The Economic Continental Unions of the 21st Century

Foreword

Three Romanian academics found the Gomberg Map interesting, and published an article on it in The Romanian Economic and Business Review, Vol. 5, No. 3, date unknown. Last time I looked, they hadn’t received too many cites. Perhaps their extensive use of Wikipedia as a source had something to do with it. Not to mention their reference to ordinary blogs. This is, after all, an academic paper in an academic journal, they could seriously improve their sources.

In any event, here they are! And I’m not retouching their English. (Well, not too much, anyway.)

The Economic Continental Unions
of The 21st Century

Abstract

The present study proposes a display of the forming and developing of the modern economic continental unions within the context of the latest economic evolutions.

Also, it presents an amazing parallel between the map of the new post-war world, as it was imagined by the visionary Maurice Gomberg and the latest evolutions regarding new world’s order reconfiguration.

Keywords:&NBSP; continental union, world order, regional integrative organization, economic superpower, supra-state structure. Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

JEL Classification: E01, E20, Y90

Between 1941 and 1942, Maurice Gomberg proposed a reorganization of the world, at the end of World War 2.

This proposal regarding a division of the world after the end of the conflagration was obviously not put into practice as the suggestion was considered to be contrary to the interest of U.S.A. (see pact mania), U.R.S.S. (the revolution export) and being against the wishes of United Kingdom, France, Portugal, Netherlands and others to keep their colonial domains.

The project of Maurice Gomberg proposes in 1941 that U.S.A. in co-operation with its allies to decide over the complete destruction of the Axis powers and its satellites, for reasons of national safety and international morality ensurement (art. 1).

After the Axis powers would have been destroyed, U.R.S.S., U.S.A. and United Kingdom would assure the institution of a new world order that would lead to a permanent peace (pax Americana) and the freedom would be a felicitous result of the war led by the allies.

For reasons regarding historical matters, economic organizing and geographic (continental) neighborhood, the U.S.A. should have taken the deliberate role of world leader and establish the new democratic world order.

The project regarded the demilitarization of several countries, the submission of those countries to an international control and including them into political unions and international organizations.

All of the states would have to obey common economical (global) rules, but the U.S.A. would oversee the abidance of the political freedoms.
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Cristian Giuseppe Zaharie, Ştefania-Diana Ioniţă-Burda and Anca Bâlâşoiu are at the Romanian American University in Bucharest. E-mail: cristian_giuseppe_zaharie@yahoo.com, stefaniadianaionitahurda@yahoo.com, anca_balasoiu_red@yahoo.com

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The plan would consist in:

– controlling at a global level the world’s natural wealth for the purpose of assuring equal access and distribution for all the countries;

– controlling at a global level the bank institutions, the financial international organizations and the foreign investments;

– controlling at a federal, regional level the external relations and the international trade practiced by the member states.

The countries all over the world would have to become part of the regional or continental forms of association, political unions of states, mostly federations. The states or union of states would become also members of the United Nations Organization. This Organization would have to have social, economic and military institutions of its own, with the help of which it would be able to intervene anywhere in the world to reestablish peace and democracy.

The shocking matter regarding this map is that it appears to anticipate with about seven decades the phenomena of a state association trend that is happening in the present days or are planned at a political level to happen in 10-20 years.

So far, generally speaking, these continental state unions come in the shape of integrative economic organizations, but in the case of 3-4 of them some tendencies of forming federations or other types of state unions appear.

These resembles between the map, the present world order and some political tendencies that are starting to materialize have made some persons to sustain that The United States as well as other world influence polls (states or union of states) is trying – independently from the people’s will – to reorganize the world in order to be able to control its economic, financial and human resources.

In fact, the project regards the creation of a world map of political union states that are to be organized at a continental level (continental unions). In Asia, where the civilization diversity is greater than average, the organization is to be done at a sub continental level (regional).

There would have been the following structures:

– a North American Union of States as a dominant world power that would include U.S.A., Canada, Mexico, Central America and several islands;

– a union of socialist republics led by Russia (member states of C.S.I. snd the ones from the late C.A.E.R.); the map is an anticipation of the later appearing of the European social post war states.

– a union of South American states including all the states from the South America (see The Union Nations of South America).

– a union (federation) of states including the entire Africa (see The African Union and The United States of Africa).

– a union of states including the Arabic Peninsula (see The Cooperation Council of the Arab States of the Gulf).

– a union of republics in the space of Indian civilization that is formed in the contemporary political system by Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan,

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Bangladesh and Myanmar (see S.A.A.R.C. – South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation).

– a federal Chinese state (see the federalization project regarding China).

– A union formed by the European states, as a federation that would include France, Switzerland, West Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta (see The European Union, The United States of Europe).

– Israel and the Palestinian states would form an independent state.

– Greece, Turkey, Japan and Ireland would be independent states.

– a state union in Pacific Oceania area, including The United Kingdom (see the Pacific Union or the Economic Union of A.S.E.A.N.).

– a state union in the Scandinavian area.

In short, this was Maurice Gomberg’s proposal.

We will now analyse the actual aspects and the premises for the future regarding the political economic integrative organizations that are formed in our days at continental level.

Post war map proposed by the visionary in 1941 (Source: <a href=

http://sun-bin.blogspot.com/” width=”617″ height=”223″ class=”size-full wp-image-758″ /> Post war map proposed by the visionary in 1941 (Source: http://sun-bin.blogspot.com/2006/09/outline-of-post-war-new-world-map-1941.html)

Continental unions in present period. These take form of political economic integrative organizations (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_union).

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The European Union. It is a political, social and economic regional organization, having 27 member states as it consist in a form of pan European unity.

The resulted from the treaties political system reflects, through its structure, the democratic principle of the state power separation in: legislative power, executive power and juridical power, and regarding the legislative process, it following the principles of subsidiary and proportionality.

According to Article 7 of the Treaty on European Union, as it has been revised by the other treaties, the integrative organization has communitarian institutions. These are:

– The European Parliament that represents the European Union citizens, at they elect its members through direct vote.

– The Council of the European Union (Council of Ministers) that represents each member state.

– The European Commission, that represents the general interests of the E.U.

– The Court of Justice for the European community, that watches over the abidance of the European legislation.

– The Court of Auditors, that verifies the financings of the E.U.’s activities.

The E.U. states (Source: Europa, The E.U. at a glance-maps,
http://europa.eu/abc/maps/).

Currently, the Union is in an expanding process as other three countries – Croatia, The Republic of Macedonia, and Turkey are candidate in acceding at the membership of the European Union (ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniunea_Europeana).

Romania and Bulgaria have become member states at the 1s’ of January 2007.

Because of the religious and cultural differences in comparison with the rest of the Europe, Turkey confronts itself with a powerful opposition from the conservatory and religious E.U. governments.

Croatia is another candidate state for adhering at the Union. This process has delayed by the non cooperation of Croatia with The International Criminal Tribunal in Hague. At 9 of November 2005, The European Commission recommended the provision of the candidate state for Macedonia that became the third ex-Yugoslavic

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country to receive this statute [status?].

Three of the AELS (EFTA) states Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway are members of the European Economic Space (SEE/EEA) and this allows them to participate in most of the aspects regarding the single market of the E.U., without the obligation to adhere.

Switzerland, which is the fourth EFTA state has rejected the participation at EEA through a referendum, yet it has signed several bilateral treaties with similar effects.

The territory and the population of the E.U. have grown after the German reunification in 1990, among other reasons, while their parameters were lowered (especially the territory) by the retreat of the autonomous territory of Greenland in 1985.

If it were to consider the Union as a whole entity, it has the world’s greatest economy (de la Reya, 2009, pp. 15-18).

It is assumed that E.U. economy will increase in the next decade, by receiving new states, especially due to the fact that new members are usually poorer than the European average and the rapid increase of the DGP will contribute to the united Europe dynamics (Source: Institutional reform of E.U.

http://europa.eu/roadtoconstitution/index_en.htm [Expired. See Wayback.]

Still, The United States, China and India are advancing as well.

The integration of the E.U. states into N.A.T.O. and the non existence of a treaty towards the security of each specific state (for example an opened confrontation with another military force), these are factors that will generate a reduction of the cohesion level between the countries and will decelerate the process of forming a single European state. Given the advanced level of communitarian integration, the state unity is no longer necessary.

Nevertheless, the Union is an Economic Superpower of both present and future, being in competition with other states or unions of state economies: The U.S.A., China, India, Russia, Brazil (U.N.A.S.U.R.), Japan, South Africa (The African Union).

Potential economic superpowers of the XXIst Century (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superpower).

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According to the International Monetary Fund, in the present, the European Union is on the first place in the world regarding the DGP expressed in million of USD:

– U.E.: 18,387,785;
– S.UA.: 14,441,425;
– Japan: 4,910,692;
– China: 4,327,448;
– I.N.A.S.I.R.: 1900 (Source: www.contrarianprofits.com/…unasur…/2516);
– Russia: 1,676,586;
– Brazil: 1,572,839 11;
– Canada: 1,499,551;
– India: 1,206,684;
– The African Union – 515, from which 276,764 for South Africa (Source: http://imf.org/cxternal/pubs/ft/weo/2009/02/weodata/weorept.aspx — International Monetary Fund, World Economic Oudook Database, October 2009: Nominal GDP list of countries).

The DGP of the European Union and other states in 2008
The DGP of the European Union and other states in 2008
http://en.wikipedia.org/…/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nominal).

The Mediterranean Union. The European Union has as territorial neighbors two regional integrative organizations: a Community of Independent States that seems shattered by profound flusters and an African Union with regional state leaders worried by the perspective of a too fast, too big pan African integration.

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The Mediterranean Union – member states (Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/…/Union_for_the_Mediterranean).

Egypt, Turkey and Morocco (the last one bothered by the recognize of the Democratic Arab Republic of Saharawi’s independence by its African partners) have agreed upon a close political relation with the European Union. The North African states share the same opinion towards the creation of a political state union in Africa.

The commercial connections between the European countries and the African ones are very important. They have created the premises for a future economic union between the Mediterranean non European states and the communitarian countries.

The Mediterranean Union reunites countries from Europe, Middle East and North Africa countries that have access to the Mediterranean Sea, forming an economic community by taking the model of the early European Union (Source:

http://en.wikipedia.org/…/Union_for_the_Mediterranean).

Both France and Spain have proposed a geo political real space by creating a Mediterranean Union.

Turkey did not exclude its participating; still it stressed the fact that no Mediterranean Union will be an acceptable alternative to the effort that Turkey made for 46 years in becoming an E.U. member.

As it would be formed by the E.U. states and the Mediterranean countries, the Mediterranean Union would have a State President Council, an executive council, ministerial councils, a Permanent Commission that would act like a Secretary Department, a consolidated Parliament reunion and its own bank (Source: http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/…/reportage-0-SETimes.com. The debate regarding The Mediterranean Union heats up Europe, 2007).

Such an organization could have a big role in the area in solving diverse problems, from ecological issues to immigration (Source: http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=81&langId=ro…).

The African Union (A.U.). This is the organization that follows The Union of African Unity. Founded in July 2002, it has Thabo Mbeki, a South African as president, him being the ex-president of O.U.A.

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The entity was created after E.U. model, having the promotion of democracy, human rights and development of Africa as goals, especially increasing the level of foreign investments trough The New Partnership for Africa Development programme (NEPAD) (Source: http://www.africa-union.org/).

Elected in 2004, The Pan African Parliament opened in March 2004, initially having its headquarters in Addis Ababa, in Ethiopia. It is currently having its headquarters in Midland, South Africa.

Initially, the Pan African Parliament only had a consult role, but now it also has legislative powers. It has 265 members that are also members of the national Parliament of the 53 component states

= = =

Post war map proposed by the visionary in 1941

Post war map proposed by the visionary in 1941 (Source: http://sun-bin.blogspot.com/…/outline-of-post-war-new-world-map-1941.html)
Continental unions in present period

Continental unions in present period. These take form of political economic integrative organizations (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_union).

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The European Union. It is a political, social and economic regional organization, having 27 member states as it consist in a form of pan European unity.

According to Article 7 of the Treaty on European Union, as it has been revised by the other treaties, the integrative organization has communitarian institutions. These are:

– The European Parliament that represents the European Union citizens, at they elect its members through direct vote.

– The Council of the European Union (Council of Ministers) that represents each member state.

– The European Commission, that represents the general interests of the E.U.

– The Court of Justice for the European community, that watches over the abidance of the European legislation.

– The Court of Auditors, that verifies the financings of the E.U.’s activities.
The E.U. states

The E.U. states (Source: Europa, The E.U. at a glance-maps,
http://europa.eu/abc/maps/).

Romania and Bulgaria have become member states at the 1s’ of January 2007.

Because of the religious and cultural differences in comparison with the rest of the Europe, Turkey confronts itself with a powerful opposition from the conservatory and religious E.U. governments.

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country to receive this statute [status?].

Switzerland, which is the fourth EFTA state has rejected the participation at EEA through a referendum, yet it has signed several bilateral treaties with similar effects.

If it were to consider the Union as a whole entity, it has the world’s greatest economy (de la Reya, 2009, pp. 15-18).

http://europa.eu/roadtoconstitution/index_en.htm).

Still, The United States, China and India are advancing as well.

Potential economic superpowers of the XXIst Century (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superpower).

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According to the International Monetary Fund, in the present, the European Union is on the first place in the world regarding the DGP expressed in million of USD:

The DGP of the European Union and other states in 2008

http://en.wikipedia.org/…/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nominal).

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The Mediterranean Union — member states

The Mediterranean Union – member states (Source:

http://en.wikipedia.org/…/Union_for_the_Mediterranean).

Both France and Spain have proposed a geo political real space by creating a Mediterranean Union.

Such an organization could have a big role in the area in solving diverse problems, from ecological issues to immigration (Source: http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=81&langId=ro…).

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Elected in 2004, The Pan African Parliament opened in March 2004, initially having its headquarters in Addis Ababa, in Ethiopia. It is currently having its headquarters in Midland, South Africa.

Initially, the Pan African Parliament only had a consult role, but now it also has legislative powers. It has 265 members that are also members of the national Parliament of the 53 component states
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniunea_African Union).
The African Union

The African Union (Source: http://www.africa-union.org/)

The African Union was created according to the plan, from the economic regional communities, like the Organization of African Unity (O.A.U.) or The African Economic Community. It has its own army (that has intervened as a peace force in the regional conflicts, like the one in Darfur or the one in Somalia), a single Bank (The African Development Bank), a Court of Justice (The African Court of Justice). The Union’s institutions are currently planning upon issuing a unique currency named AFRO.

Pan Africanism and the United States of Africa. Several African leaders are sustaining the idea of forming a state federation called The United States of Africa.

During a speech at Accra-Ghana in 2007, the president of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe stated that the African countries should help each other, instead of relying on the international aids. “If we don’t organize in putting our resources together, and we do have many resources, we will never prosper, no matter the external help”, said the president Mugabe.

One of the main supporters of the African union, the Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi, is requesting an action now, by starting a state federation, while other African leaders desire a more step-by-step acting in this direction.

President Muammar al-Gaddafi along with Laurent Gbagbo, the president of

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Ivory Coast and Guillaume Soro, the Ivorian prime minister, launched in 2007, during a meeting, a call for the African people to unite in one single state and to put an end to civil wars, a call that was quoted by AFP. “We have to build a strong state, with a single government, a single 2 million soldiers army, a single currency, a single African identity, a single passport”, stated Ghaddafi in front in 5000 persons gathered in a hall in Treichville, a quarter of Abidjan.

The African leaders summit in Ghana ended only with the creation of a Committee mend [sic] to establish a project and a calendar for the future Continental Union Government that should be established by 2015. The idea dates back 50 years ago, as it has originally been issued by Kwame Nkrumak after the gaining Ghana’s independence.

The Union of South American Nations (UNASUR). The former South American Community Nations (until April 2007), is a political-economic regional organization, founded by 12 states from South America. It was created on the 8th of December 2004 in Cuzco, Peru, during the Third Meeting of the South American presidents.

The forming treaty of U.N.A.S.U.R. was signed on 23 of May 2008. It provides the creation [of] a unique currency, the creation of a central bank (the Bank of South) [sic] and of a South American Parliament in a new union capital, Quito, Ecuador. The former secretary general of The Andes Community, Allan Wagner Tizon, announced that the deadline for the integration process to be finalized is 2019.
The member states of The Union of South American Nations

The member states of The Union of South American Nations (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/…/Union_of_South_American_Nations).

In the founding declaration, the following objectives have been established:

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– Political and diplomatic coordination in the area;

– A union between Mercosur, The Andes Community and Chile to form a single free trade area. Surinam and Guyana can associate without losing their status in Caricom.

– Physical, Energetic and Communication integration of South America, stimulated by IIRSA (The Integration Initiative for Regions of South America).

– Political harmonisation regarding the rural and food market development;

– A technology transfer and horizontal cooperation in all scintific, educational and cultural areas;

– Increasing the interaction level between the commercial environment and the civil society;

– Increasing promovation of measures and acting areas in accordance with the existent institutions.

The integrative organization structure will include:

– The committee of Foreign affairs ministers that will elaborate action proposals and take executional decisions;

– A reunion of states presidents; the first reunion took place on 29-30′h of September 2005 in Brazil.

The suprastate structure moved on in achieving real objectives toward increasing the economic and social integration of the associated countries.

The Union of South American Nations begun the integration plans by:

– constructing an access way between Brazil and Peru via Bolivia. As a result, Brasil will have access to the Pacific Ocean and Peru to Atlantic Ocean. The construction begun in September 2005, being financed by Brazil 60% and Peru 40%.

– Constructing The South American Energy Ring, a pipeline through which Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay will receive natural Peruan gas. The Proposal was approved and the construction begun in 2006.

– Constructing bination gasoduct, a project designed for the energetic integration of Columbia and Venezuela. The construction begun in mid 2006. The beneficiary of the project will be PDVSA — the national oil company from Venezuela. This project will cost over $300,000,000 USD.

The South American nations will also form a single military alliance for the first time. This new institution of The Union of South American Nations, The Council of Defense, is designed as an integration dialog and defense cooperation mechanism for the 12 Union states.

Brazil’s president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva insisted upon creating this institution after the conflict between Columbia and Ecuador.

The military leaders will have periodic meetings in Cono Sur. The deputy ministers of defense will have 2 annual meetings, while the ministers will have a single annual meeting.

Among the objectives of these new military institutions, we find:

– the increasing of military cooperation;

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– humanitarian missions and peace operation coordonance
– creating a Defense Institute in South America
– elaborating quantification method for the military expense.

Following the euro model, there will be a new common currency for the countries that will form The Union of South American Nations. South American nations are planning to adopt a single currency as part of the integration in The Union of South American Nations. Another important issue regarding this union is the creation of a central bank that will coordinate the new currency.

The plan for the union also involves a regional council of defense. This council would resolve conflicts in the area, would promote the military cooperation and would oversee the gun production in the area
(Source: http://www.nuwireinvestor.com/articles/unasur-uniting-south-america-51659.aspx …).

The Slavic Union (Rusia-Belarus State Union). It is an interstate form of association that has been established by 2 treaties: Russia – Belarus Treaty (signed in Minsk, on 2nd of April 1997) and The Slav Union Treaty (signed in Moscow on 8th of December 1999). The component countries keep their sovereignty (Source: http://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniunea_Statala).
The member states of The Slavic Union

The member states of The Slavic Union
(Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_State)

Serbia is also part of this structure since 1999 and its participation was confirmed in 2003 and 2006. South Osetia and Adhazia are part of this Union, even though they aren’t well known countries at an international level. Both states have adhered in 2008-2009. Among other candidates there are Transnistria, Kazakhstan in 2010 and Kyrgyzstan (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_State).

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The Cooperation Council of the Arab States of the Gulf. This is an international organization that formed a commercial community counting 6 Arab states: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates. The state community hardly receives any new members. Still, Yemen is expected to join the Arab community in 2016 (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/…/Cooperation_Council_for_the_Arab_Sta tes_of_the_Gulf).

The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation.

It is a political economic organization that had in 1995, 7 Asian members: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Maldives and Bhutan. Since 2007, at the 14ch Organization Summit, Afganistan became the 8th member.
(Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/…./South_Asian_Association_for_Regional_Cooperati
on).

The organization’s cohesion and its role in Asia are questioned by the military rivality between India and Pakistan. This conflict represents the cause for which an Asian Union is impossible to conceive in the area, in spite of the existing dream regarding one big India. Still, the Trade Agreement came into force on the lst of January 2006.
SAARC Member Countries

SAARC Member Countries (Source: http://www.mapsofworld.com/saarc-member-countries.htm)

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The Nation Association of South East Asia (A.S.E.A.N.). This asscociation is a geo political and economic organization counting 10 countries in South East Asia, formed at 8 August 1967 by Indonezia, Malaysia, Filipines, Singapore and Thailanda.

The Organization is supporting the economic development of the member countries and also their social development
(Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASEAN).

The Economic Comunity A.S.E.A.N. — It is planned to be created in 2020 and it suppose to have some resembles to the European Union, because it should have the three fundamental movement freedoms, regarding goods, people and capital. Still, a unique currency is not planned to be issued.

The single market should number over 530 million persons form ten states: Malaezia, Indonezia, Singapore, Brunei, Thailanda, Filipine, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar (Birmania) and Cambogia.
The Economic Community of A.S.E.A.N.

The Economic Community of A.S.E.A.N.
(Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASEAN).

The first 6 member states are older members of the organizations, having higher developped economies than the others, and wish to accelerate the creation of the economic comunity.

Malaesia has already launched a call to its partners to speed up the unification plans, especially in order to avoid loss in favour of China and India, the main representants of the competition. Even though the prices for most of the goods have been reduced according to the free trade agreement existing between those ten countries, sill they face delays due to the difficulties in enacting some measures and bureaucratic procedures (Source: http://www.aseansec.org/21083.pdf).

Conclusions

At least 125 countries of the total, all over the world could be included in at least one of these 8 continental unions.

The creation of these unions is based on values, historical, cultural, economic and political common interest of the members.

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It is important to see that Maurice Gomberg considered these continental unions as being political state asscoiations, federation generally speaking, organized after the American model.

Still, until now, these continental unions are only considered to be regional integrative organizations. It is true that in Africa, Europe and South America there is some political interest in future forming political state unions.

In our opinion, Maurice Gomberg should be looked upon as a visionary man, with preocupations regarding a peaceful evolution of human civilization in a single economic and cultural environment, created through political regional union (at a continental level).

Even if we were to admit that the continental contemporary unions would transform into future state confederations, their borders do not fit perfectly with the ones presented in the map (differences appear in Europe, Russia, Central America).

How anticipative Maurice Gomberg’s plan really is, that we will see in the next decades.

Nota bene. Some diagrams remain to be added.

The Gomberg Map of World Union

A World Without Canada

The Economic Continental Unions of the 21st Century