For more than a century, the thought of the future of Europe has not left the attention of philosophers, historians, politicians and simply thinking people. Russia's internal orientation towards the West adds to these reflections an element of involvement in the problem, because it is European culture and values that have long remained the standard for the Russian idea. The future of the history of Europe, as well as the whole world, is today becoming a debatable field that affects an increasing number of cultures and political positions.
Philosophical-historical approach
Two classic philosophical and historical works - N. Ya. Danilevsky "Russia and Europe" and O. Spengler "The Decline of Europe" for the first time analyzed the paths of the European world. Having determined the cyclicity in the development of culture, both researchers single out the European type as one of the leading ones on the world stage of the 19th century.
Oh. Spengler defines European culture as having passed almost the full cycle of its existence. Questions of politics and economics are not leading in the concept of the philosopher. He presents culture as a living soul, which in the European type is already lost towards the end. XIX century. It should be replaced by another type of culture, Spengler defines it as Russian-Siberian.
Danilevsky, citing other grounds for the typology of culture, also holds the opinion of the slow fading of the European world, the development of a new, Russian, cultural-historical type.
Demography and the future
Pessimistic forecasts about the future of Europe are put forward today by an increasing number of analysts. One of them was Gunnar Heinsen. His work "Sons and World Domination" is based on demographic data considered in historical and modern contexts. Heinsen shows that historical upheavals occur in areas where youth make up a large proportion of the population (about 30% and above).
Today, such rapid population growth is observed in the Arab-Muslim world, and in Europe it is extremely insignificant. The situation is exacerbated by the sluggish desire of Europeans to create families, same-sex marriages, and a general decline in family values.
The author writes about the fatal mistake of Europe, which in 2015 made it possible for refugees to move to European countries. Migrants and their descendants will eventually make up the main population of Europe (according to the Gallup Institute - 950 million people in 2052), which means they will bring their religion and traditions.
National identity
The influx of migrants from the Middle East, among which large families account for a large proportion, is not just a quantitative increase in the population. This is the emergence of a fundamentally different worldview, which inin some cases goes against European culture. The foundations of this worldview:
- Islam, the religion of most people from the Middle East, plays a leading role, having an expansive effect. The religious views of Islam, its aspiration to conquer large new territories due to the sharp increase in the Muslim population, is a reality for which in most cases Western culture is not ready. The alternative future of Europe in this aspect is conceived as Muslim.
- Following the views of traditional culture. European culture today is perceived as innovative, where the roles of technology, political mechanisms and economics are dominant. However, people from the Middle East adhere to the norms of traditional societies, where the place of religious, ethical, gender roles have remained unchanged for centuries. Thanks to a strong focus on one's own traditions, such a society is more stable and can "suffocate" innovative processes. In other words, Europe is only a profitable economic and territorial base for Muslim culture.
- Intellectual level. The vast majority of migrants who came from the Middle East have a low level of education, which also affects the nature of their life in Europe. Tolerance, brought up in Europeans, is completely alien to visitors. European values and ethical norms seem to them insignificant and meaningless. They are being repressed - implicitly at first, but more aggressively in the future.
These and other factors are the reason forleveling of European identity - new generations of Europeans will be a minority in their historical lands.
Relations with Russia
An important point in predicting what kind of Europe will be present on the world stage in the future is its interaction with Russia. If the Russian identity from inside Russia is perceived close to European, then from the outside it is often perceived as an independent culture or an eastern totalitarian state. The future of Europe in most works is described in complete isolation from Russia - both economically and politically and culturally. The slow death of Europe does not mean similar processes in Russia.
The political future of Europe in some works is considered in the context of Russian-European interaction. Common Christian roots, natural and human resources provide the basis for this cooperation.
Russia needs Europe as a source of technology and an opportunity to sell raw materials. Europe sees in Russia a reliable supplier of energy resources. The tandem of two economies and, in general, cultural and historical paths should lead to the creation of a new cultural and historical type. This opinion is perhaps one of the most optimistic.
Esoteric versions
Remember the predictors and prophecies describing the future of Europe. Vanga and Nostradamus predict climate change, civil and religious wars, diseases that will overwhelm Europe and change ita life. Edgar Cayce - psychic - writes about natural disasters, large seismic activity in Western Europe, which will lead to significant changes in the way of life of Europeans, will force a different attitude towards technology and religion.
Comparing predictions and historical facts, analysts point to some similarity and justification of what was said. Esoteric versions also confirm the profound transformations that await Europeans in the future.
Summarize…
In recent years, the European world has changed significantly, influenced the fate of many peoples. The migration of the indigenous population has increased - the Dutch, Germans, French are increasingly leaving for the USA, New Zealand, Australia, giving way to people from the Middle East. A cozy and safe Europe is no longer perceived as such, a premonition of terrorist attacks and other cataclysms causes a feeling of insecurity and uncertainty. Most researchers agree that Europe is in transition. What will be its outcome depends largely on political, economic, cultural, demographic grounds.
Regardless of forecasts and points of view, the future of Europe will depend on the historical development and the future of other cultures and peoples, because for many centuries it has been decisive in the world cultural space.
