“The effort to bind states together may lead, instead, to a huge increase in frictions among them. If so, the event would meet the classical definition of tragedy: hubris (arrogance); Ate (folly); nemesis (destruction).” Thus, in December 1991, did I conclude an article on the rush to monetary union. I am aware of the commitment of Europe's elite to the success of the European project. But the crisis is profound – for the eurozone, the European Union and the world. As Wolfgang Münchau has pointed out, last week's European Council was not a solution but a fudge.
“試圖將眾多國家捆綁在一起，可能反而會導致這些國家摩擦大幅增多。如果是這樣，這件事將會符合悲劇的經典定義：傲睨神明（傲慢）；犯罪女神（愚蠢）；復仇女神（毀滅）?！?991年12月，我在一篇有關匆忙構建歐洲貨幣聯盟的文章中，作出了這樣一個結論。我知道歐洲精英對這一歐洲項目的成功所作出的承諾。但對于歐元區、歐盟(EU)乃至世界而言，這場危機是深刻的。正如沃爾夫岡?明肖(Wolfgang Munchau)所指出的，最近的歐盟理事會(European Council)會議并沒有提供解決方案，而只是在敷衍了事。