On 05 Mar 2003, John Giorgis wrote:
> France, however, will never agree to such an organization
> unless it is given a veto power.
To which "J. van Baardwijk" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> responded by saying
But then, the *US* will also never agree to such an organisation
unless it is given veto power.
In the United States, such a veto power is called "states' rights" and
is a part of the US Constitution. They hinder a Federal or
`super-state' government from taking actions that individual states
may dislike.
"States' rights" are similar to "individual rights", such as the right
to free speech, in which governments are hindered from taking actions
that individuals may dislike.
In the US between 1790 and 1990, the constitutional provision of
states' rights was moderately successful: that is to say, the US
suffered a civil war in the 1860s, and after 1950, "states' rights"
were eroded peacefully.
In contrast, western Europe lacked the notion of "states' rights".
Between 1790 and 1990, Europe suffered the Napoleonic Wars, the
Franco-Prussian War, World War I and World War II.
Even though "states' rights" were not completely successful, they
helped; over the 200 years from 1790 to 1990, the US suffered fewer
internal wars than western Europe.
--
Robert J. Chassell Rattlesnake Enterprises
http://www.rattlesnake.com GnuPG Key ID: 004B4AC8
http://www.teak.cc [EMAIL PROTECTED]
_______________________________________________
http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
