Europe is suffering from Stockholm syndrome
Paul Krugman talking to Phillips O’Brien in August:
O’Brien: You know, Paul, one thing that has been a shock to me in the last few years, is that I just don’t think the Europeans have the capacity now to think for themselves. I think the US domination has been so strong that they have become infantilized strategically and they don’t look at the world from a real strategic, European perspective. They ultimately look on the world as, “we need the US to defend us. So let’s get the US on our side and then we can do other things.” I think they still are operating within this world that they have to keep the US on their side first. I think both economically, strategically and almost psychologically, it would be better for Europe now to move on from the USA. And I say this as an American living in Europe that what we see now is really unhealthy. Like they prostrate themselves and call him daddy. It’s just not good.
So I don’t actually think the Europeans have shown the capacity now to defend themselves in the way that I would like. And that is actually a question of imagination, strategic imagination. There’s signs that they’re changing, but they still have a long way to go.
Krugman: I have to say, Europe has a 25 trillion dollar economy, their industrial base is still quite powerful, and they still act as if they’re utterly dependent upon the United States for leadership and God knows.
O’Brien: It’s bizarre. It’s like the Stockholm syndrome.1 Basically, it’s a continent suffering from the Stockholm syndrome.