Cousins and Strangers: America, Britain, and Europe in a New Century

Chris Patten was Chairman of the Conservative Party in the UK, was also the last Governer of Hong Kong and then became the European Commissioner for External relations. This breadth of experience has informed his book which is a mixture of political theory, reminiscences about people and events in the past, discussion of America, Europe and the UK with their similarities and differences as well as some of his thoughts about the future. Chris Patten can certainly write. His text is never boring, he has a very good turn of phrase, he paints pictures of some of the 'characters' in Europe and America that he has met (and he seems to have met all the important people) and his incisive mind cuts through a lot of the waffle and rhetoric in modern politics to give a clear explanation of events. Writing from a UK perspective although evidently someone who is pro-Europe and pro-America, he discusses the time of Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair giving a fresh view on many of the events to this English reader, then broadening the sweep to the European Union, to the "Special Relationship" with the US and to the future of Asia with some discussion about the Israel/Palestine and Iraq situations. Patten isn't an armchair commentator, he has been involved in some of the major events of the past twenty years and his knowledge of the background of some of these events is fascinating. This analysis covers a broad sweep of 20th century global history and consequently sometimes it's not entirely clear which way his argument is moving but it's always a great ride. Patten identifies himself as a conservative and a catholic and yet he is able to discuss the failings of the conservative party and to give some credit to Tony Blair (although it's very clear he's not a fan of Blair's). George W Bush comes in for some sharp criticism, along with Jacques Chirac of France and several other characters, and Patten can be quite caustic in his comments, backing them up with quotes and examples. Overall Chris Patten comes across as surprisingly open-minded, a witty writer, a man who is clearly a lover of both America and Europe and whose generally optimistic view of the future, including the new economies of China and India is an interesting read. As an English reader I found myself agreeing with Patten on many of his readings of opinions of fellow Brits about Europe and America but I think this book would be just as helpful for people from other countries to take a fresh look at the situation of the Western countries and how they interact in our modern world. Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book, www.curledup.com. © Helen Hancox 2007

Chris Patten confesses that, when he was a speechwriter working for the Conservative Party's research unit, there was a particular sort of speech that he always avoided drafting: the tour d'horizon, or comprehensive survey of the international issues of the day. Nothing is more predictable and lacking in originality than the mandatory review of pending international crises, the reaffirmation of broad priorities and the invocation of lofty ideals that form the compulsory passages of such interventions. Diplomats, for which attention to details is a second nature, might interpret the wording of some expressions, decipher the omission of some topics or ponder why some issues were treated at more length than others, and they might draw policy conclusions from reading such omens. But to the layperson, such scripts only bring boredom and monotony, and that is why politicians should avoid them at all costs. So what distinguishes Patten's book from a tour d'horizon? What urged him to write it in the first place, and why is it worthy of readers' attention? His book has many points in common with the dreaded genre. It is equally comprehensive: there is not a single international issue that is left unaddressed, not a hot spot on the planet that is not visited. It also includes the same discussion of the broad priorities and the same references to honored principles that you would expect in a routine diplomatic survey. But routine it is not. First, the book brings to life many political characters or scenes from international diplomacy that are usually frozen by pomp and decorum. There are some quotes that the reader will long remember, some famous (Bush: "I don't know what you're talking about, about international law. I've got to consult my lawyer"), others less reported (Blair: "I never quite understand what people mean by this neocon thing") and some unique to the author (Bolton: "I don't do carrots," when faced with a stick-and-carrot approach toward Iran.) There are humorous details that you will never find elsewhere: the flower arrangement at the centre of the European Council's table that seems straight out of Teletubbieland; the British ambassador who hides under a table to eavesdrop a restricted session; the Japanese civil servant who crawls across the room on all fours to change the script that his minister has wrongly begun reading; the military attendant who accompanies President Chirac everywhere with a mysterious briefcase, possibly containing the keys to the force de frappe--or just an extra tidbit to quench his legendary appetite. The French president in particular comes out of this essay severely bruised. Like his predecessor Francois Mitterrand, he makes a point of arriving late at European Council meetings, where he gets mad at the suggestion that agriculture subsidies in Europe might contribute to the plight of poor countries. Also not unlike his predecessor, he sees diplomacy "in terms of great men, the leaders of great countries,

From 1999 to 2004 Chris Patten was a member of the European Commission with responsibility for its External Relations. After an initial chapter which focusses on what unites and what divides Europe and the United States, the first half of this book deals with Patten's views on Britain's relationship with the European Community. I am not an enthusiast for Brussels myself, but I found this a most eloquent critique of Euroscepticism. Some things come out very strongly: Lord Patten's admiration of post-war Germany and for Helmuth Kohl in particular, and his rightful contempt for the Germanophobia so widespread in Britain and so fanned by the popular press and television. He puts it down to the fact that the `British' victory over Germany is the last episode in British history of which Britons can be proud, so that they compulsively replay that reel over and over again. He is contemptuous of the Tory Party, which, having under Heath taken Britain into Europe, then became the home of what Patten considers illogical arguments about sovereignty (a concept he examines with masterful authority). He is equally scathing about the British illusion that there really is something like a Special Relationship with the United States. The USA actually wants Britain to have a closer relationship with the European Union, and makes no compromises with British interests whenever those diverge from those of the United States. And although Europe and the United States share many values and Europe owes much to the USA in politics and culture, this has, since the end of the First World War, always been counter-pointed with a strand of anti-Americanism in Europe. Patten examines the many ways in which Europe and America are very different, pointing, among other things, to the pervasive influence of religion in the US, to a nationalism which is more overt and assertive across the Atlantic than it is now in Western Europe, to a much more unrestrained capitalism, to national and individual attitudes to budget deficits, to gun-ownership and to capital punishment. On all these matters Patten much prefers the European way; and clearly the ascendancy of the gung-ho, unilateralist neo-cons - Patten has selected some choice quotations from Bush, Rumsfeld, and Bolton to this effect - has done nothing to make America more popular in Europe, - not to mention the USA opting out of Kyoto, insisting on immunity from the International Criminal Court, and flouting the Geneva Conventions at Guantánamo Bay. It is all such a far cry from the internationalist approach of Truman, Marshall and Eisenhower. When he turns to discuss the European Union, Patten is duly critical of those ideologues who will not recognize that people rightfully value their national identity, and he points out that within the EU of course all the nations - even those, and perhaps particularly those who use the most European rhetoric - try to promote their own agenda. On the other hand, he writes that the

Patten writes a strong book on the why, how and who to international relationship and the importance of working together for the greater good. The author shows the importance of the up and coming Asia and south East Asia countries and their influence on relationships and trust. A very good and timely book, a must read for those who want to understand positions of countries in the world today and the future.

Published under the title of "Not Quite The Diplomat" in the UK, "Cousins and Strangers" is former Governor of Hong Kong, ex-Conservative Party Chairman and European Commissioner Chris Patten's career best confessional, offering exclusive and insightful peeks behind the scenes that have shaped major world events of geopolitical significance from the vantage point of privileged participant or close range observer over the course of his long and illustrious political and diplomatic career. Patten's book is a thoroughly enjoyable and rewarding read. Filled with wit, grace and humour, it is never dry or dull. Always sharply observed and intellectually honest, the many anecdotes that pepper these pages throw light on key world personalities that have played a central role in steering the competing blocs towards a new political equilibrium after the Cold War ceased in 1990. Never one to pull any punches, we are told who he unreservedly admires and who he considers charlatans or crooks. Not surprisingly, the excursion he takes us on covers the usual hot spots. More importantly, they are always scenic and never devoid of interest or insight. Chris Patten has written a marvelous book that should be read by anybody with any interest in understanding the personalities and forces that determine where our rapidly globalizing world is taking us. One of the best non-fiction books I have read in the past year. Highly recommended