Part 2/10:
The hope was that this economic integration would naturally lead to a softer form of nationalism, easing centuries of European strife. It was believed that by uniting economically, the political culture might also liberalize, fostering more democratic and liberal values across Europe. One of the more optimistic ideas was that the EU would elevate poorer nations, raising their standards of living to the level of the more developed states and creating a continent more akin to the United States in unity and economic power.