Trotsky again.

Everyone, nearly, hates Trotsky. Back in college the 'Trots' were always the enemy, NUS delegations went to AGM's with pick-axes tied to the bumper plates of their coaches and wore badges with his silouette crossed out in red. But they were wrong and now, amid the ruins of the neo-liberal order they were certain would make everything right, Trotsky's words come back to haunt the ears of the living. Here is the great bearded one on Europe. It's frighteningly prescient.

"A halfway complete and consistent economic unification of Europe coming from the top by means of an agreement of the capitalist governments is sheer Utopia. Here, the matter can go no further than partial compromises and half-measures. Hence it is that the economic unification of Europe, which offers colossal advantages to producer and consumer alike, and in general to the whole cultural development, becomes the revolutionary task of the European proletariat in its struggle against imperialist protectionism and its instrument—militarism."

A United Socialist States of Europe - it does have a ring to it. . . but we are in the second time that history repeats itself and will watch from the wings as on the farce splutters and staggers. But the time will come and will come soon.