particular, there were the Yugoslav wars, which saw Yugoslavia disintegrate into a bunch of different countries with different ethnic groups trying to murder each other. Ukraine and Bulgaria were almost entirely peaceful (EDIT: I can't believe I forgot Poland! Also in this category of peaceful democratic transition). Basically just referendums. Romania's transition was quite a bit rockier, with an uprising turning into a coup which resulted in the summary execution of Ceacescu, the dictator of Romania. Czechoslovakia, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania had peaceful protests which gained momentum and resulted in their independence. Hungary is a special case in all this, they had been under direct military occupation since 1956 when they attempted a country-wide uprising. The Russian troops finally left in 1991.

[@tovarishchfeixiao]

And as far as i know, we Hungarians made the first revolution against the Soviets in the states of the iron curtain.

[@CaptainKevinDarling]

Although Yugoslavia was never part of the Soviet Union. It was a communist country, but has always refused to become part of the union.

[@barbariandude]

@@CaptainKevinDarling Very true. It dissolved during the same timeframe as the dissolution of the USSR however, and it would be disingenuous to talk about eastern Europe in that timeframe without mentioning it.

[@user-cs4fg7bh4r]

Dude im Lithuanian what u talking about!??? To this day we honir on thr january 13th 13 people that were crashed by russian tanks in 1991!!!! Stop the peaceful rumour

[@barbariandude]

@@user-cs4fg7bh4r In comparison to Yugoslavia, it was relatively peaceful. There was no full-blown war. The civilians were not shooting at OMON, and although Soviet police reacted in their typical aggressive "crush dissent at all costs" style, they generally used blanks and rubber bullets. It is of course a tragedy that 14 people died for your independence, but the hostilities were still comparatively light.

[@MadTamB]

Map at 06:36 includes the Faeroes in the EU which I don't think have ever been in the EU. Also the Channel Islands are shown as part of the EU and have never been. And Isle of Man.

[@Doc959]

UK has never used the EUR. UK left as the EU was making everyone apart from London poorer. EU is a bloc based economy with each country specialising in one thing.

[@lemangeur2poulet248]

Lets be honest, now most of british population wants to enter EU again.

[@johnfrancismaglinchey4192]

All of the largest American companies have bases in IRELAND,,, companies like Apple,, Google,,, Facebook etc, this would suggest that they are not handling over their fair share to the Federal Reserve.

[@continental_drift]

Or any other Treasury.

[@Psi-Storm]

There are two errors here. Firstly, the Reserve has nothing to do with taxation, that's the government. And secondly those companies pay taxes on the profit they make in the states. They use Ireland to reduce the taxation on sales in the EU. You have to pay taxes in the country you do business in, because you use the infrastructure there to even be able to provide the products.

[@timtimie]

@@Psi-Storm Yeah but they also don't pay the taxes in Ireland, they have set up in such a way as to have the USA identify them as an Irish company but also in a way that Ireland doesn't recognise them as an Irish company. Since neither country taxes foreign companies they basically pay no tax

[@LupAlexandru]

Aren't those for their European operations only?

[@StephenButlerOne]

​@@Psi-StormI think they end up paying about (a massive) 2% in tax. The trouble they have is then moving the money around. About 8 years ago I know the big corps was trying to get one time free (or little fee) apatriation of their foreign wealth. Not sure how it worked out for them.

[@rmyikzelf5604]

You're learning Ryan. That's never ignorant. In fact in many cases you are aware of the gaps in your knowledge. That's a major step up towards more knowledge! And, yes, some of the things you blurt out sound, at least to my aging European ears, ridiculously 'typical American' and make me laugh or roll my eyes. But mosty you follow those up by questioning yourself and finding out more. And that is not ignorant at all. Keep it up! I enjoy your videos!

[@drakulkacz6489]

That you should know in your age from school 🙂

[@rmyikzelf5604]

@@drakulkacz6489 Americans are like kindergarten kids. Be nice.

[@filip2cz]

18:40 UK never used Euro. You can be in EU and still have your own currency, like for example Czechia or Poland.

[@stephaniechbakingtraveler4262]

Switzerland is never part of the EU but they are part Schengen area. Switzerland is the member of EFTA(European Free Trade Agreement) and other members are Iceland, Norway, and Liechtenstein.

[@matsv201]

Yea... Originally Iceland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Switzerland, Liechtenstain and Austria paired together becasue Americans think they are all clustered in one place. So why not have a trade agreement

[@stephaniechbakingtraveler4262]

i agree with you @@matsv201

[@baumgrt]

@@matsv201 Portugal and the UK were part of it as well (both founding members)

[@hamzapetridis206]

We ( France ) refused entrance to the UK by fear it would be a pain in the ass, they are islanders and a naval power and don't feel European or concerned with the affairs of the continent. They proved us right.

[@junotrekki]

The UK never used the Euro. Not every country in the EU uses the Euro for paymant ^^

[@StevenQ74]

They forgot a step, before the European coal and steel community there first was the BeNeLux, directly after the war wich began the coörperation between Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxemburg, that was the real start of the EU

[@ChristiaanHW]

yeah when other European nations saw how how well the Benelux countries where able to work together so streamlined (and that just after WWII) they became inspired and thought it would be a good example of how the whole continent could become. without the Benelux there's a good chance we never would have gotten the EEC and later on EU.

[@schnelma605]

18:22 UK has never used the euro

[@peterl5804]

The Euro area, Schengen area, EU and European court of justice area are all different areas that overlap at times. Some small countries like Switzerland or Iceland are part of the Schengen area and thus accept almost all EU rules without being EU members. They would say that their voices would be small in the EU and it allows them to prevent the introduction of some specific EU laws (whaling in the case of Iceland, banking in the case of Switzerland). The biggest advantage of being part of the EU is not the money you get back directly but your access to a huge market, worth billions every month for bigger economies.

[@DailyDamage]

You know what I really admire is the fact that you’re actually broadening your historic knowledge. This base is the building block required to stack on future knowledge and understanding. It’s fascinating to check out your reactions as you pretty much present as the “average guy” and associated insights - as well as an amusing sense of humor. Best greetings from Northern Germany 😊

[@johng.1703]

he must of zoned out at the Euro bit, as he would have seen that the UK never adopted the Euro.

[@Thurgosh_OG]

Typical Ryan, I'm afraid. He's not as bad as his brother at missing or forgetting things he's just seen but he does it fairly regularly.

[@BenelliMr]

the UK never adopted the Euro nor the EU; so finally we are free from the UK.

[@Tidybitz]

​@@Thurgosh_OG... Who is his brother?

[@Winona493]

You are all so well educated when it comes to European history!!! I am deeply impressed!!!!

[@cyclistefroisse9267]

We have had, free of charge, a 5 years crash course about the EU, it’s history, what it does, an education i.e. obscure technocratic acronyms engineered in Brussels, the Single Market, the Customs Union, courtesy of the British ! 😁

[@andyt8216]

You just watched the part of the video which made it clear the UK (along with original member states Denmark and Sweden) didn’t join the Euro. I’m sure you also watched a video last month where this came up and you asked the same thing!

[@Thurgosh_OG]

Typical Ryan.

[@Baroncito86]

Ignorant is the one who does not want to learn. Wish more americans did put this effort. Nice my dude. Cheers from Spain!

[@emilydavison2053]

I appreciate that many young Europeans speak English, but I'd advise you not to take lessons from Yoda in Star Wars.

[@Baroncito86]

@@emilydavison2053 Oh, thanks for the young part. Advise from Joda I take because wise he is :D

[@ScOOrK_]

3:57 - hahaha - read what Poles was thinking about Yalta to know what bad friend is :) For Poland IIWW has ended in 1989. - 8:13 (yup = ignorance is bliss)

[@KoffinKat]

Wow... so the European Union is one year older than the Czech Republic (which is where I'm from). Interesting. The former Czechoslovakia decided to divide and since January 1993, our two countries are known as Czech Republic and Slovakia. Like Ryan said, it feels like ancient history but actually, it wasn't THAT long ago. It's kinda mindblowing.

[@jonsnow7092]

What's more amazing is how fast you guys managed to develop since joining EU. If you look at Czech Republic and Slovakia today, it's like you never were communist. I just wish Romania and Bulgaria would've had the same progression.

[@eedragonr]

​@@jonsnow7092is EU on the moon and I don't know?

[@jonsnow7092]

@@eedragonr JWST, the most advanced human-made thing, was put into orbit by an EU rocket. difference between EU and Russia is that people have toilets inside.

[@rjbmarchiac8693]

​@@eedragonr Generally speaking the ESAT is on parity with Indian ISRO, and there was only one (succesful) orbiter sent around the moon. But you should know that NASA and other agencies around the world don't spit on European spaceborn experiments and apparatus for their projects.

[@stuckonautomatic]

You are underestimating the sheer size of some of the US states. EU: Area 4,233,262 square km Pop. 448,387,872 Density: 106 per square km US: Area 9,158,721 square km Pop. 335,073,176 Density: 37 per square km

[@TomiThemself]

Fun fact: While Switzerland is not in the EU, they are part of the Schengen (ie, I, as an EU citizen can get into citizen freely), and single-market (ie, Swiss and EU companies can easily trade with each-other)

[@juanmontull8550]

The Shengen agreement is the best!, as a Spaniard I can travel wherever I want inside the shengen whithout the need of passport, it works with any type of transport, also is amazing how powerful is the Euro and it only exists since early 2000s.

[@UlliStein]

Of course the Euro is so powerful because so much economy is behind it. I will never forget the discussion in the early 2000's on German TV where a smart economy professor said: "When I fly into a turbulence I rather sit in a jumbo than in one of 20 Cessnas". That is the best metaphor I ever heard on that issue.

[@justADeni]

As a Czech I really want us to adopt the Euro... Love Spain btw, Madrid, Barcelona, Málaga, Granada, Palma de Mallorca all amazing places!

[@UlliStein]

@@justADeni Yes that would be a great idea. Coming from Germany and visiting your wonderful country from time to time, I would love that!!

[@100100freak]

UK never adopted Euro, they always used pound

[@peterjackson4763]

When the UK tried preparing to join the Euro by joining its predecessor the ERM it was a disaster.

[@Thurgosh_OG]

@@peterjackson4763 They also knew that they would have to have a national referendum on adopting the Euro and the Brits would have said 'No', no matter how many referendums they tried.

[@manuelkohlmann9109]

Continue, Ryan, that's pretty great, what you do. I need to admit many things I don't know about the USA, but this is the first step actually fighting prejudices. Love watching you since quite a while! Please carry on and all the best with your young family.

[@ahsenserhat9270]

I just realized watching someone reacting to information videos are way more entertaining than musical things

[@Čangrizavi_Cinik]

But I dont like him not being focused. UK never had EURO and he is sure it's other way around.

[@ahsenserhat9270]

@@Čangrizavi_Cinik I think that is a very reasonable assumption, it's wrong but understanble. It's probably a Mandela effect in USA. I'm pretty sure %99 of the population thinks like that. Pikachu's tail never had a black stripe, Monopoly man never weared a glass, England never used Euro.

[@weltuntergangsbote]

@@ahsenserhat9270 bs

[@n1207]

I really like what you do: you pick valuable videos from the internet to inform yourself and to improve your knowledge about the world. I wish more Americans would do the same like you do. Highly appreciated!

[@lanamack1558]

It seems to me some countries, such as the US are not interested in an educated population. In Australia I learnt about the entire development of the EU in modern history in the 60's.

[@e1123581321345589144]

What's missing from this clip is that since 2023 both Moldova and Ukraine obtained candidate status to the EU and are set to join pending some administrative and judicial reforms. If this were to happen the only former USSR members on the European continent which are not members of the EU would be Belarus and Russia itself. And yes, the collapse of USSR is remarkable in how peaceful it was, but we're still seeing echoes of it's collapse with the later wars in Moldova, Georgia, Nagorno-Krabakh and of course Ukraine. These conflicts can be thought of as part of the collapse of the USSR, even though they happened years or decades later. And I don't think we've seen the last of it.

[@shanwyn]

No, Switzerland is not part of the EU, neither is Norway. They are part of the Schengen Area though. Switzerland has bilateral treaties with the EU, which in the last years caused friction between the two. One of the main reason which isn't addressed openly from the leaders of the two is the cultural and political difference between them. Switzerland's government is a militia government and the citizens have a huge influence over every decision while in the EU laws are usually made by professional politicians representing their people without considering their opinion, kinda like in the USA (this is hugely simplified and I have to stress out that I am biased due me being swiss). The EU would like to have one overall treaty now that regulates everything with Switzerland instead of numerous treaties. One that would automatically update with every new law the EU makes, which is something the swiss feel very suspicious about. Currently both parties work on the framework for such an agreement. But even a clause like energy already causes friction. The EU wants the full privatisation of the energy sector in Switzerland. But the swiss saw what uncontrolled privatization of those markets did in the UK and recently with the War in Ukraine, within the EU, and oppose that. And this goes for almost all sectors currently negotiated. At the moment, Switzerland has a slight advantage with the current treaties over the EU admittingly, but the EU tries forcing their 'ideology' onto this tiny country feels for many swiss like a hostile invasion on their sovereignty. So it will take a lot to find a common ground for both sides. As for size, Switzerland is the 4th biggest import/export partner for the EU Behind the USA, UK and China and even ahead of Russia), and the EU is the biggest importer in Switzerland. So there is a lot depending on those relationships. The 'funny' thing is, the EU tries to force their will sometimes by threating cutting the swiss off from vital institutions like research, yet all they achieve is fueling the mistrust of the swiss people towards the EU. It is a vicious cycle. On the other hand Switzerland pays a lot towards the EU for the access to the single market, more than they would as a member of the EU, and they improve their infrastructure to help the EU, like the Gotthard base tunnel which improved the transportation between northern and southern EU a lot

[@ruvik1256]

The Swiss are cherrypicking aholes. Their "neutrality" and cowardness is embarrassing.

[@marius4iasi]

Yeah, it goes both ways, buddy. The europeans are starting to mistrust the swiss. Besides the image of a fiscal paradise for dirty money, it does feel like the Swiss want to feast at the table without paying the bill.

[@Yendar2]

At the same time the largest party in Switzerland (SVP) likes to keep Switzerland's dependency to the Russian regime. The energy dependency to Russia (fossil and nuclear) is bad and expensive for the people in Switzerland, but good for power and bank accounts of some politicians and companies. Swiss companies help oligarchs hide their money for sanctions. Officially Switzerland supports the sanctions, but this summer they were criticized for not taking them seriously. SVP politicians downplayed Russia's war of aggression. So populism in Switzerland, like through far right parties in many other countries, has heavy influence on their politics.

[@ErikKrash]

Hey, thanks for the insights on Switzerland-EU dynamics! However, there is one point I'd like to clarify. Switzerland being a militia government: Contrary to what you wrote, Switzerland operates on direct democracy, emphasizing citizen involvement in decision-making. While both the EU and Switzerland have democratic structures, the key difference lies in Switzerland's emphasis on direct democracy. Perhaps you meant the militia principle in the Swiss army?

[@peterfireflylund]

That was a very Swiss point of view! I’ve heard Swiss politicians talk about those treaties on Radio SRF and they were a bunch of spoiled, ignorant kids who either knew nothing or lied through their teeth. We have started to distrust the Swiss because they have proven again and again that they can’t be trusted. You want a renewed treaty? Better treat us right. Participating in all sorts of EU programs is a privilege, not a natural right.

[@Claude-n5o]

You are not ignorant, but open to the world and willing to learn, hope you are an inspiration not only for your fellow citizens but anybody all around the world.

[@MrPicky]

This is about the European Union but there is another free trade organisation in Europe, EFTA (European Free Trade Association), that includes Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. These countries still do have reservations about joining EU so EFTA still exists (used to include UK, all the Nordic countries and more before they joined EU) but there is an agreement between the EFTA countries (excluding Switzerland) that created EEA (European Economic Area). EEA is basically EU/EFTA free market/trade/movement of people/jobs between the countries within these two associations.

[@Salfordian]

Which has to fund the EU

[@MrPicky]

@@Salfordian EFTA has to pay to be in EEA that is for sure but I guess it is also getting some benefits though not in the same matter as a EU member state. Yet still the EFTA countries do not want to join the EU.

[@Salfordian]

@@MrPicky EVERYTHING is about money, other peoples money when it comes to the EU & all those new countries who joined and waiting to join want those handouts, yes the EU has to bribe them

[@johnfrancismaglinchey4192]

The UNITED KINGDOM never used the Euro.

[@biomax1864]

England is too supponent and barbarous country to have the humility and the intelligence to join an equal and modern coalition. It's still in the Middle Ages xD

[@machintruc9457]

3:43 cold war was a war between USA and URSS to rule the world. De Gaulle, french president, prefered USA rather than URSS, but he surely wanted france to be a third independent voice, to lead part of world's countries, to gain power, and maybe become more powerfull than USA and URSS. At least, be as powerful. He tried a lot and almost managed to do it. He tried to control european union, and to expend it. He wanted france to rule europe, rather than USA. That's not that he didn't like USA, he just wanted france to gain power.

[@grahortarg9933]

You said that you are surprised that Soviet collapse and dissolution happened without major wars. It may be a good illustration that a collapse of an empire is a lengthy, continuous thing, not a single event. We are fighting the dissolution wars right now, in Ukraine. It's that same war happening exactly as a process of collapse continues. And before that there were Chechen wars, Georgian wars, etc. If you'll look back to the fall of Russian empire in 1917 - it also happened very fast and without major wars, but THEN three decades of war followed, where Russia fought to gather the countries back into Soviet Union. Many, many small imperial wars. It's a process. We haven't yet lived through it.

[@boris2599]

2:28 I totally get that you say only 6 countries. because the eu is so much larger now. But imagine living in that time having 3 opossing ww2 countries come together to prevent another war. The european comunity of coal and steel united them with the BeNeLux to shape(place the foundation of) the peace that we're enjoying today.

[@u.s.navy_pete4111]

It was a miracle so short after WW2!

[@Maur0dm]

Yeah it must have been wild but why did you say only 3? When all 6 stood on opposing sides in WWII. Allies (France,Belgium, Luxembourg,The Netherlands) Axis (Italy, West Germany)

[@eedragonr]

Good that he is finally studying the subject because those countries are usually waiting for the Americans to liberate them as the main form of defense.

[@rjbmarchiac8693]

Peoples were sure tired from wars, but there also were a handful of visionary politicians who understood that another Versailles treaty was not the solution (and to be honest, the USA imposed their vision for peace on us anyway, discouraging any revanchist posture) and that an unpreceded oportunity was to be seized.

[@erwintimmerman6466]

Great video. While the size and number of inhabitants may be close to the USA, that's where the comparison stops. The states of the USA may have different cultures but still are very similar compared to how different the countries in Europe are. You could compare the European Union with a union between almost all of the Americas. Can you imagine free movement of people between Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Equador, the USA and Canada? Could you imagine migrant workers from other countries moving to wherever there's work (in the EU that would be eastern Europe flocking to Western Europe countries, in the Americas that would probably be the south flocking to the north) without problems? Could you imagine a single currency and a federal government that decides some binding things OVER the USA federal government? Things that would benefit Brazil and Mexico more than it would the USA? It's probably easy to understand that getting any laws done at all with all countries agreeing would be a nightmare, some countries would want to be exempt from certain laws, or wouldn't want to join at all, or would want to leave after they found the whole project wasn't in their best interest. Or some would want to support Ukraine and others are more eager to support Russia. That's how amazing the European Union project is. Basically France, Germany, England and the Netherlands have been at war with each other on and off for 500 years, and now they work together as one. Well, sort of. And except England since Brexit. Then the Eastern European countries joined with a vastly different culture again. So there are 3 major cultures: Western/Northern European, Southern European and Slavic European. It's a miracle it holds together at all. The benefits (peace and economic prosperity) just outweigh the problems, as long as people don't get used to those benefits too much and think they can get by on their own, as many populists and nationalists now preach. So if Americans wonder why Europeans just don't get on with it and make that union stronger, here's why 🙂

[@LadyDoomsinger]

The most mind-blowing thing about the EU is that most of the countries in Europe have thousands of years of violent history with each other, not to mention two devastating "great" wars in the 20th century that practically decimated our continent, as well as ancient gripes that dates back to the earliest recorded history. It is why I will always support the EU as a concept, even when I disagree with specific policies: A unified Europe has led to an unprecedented era of peace on a continent with a long and bloody history of senseless conflict.

[@ChristiaanHW]

yeah for millennia empires tried to rule Europe (among others: Romans, Charlemagne, Napoleon, N*zi's, USSR) and after 2 devastating World Wars and the looming danger of being annexed by the USSR. Europe finally (gradually) came together and managed to unite in a peaceful way with keeping every member state sovereign. the EU is (probably) the biggest and most successful peace project ever tried in the world. and for EU citizens it has brought unparalleled benefits. ps. of course there are still flaws but if you look at the age and size of the EU it's only logical that there are still some problems that need to be ironed out. but those problems are small in comparison to all the benefits of the EU (only just the safety from another (world) war makes it worth it)

[@leithblower]

I disagree.American and Russian nukes have kept the peace in, a far less powerful and confident, Europe.

[@LadyDoomsinger]

@@leithblower Uh... We have very different definitions of peace, if you consider the threat of nuclear Armageddon "peace".

[@3starYT]

Yes long live the European peace we live in! Pax Europae

[@gaetanhillion8342]

@@leithblower You're right and wrong at the same time. Sure the nuclear threat stopped a third world war, but it didn't kept peace. think of Vietnam, Korea, first afghanistan war... During that time, the european continent was at peace certainly because of the proto EU. Think about it, every forty years France and Germany duke it out, after Schuman ? No war there, and it's still the case. Russia don't really fear the US, it's fear EU because it work, mostly and i think that's why they unlawfuly occupied Crimea when the people of Ukraine turn toward the EU. Or i can be completly wrong too ^^. About Russia... I'm pretty sure of myself about the nuclear threat ^^.

[@HellDuke-]

Depends on what you mean by major war. On the scale of World War? Not really. But there was quite a bloody guerilla war waged by the Batlic states. You can look up The Forest Brothers (that's what the resistance was called) even though that didn't directly result in independance, the Soviets didn't have an easy time, because the forest brothers were a thorn for decades

[@igorbednarski8048]

he didn't mean that the Soviets took over these countries without a major war, but that they relinquished control in the 90s peacefully and not as a result of major wars, which is true - there have been some major conflicts causes by the collapse of communism, but it wasn't about Soviets trying to retain control, it was about interethnic violence erupting as a result of the Soviets no longer controlling everyone (Nagorno Karabakh, South Ossetia, Abkhazia, Transnistria etc)

[@alh6255]

There were also regular domestic wars on a large scale in Poland and Czechoslovakia up to 1948 and in Greece (but Greece, which was supposed to be in the Eastern bloc, was ultimately strongly helped by Great Britain, which was afraid to help Poland). And it's a pity, because, as it turned out, Stalin, and then the USSR, were afraid to intervene in Poland (during numerous Polish strikes and mass revolts before 1989) and were generally afraid of Poles. Therefore, among others In Poland, it was not possible to introduce communism as sharply as in other Central European countries, not to mention USSR. It was not possible to introduce collective farms, abolish private ownership of land, companies and houses, liquidate private business (at least small and medium-sized ones), limit the autonomy of universities or even scouting, limit cultural and personal contacts with the Western bloc and intimidate openly anti-communist society. Even a small support for Poland after 1945 would free it from Stalinist terror, Soviet influence and the idiocy of a centrally controlled economy, and it would also help other countries in Central Europe. Stalin was even afraid to take away from Poland the areas in the east where there were rich gas deposits. He only dared to do it in 1952, when he was sure that no one would help Poland in case of emergency (currently these territories are in Ukraine). ​

[@tovarishchfeixiao]

Do not forget the Hungarian Revolution, which was the 1st revolution in the region against the Soviets.

[@alh6255]

@@tovarishchfeixiao After World War 2? Earlier, there were bloody civil wars in Poland and Greece (1945-1948, Greece received help from Great Britain, which is why it eventually escaped from the Eastern bloc), as well as a civil war in Czechoslovakia (1948) and revolt in Poland in 1954, the so-called Poznan accidents (resulting in the killing of many ppl). Nevertheless, the Budapest uprising against the communists was indeed a major event, but the only one in this country until the fall of communism. In turn, Poles regularly rebelled every few years, including massively in 1968, 1970, 1976 and 1981 (the birth of the Solidarity movement), and in 1987. In 1968, an uprising broke out in Czechoslovakia (or rather in the Czechia, because the Slovaks supported it poorly), which was suppressed, but at the same time it ended Stalinism, which lasted much longer in Czechoslovakia than in other communist countries. As for Poland, thanks to constant strikes, protests and public resistance, the communists did not manage to create collective farms, liquidate small and medium-sized private companies, nor the autonomy of universities, the significant role of the Catholic Church and other denominations, or regular contacts of Polish society with Western culture (free tourist trips of Poles after 1968, films, books, newspapers, including anti-communist Polish publications from abroad after 1956). In other words, communism in Poland was the most liberal in the world, the communists were afraid to put too much pressure on the Poles, and the USSR was afraid to intervene militarily. Ultimately Poles managed free elections in Poland in the first half of 1989 and the creation of a democratic parliament and government, and it lead to initiate the fall of communism in Central Europe (the next ones were Czechoslovakia in the autumn, then Germany, Hungary, and in December 1989 Romania and finally Bulgaria)

[@diegobonizzato2959]

18:20 the Uk has never used the euro as its currency

[@jeffafa3096]

7:47 Except for Belarus, Ukraine and Moldova, all those countries already existed before WWII. They were annexed by the USSR, and were in a sense still at war. It's not really surprising that they would regain their original territory (with maybe some minor border changes) after the collapse of the occupying regime...

[@Maur0dm]

Wasn't Moldova part of Romania Pre WW2? And Ukraine/Belarus where part of the Russian Empire before the Soviet union Although I do believe they revolted like Poland and the Baltic's if you mean that?

[@tovarishchfeixiao]

@@Maur0dm Not to mention that ukraine's name is basicly just "border land" as i heard. And idk why people nowadays want to make it like as if ukraine were a thing for a long them when its only exists since '91.

[@henriikkak2091]

Both Belarus and Ukraine were actually independent for a while between the Russian Empire and the USSR. Ukraine fought for its independence for four years before Bolsheviks took over. And the resistance continued until WWII or thereabouts, hence the genocide of kulaks (farm owners) in the 1930s for example.

[@nataliebos872]

@@tovarishchfeixiao No, it doesn't, it is a separate nation with it's own language, culture and history orgin back from Kievan Rus. The name of the country itself formed since independence and soviet union, but it doesn't mean Ukrainian ethnos didn't exist before.

[@tovarishchfeixiao]

@@nataliebos872 "it's own language"? 😆 That's just a dialect of Russian. Literally. And before you come with "but the sounds", well, dialects usually tend to have different sounds than the main language. Also, "ukranians" are definitelly not a different ethnic group. Even if some people want them to be.

[@drummertp12]

The Comparison between the US and the EU is flawed. Yes both have memberstates but thats it. More like the EU would be if Countries from Guatemala to Canada would bond together to form a new political Union with common Laws, a Parliament, Council and Court of Law. Edit: And crucially, drop their border patrols and allow free movment of goods and people, imagine Republicans hearing that lol

[@ChristiaanHW]

and the population isn't that close either. EU has around 450 million US has around 325 million that's almost 50% more in the EU, and that's a big difference. it's why the EU is able to make companies comply with it rules and regulations, like the USB-C adoption of Apple.

[@LeSarthois]

@@ChristiaanHW The fact that the EU is still at core a bunch of independant countries mean that it's harder for lobbies to influence the EU because it requires to lobby both the EU representatives but also 27 countries if said countries sees an interest in voting an EU rule. Of course lobbies does influence the EU, mostly when the ruling isn't a big concern or even go against the interest of several member countries, but it's still a big difference.

[@Thurgosh_OG]

@@LeSarthois And then there's the other 27 non-EU countries in Europe, that they also need to negotiate with.

[@Maur0dm]

​@@Thurgosh_OGI'm wondering where did you get 27 non EU states? I can only think of 14 baring microstates And 18 whit them included?

[@henriikkak2091]

The EU *is* pretty amazing. It's the biggest project of this kind in the world.

[@WereDictionary]

Switzerland has never been part of anything since the early 1800s. They have a very strong tradition of neutrality. Greenland leaving the EU was definitely not like the UK leaving. The UK kept behaving like a cat - when they were outside, they wanted to be inside and once they were inside long enough, they wanted out again - but when we opened the door for them they just kept nagging. I wasnt alive when Greenland left but England as a country is very good at nagging. As far as Im aware, the other parts of the UK wanted to stay but England has the most inhabitants by far. Ireland has the lowest corporate tax rates across the EU, so most international big companies have their european headquarters over there.

[@davidmalarkey1302]

The uk never adopted the euro as a currency

[@gendo1123]

The uk uses gbp (great british pound) wich has the simbel £ instead of $ wich is used to represent usd (united states dollar) or € wich is used to represent the euro

[@glaubhafieber]

Switzerland is not a member of the EU, but schengen. And we have many individual bilateral agreements with the EU. Some EU law automatically becomes law in Switzerland. Like most food banned in the EU is banned too. In many shops you can pay in euros but expect a terrible exchange rate and you’ll get your change in swiss francs instead of euros

[@u.s.navy_pete4111]

Basically, Switzerland retains sovereignty in SOME areas at the cost of haveing to adhere to laws in other areas over which they have no say since they are decided on in Brussels by the EU member states.

[@spvdijk]

Why would you want to pay in euros. You can pay with your debit or credit card in swiss francs.

[@IceWolf75]

UK never used the euro, they opposed it from the start alongside Sweden and Denmark. They've kept the sterling pound even when they were a member of EU.

[@alh6255]

Denmark uses euro, it's in the euro zone - it's national currency is strongly tied with euro (and Polish, Swedish, Czech, Hungarian, Romanian and British currencies are not, they are free floating).

[@IceWolf75]

@@alh6255 I misspoke. By "they" I wanted to say UK. But Denmark and Sweden are still using their own "crowns" right? Even if the currency is stable compared to euro.

[@spvdijk]

UK never adopted the euro because they could not stabilize the pound in the snake arrangement. It was not opposed to it but it did not qualify.

[@IceWolf75]

@@spvdijk All sources point to UK deliberately opting out of euro zone through the Maastricht Treaty in 1992.

[@Nostalgia_Realm]

14:18 Yes! As a matter of fact, Google Adsense Payouts in the EU (and maybe other places as well) go via Google Ireland. Ireland is a tax haven for many tech companies.

[@redceltnet]

The UK has *never* used the Euro. This video mentioned it very briefly.

[@moniquehenry4041]

the Euro trade was run by the City of London (even if the UK was not in theEuro zone !!!). With Brexit, the EU took back the euro trade