In all of those cases, the unions were not formed through democracy which the EU was. That is the big difference and is the reason why the EU will last and won't eventually break apart - it will just get bigger and bigger.
Anti EU sentiments are higher at present solely due to the state of the economy, when things go bad people withdraw to their national (or other) identity. Lack of jobs? Blame it on the EU allowing in all the immigrants. Companies being undercut by foreign imports? Blame it on the EU allowing free trade. Its the same reason for the BNP getting increased support when things are going bad, just substitute nationality for skin colour.
But that was my point... albeit not very well made.. The European UNION is NOT formed democratically. The last chance I had to vote I was asked if I wanted to remain part of a common market.
We even had the chance to vote on the lisbon treaty denied to us because the Labour party were too scared os the result so broke their manifesto pledge.
Even in those countries that did have a chance to vote on the Lisbon Treaty democracy was ignored. The french and the Irish voted NO, so the EU just changed a few words & will ignore that decision.
Finally most of the laws are NOT made by the elected parliament. They are made by the commision which is NOT elected, but appointted by goverments. Lets face it thge people of Britain would NEVER have elected the likes of the Kinnocks, & Mandelson. They were just given the jobs by Labour.
FYI the EU does NOT allow free trade, (except within the cartel) the whole idea is to set up barriers in the form of tariffs against other countries (including some of the worlds poorest).
Even inside the EU boundaries the trade is hardly "free trade" not when artificial quotas are put in place to prop up inefficient or non existent farming pushing up the price of food to you & me.
As for immigration, our goverment is to blame, not the EU. Surely most people know that. Other EU countries opted out of a free for all within the borders of the expanded EU we didn't. The EU doesn't tell us that we should be a soft touch for illegal immigrants. Allowing known terrorists & criminals to not only come here, but to remain here on benefits paid for by you & me.
The initial idea of a common market certainly had its merits, but todays Europe is unaccountable, & corrupt to such an extent that it makes the fiddles at Westminster look whiter than white.
