
The Rise and Fall of American Europe
Glyn Morgan(Author)
Polity Press
1st Edition
Published on 5. June 2026
Book
Hardback
160 pages
978-1-5095-7320-2 (ISBN)
Description
At the dawn of the Cold War, the US administration pushed reluctant Europeans to create a federation of democratic states. In doing so, they gave birth to an American Europe - a new political order protected by the US military and buoyed by transatlantic trade.
Europe now faces a stark reality. The Trump Administration dislikes NATO, considers the EU's trade policies "worse than China['s]," and attacks the banning of nationalist parties. Many in the MAGA movement are similarly hostile to Europe, which they see as an overregulated museum, a US dependency, powerless on the world-stage.
This book explains why American Europe fell from favor. It weighs the prospects of alternative European political orders, including a National-Sovereigntist Europe, a Global Europe, and a European Europe. It argues that Europe needs to rethink its alliances, and Britain must decide where it belongs.
Europe now faces a stark reality. The Trump Administration dislikes NATO, considers the EU's trade policies "worse than China['s]," and attacks the banning of nationalist parties. Many in the MAGA movement are similarly hostile to Europe, which they see as an overregulated museum, a US dependency, powerless on the world-stage.
This book explains why American Europe fell from favor. It weighs the prospects of alternative European political orders, including a National-Sovereigntist Europe, a Global Europe, and a European Europe. It argues that Europe needs to rethink its alliances, and Britain must decide where it belongs.
Reviews / Votes
"A great read. Morgan writes clearly and in a lively and accessible way. He has a provocative thesis about both the role America played in pushing for European integration, and the reasons for the current Trump administration's dramatic shift away from that policy and current antipathy to the EU and NATO."Richard Bellamy, University College London
"Glyn Morgan clarifies the options for the 'American Europe' first envisioned during World War II, now that Donald Trump's civilizational rupture has put its continuity in radical doubt. The shift may take a while, and there are several possible sequels for Europeans, ranging from the global to the continental to the national. The only thing that remains unquestionable is that Morgan is our most trusted guide to the political sociology of this fraught transition."
Samuel Moyn, Yale University
"The Rise and Fall of American Europe is a penetrating and indispensable account of the European project, restoring it to its full geopolitical context. With uncommon clarity, it advances the original argument that Europe's integration was, in crucial respects, an American creation. This insight reframes the dilemmas Europe now confronts as it seeks to chart its future in an era of heightened global competition. Elegantly written and rigorously researched, the book wears its considerable learning with admirable lightness."
Pratap Bhanu Mehta, Princeton University
"American Europe is no more. Glyn Morgan shows how this transformation came about in a way that is both compelling and unsettling. If you care about the European Union's future you must consider the key arguments of this excellent book."
Stefan Auer, The University of Hong Kong
"Incisive"
Simon dixon, Financial Times
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
Dimensions
Height: 219 mm
Width: 140 mm
Thickness: 22 mm
Weight
326 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-5095-7320-2 (9781509573202)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

Glyn Morgan
The Rise and Fall of American Europe
E-Book
05/2026
1st Edition
Polity Press
€18.99
Available for download
Person
Glyn Morgan is the Director of the Moynihan Center of European Studies at Syracuse University.
Content
Introduction
1. The Creation of American Europe
2. The MAGA Critique of Europe
3. European, Global, and National-Sovereigntist Europe
4. From American Europe to Civilizational America
5. Three Pathways Beyond NATO
Conclusion
Acknowledgments
Notes
References
Index
1. The Creation of American Europe
2. The MAGA Critique of Europe
3. European, Global, and National-Sovereigntist Europe
4. From American Europe to Civilizational America
5. Three Pathways Beyond NATO
Conclusion
Acknowledgments
Notes
References
Index