EU - roots & culture   European culture & identity - what is it? The 1982 Mexico declaration on cultural policy proposed a definition which is widely accepted: "Culture is a set of distinctive spiritual, material, intellectual and emotional features characterising a society or social group. In addition to art and literature, it includes way of life, basic human rights, values systems, traditions and beliefs."    In 1987, M Mourik, Netherlands ambassador for International Cultural Cooperation, posed the question: "What characterises European culture?" and answered it himself: "Europe is formed by the community of nations which are largely characterised by the inherited civilisation whose most important sources are: the Judaeo-Christian religion, the Greek-Hellenistic ideas in the fields of government, philosophy, arts and science, and finally, the Roman views concerning law." This is the usual facade of Europe, now being resurrected in official discourse. It is chauvinistic, elitist and alienating. Walk along any street of a European city and ask yourself: is this Greece, Rome, Judaeo-Christian? How many of you were ever represented in this elite European project in the first place - as members of the working class, country folk or minority community?   By defining the origins of Euro culture in this manner, it overlooks regional cultures and and sub-cultures. The elitist definition denies popular culture and in defining in terms of the past, it totally ignores Europe's contemporary multicultural realities.  Europe’s many cultural strands – regional, fringe and ethnic – have no room. The working classes and ethnic groups are thereby left vulnerable to class and race conflict. We may be living in a lost-imperial Europe but the culture being promoted is the imperial elitist brand. Following the Maastrict Treaty 1992, a new European image is being presented by re-cycling the 19th century imperial myths.  The Enlightenment (not mentioned by Mr Mourik)  proclaimed the primacy of reason and  personal freedom (individualism). With it came the growth of science & industry. capitalism & colonialism. Industrial take off was fuelled by slave labour and colonial loot while theories of racial superiority justified the mass killings of indigenous peoples and expropriation of vast lands for European settlement. But these unpleasant aspects are not likely to feature in the mythographies of a EU propelled by market forces and dominate by a corporate agenda.   The Maastricht Treaty includes some grandiose commitments to cultural activity. In Article 128, we have the proclamation: “The Community shall contribute to the flowering of the cultures of the Member States while respecting their national and regional diversity… The Community shall (encourage) ·       improvement knowledge and dissemination of the culture and history of the European peoples, ·       conservation of the cultural heritage of European significance, ·       artistic and literary creation.”   While there is no doubt that the histories of Europe and Christianity are intertwined, there are problems defining European identity in terms of Christianity. What about the great schisms in Christianity - between Greece & Rome, between Constantinople and Rome? The truth is that the real Christianity is Asian in origin but has been hijacked by Europe by St Paul and the early Fathers of the Church who introduced Greek thought and Roman legal idiom.   The recurrent theme is to associate Europe with modernity, and endow it with its critical spirit, tolerance and openness to other views. 'Autonomy of the spirit' is believed to be a European trait, as also the tension between faith and reason, the aversion to dogma. From here, it is easy to move to Europe, the land of freedom as opposed to Asia, the land of despotism and oppression. Oriental despotism and occidental liberty. Europe interprets 'Islamic fundamentalism' as a revolt against modernity. Its own crimes and atrocities during the imperial era are forgotten.   European identity is weak. Before 1700, Christendom was the predominant identity. The humanist of the Renaissance looked to Greece and Rome as the centres of culture. Europe remained under threat from the East until 1683, when the Turks were defeated by a combined European force at Vienna. Secondly, European development has not known a single centre. The major periods - Renaissance, Enlightenment, French Revolution, industrialisation, colonialism - occurred in different part of Europe. Thirdly, from 1700 European development took place through state rivalries. Paradoxically, it was imperialism that brought about European unity - via the Berlin Conference 1884-85 sanctioning the scramble for Africa. The purpose of empire was not to grab land and resources but a 'civilising mission'. Yet it is the same civilisation that culminated in the evil deeds of the Stalin and Hitler regimes.   We currently live in an amoral society of unfettered individualism and rampant consumerism…Christianity has become a minority interest and can no longer claim unquestioning obedience. Yet, Christianity remains a pillar of western civilization and the fiction of a Christian Europe has to be upheld. Other religions are considered alien and in the case of Islam actually antagonistic.   There are some 16 million of non-European origin in the EU. They have brought with them a rich base of cultural traditions. How much of it will be included under ‘cultural diversity’ as understood by Maastricht? Or will other cultures be distanced and stereotyped as ‘other’? According to the principle of unity in diversity, diverse cultures should exist side by side and indeed should interact. But minority cultures within Europe have never been warmly welcomed and remain marginalised. A Fortress Europe has been built to keep out the non-European hordes knocking at the gates - with tight immigration laws, tough police checks and a systematic media campaign to demonise asylum seekers as drug-runners, terrorists or Islamic fundamentalists. A chain of far-right parties and 'national fronts' is now part of the European political landscape, ready to spew out racism and patriotism on demand.   Reference 1. Jan Pieterse, Fictions of Europe, Race & Class, vol 32 (1991)