Code Geass - Locations - European Union Analysis

The European Union: Originated through the French government following the death of Napoleon Bonaparte in-series. A collaborative was formed representing most of Europe, parts of Russia, all of Africa, and parts of the Middle East. Paris is the capital in the Code Geass series, while in the real world the EU is much smaller, with a de facto capital based in Brussels, Belgium.

In-series, the EU is the most democratic of the three world powers. A primary council consists of representatives from each member state. Member states are responsible for their own governance, much like member states of the real-world EU, and mainly rely on the council for international relations. The only real deviation between the series and reality appears to be the number of member states; as the history was never truly fleshed out by the series writers until recently, with "Akito the Exiled."

Synopsis: Because the EU in Code Geass is something of a mirror image to the EU in the real world, we can judge them by the same standards. This leads to some rather interesting questions. What significant accomplishments have been attributed to the EU? How would the world change if more nations were considered member states? Which EU policies need amending? And most importantly, what can the rest of the world learn from the EU? Let's take them in order:

1) The EU has instigated much growth within its member nations and abroad. Conversion to a universal currency, for example, has expedited trade among the member nations in the same way the US Dollar expedites trade within the United States. The presence of the EU has also led to an era of peace within the European continent, much needed after centuries of war. Finally, the law enforcement systems of member states are all interconnected, ensuring judicial protections to citizens regardless of member nation, much like the split judiciary of the United States.

2) The real world has 28 political member states, 18 of which have adopted the Euro as a universal currency. Meanwhile, in the Code Geass series, the number of member nations must be close enough to doubling the number of political members, as it includes Africa and parts of the Middle East.

Inclusion of more nations to the EU would boost the output of the whole, but poses a challenge to nations of lower economic standing, whose purchasing power would remain stymied. A solution to this challenge would be to invest heavily in the infrastructure of newly-admitted nations, much like the British Empire did for the Raj. The problem, of course, would be completely mitigated through the transition from third-world to first-world within those countries prior to joining the Union. So far, Ghana and Kenya look like they could one day be on that path.

Furthermore, cultural differences may prevent certain nations in Africa and the Middle East from ever joining the EU. That said, if they were to join willingly, the path to global military deescalation would likely be advanced significantly.

3) A good measure of downsides to EU membership would be to look at the reasons why nations would be opposed to joining or remaining within it. In the case of the United Kingdom, the EU serves primarily as an economic burden. Union policies in labor, regulation, and infrastructural backbone contrast sharply with national policy and ultimately generate unnecessary bureaucracy (often the downside to any centralized governmental system). In the case of Eastern Europe, joining the EU would mean an immediate economic backlash, which may or may not rebound over time.

4) Surprisingly, many who criticize the EU do admit that they can learn a lot from how the EU does things. Going back to the words of Jeremy Clarkson,

"...I conceded, realizing that after six months on a fact-finding tour of the Continent, absorbing knowledge like a sponge, I'd come home with a half-formed thought. It turns out, however, that before a state can join the union, it must comply with a set of rules and terms so complicated that they run to seventeen volumes. And now I know that what I know is that I know nothing at all."

An overarching perspective Clarkson tries often to convey is that Europe is incredibly diverse, and the pinnacle benefit of the Union is the ability to mesh together some of the best elements of each member nation. Put simply, it is Europe's answer to the United States of America. It may be subject to trials and tribulations, but then again, the States underwent the same challenges over a 200 year period.

The ideals of the EU are longevity and sustainability, and it's done by the elimination of foreign barriers in all aspects, not just a select few. If North America were to go beyond its current scope (the NAFTA) and seek the same paths, then it is entirely possible intra-continental crime would drop considerably, immigration would no longer be a concern, and infrastructure across the board would benefit. But it's hard to say for sure.

In conclusion, the European Union works because while each member nation is its own boss, the collective is motivated to act upon their best interest, and therefore will politely yield where appropriate for the sake of all parties involved. It's highly civilized and has the potential to become very efficient. In the Code Geass series, we saw this just as well, as the EU was, for a long time, able to hold its own against Britannia: the Empire which ruled the world. And that's impressive no matter how you look at it.