When people think of Europe, the usual stories come to mind: the cradle of Western civilization, the birthplace of democracy, the Renaissance, the Enlightenment, and the modern welfare state.

These are the narratives taught in schools, promoted in museums, and reinforced through cultural diplomacy.

Yet beneath the polished history lies a much more complex — and often uncomfortable — reality. Europe’s rise and its current role in geopolitics cannot be understood through myths of cultural superiority alone. What is often left untold is how Europe’s dominance was forged in blood, built on exploitation, and today rests on fragile alliances and dependencies.

This article explores the hidden foundations of European power in the past and the geopolitical dilemmas Europe faces today. It also examines the threads that connect both eras, offering a perspective rarely highlighted in mainstream accounts.

I. Europe Before: The Unspoken Foundations of Power

1. A Continent Forged in Endless Wars

Far from being a unified center of culture and progress, Europe was for centuries a battlefield. The Thirty Years’ War (1618–1648) devastated Central Europe, killing an estimated 8 million people. The war was not only about religion — Catholics vs. Protestants — but also about the balance of power among Habsburg Spain, France, and the rising Protestant states.

Later, the Napoleonic Wars (1799–1815) redrew Europe’s map, spread revolutionary ideas, but also left entire regions in ruin. The so-called “Concert of Europe” that followed was not about peace for peace’s sake but about preventing one state from becoming too powerful. This constant balancing act is the root of modern international relations theory.

What’s often skipped in textbooks: Europe’s “civil wars” were as bloody and destructive as any conflict elsewhere. They created the idea of the nation-state, but at the cost of countless lives.

2. Colonies: Europe’s Hidden Engine of Wealth

While Europe is praised for the Industrial Revolution, what’s less emphasized is how it was powered by colonies. Britain’s textile mills ran on cotton from India; its sugar wealth came from Caribbean plantations worked by enslaved Africans. France, Belgium, and others extracted resources from Africa, fueling their industries and building modern cities.

Colonialism was not an add-on to European history — it was central. Without it, Europe could not have industrialized so rapidly or financed its wars. The wealth of London, Paris, and Amsterdam was built on a global system of exploitation.

Even today, migration patterns from Africa, the Middle East, and Asia to Europe trace the very same colonial routes. Yet many Europeans grow up unaware of how deeply colonialism structured their modern prosperity.

3. The Myth of European Unity

It is easy to imagine Europe as a cultural and political whole, especially when looking at the European Union today. But historically, Europe was defined by division, rivalry, and mistrust.

• The Holy Roman Empire was fragmented beyond recognition.

• Napoleon’s attempt at unification failed, leading to decades of resistance.

• Even the post-World War II European project — which eventually created the EU — was born not out of a natural desire for unity but out of fear: fear of Soviet expansion and fear of being abandoned by the United States.

In truth, “unity” has always been a fragile, pragmatic response to external pressure, rather than an inevitable outcome of shared culture.

II. Europe Now: The Geopolitical Dilemmas They Don’t Teach You

1. Dependence on the United States

The biggest untold truth about modern Europe is that its security rests almost entirely on the United States. NATO may be a collective alliance, but in practice, it is the U.S. military that deters Russia and guarantees stability.

Without Washington’s defense umbrella, most European militaries would be incapable of fending off major threats. Germany, the continent’s largest economy, spends less than 2% of its GDP on defense. In an age of renewed great-power rivalry, this dependence leaves Europe vulnerable and often unable to act independently.

2. Energy: Always Dependent, Never Independent

Europe prides itself on transitioning to green energy, but the deeper truth is that it has never been energy independent:

• In the 20th century, Europe relied on Middle Eastern oil.

• During the Cold War, much of Europe turned to Russian gas.

• Today, renewables depend heavily on rare earths and solar technology from China.

Every shift in energy dependency creates a new vulnerability. Europe’s rush to cut ties with Russia after the invasion of Ukraine has left it more tied to American liquefied natural gas (LNG) and Chinese green technology.

3. Internal Fractures: Not One Europe, but Many

The EU presents itself as a unified bloc, yet it is fractured along multiple lines:

• North vs. South: Wealthier countries like Germany and the Netherlands demand austerity, while debt-ridden nations like Greece, Spain, and Italy struggle under economic pressures.

• East vs. West: Poland, Hungary, and others challenge EU liberal norms, leaning toward nationalism and sometimes aligning with U.S. or Russian interests over Brussels.

• Brexit: The U.K.’s departure showed that even one of Europe’s most powerful members saw greater value outside the union.

The dream of “ever closer union” faces constant setbacks from within.

4. Colonial Shadows in Modern Politics

Colonial legacies continue to shape Europe’s geopolitics in ways rarely discussed:

• France still tries to maintain influence in West Africa through military interventions and the CFA franc currency system — but faces growing resistance, coups, and anti-French sentiment.

• Britain leans on the Commonwealth to project global influence under the “Global Britain” slogan, though this often rings hollow.

• Migration crises are deeply connected to Europe’s colonial past, as people displaced by wars, poverty, and instability in former colonies seek opportunities in the metropole.

Europe is haunted by the very structures it once created.

5. Caught Between the U.S. and China

Perhaps the biggest challenge Europe faces today is being squeezed between two global giants.

• The United States is Europe’s indispensable military ally but increasingly demands loyalty in its rivalry with China.

• China is a vital economic partner, especially for German manufacturing and European exports, but also a strategic competitor.

Europe tries to speak of “strategic autonomy,” but in reality, it cannot fully detach from either power. This makes it less a leader in global geopolitics and more a mediator — or even a pawn — in larger games.

III. Then and Now: The Threads That Connect

Though centuries apart, the old Europe of empire and the modern Europe of integration share striking similarities:

• Balance of Power Thinking: Europe still sees the world through the lens of balance — once Austria vs. Prussia, now EU vs. Russia, or EU balancing between U.S. and China.

• Economic Power, Limited Military Power: Just as Britain relied on its navy but struggled on land, modern Europe has economic strength but lacks serious military capacity.

• Fear of Decline: In the past, Europe feared being overtaken by rising Germany or Russia. Today, it fears irrelevance in a U.S.–China dominated world.

IV. Why These Truths Aren’t Taught

• Narrative Control: Europe maintains moral authority through stories of democracy, enlightenment, and progress. The bloodier truths undermine that image.

• Colonial Amnesia: Acknowledging the role of slavery, resource plunder, and exploitation forces uncomfortable questions about present wealth.

• EU Legitimacy: Presenting Europe as “naturally united” helps sustain the European Union, even though its history shows division has been the norm.

V. The Takeaway: From Board to Player

Once, Europe set the rules of the game, carving up continents and dictating world order. Today, it is less the board and more a player — often reacting rather than leading. Its security depends on Washington, its economy on global supply chains, its unity on fragile compromises, and its identity on half-told stories.

The lesson that rarely makes it into classrooms is this: Europe is no longer the world’s geopolitical center, but a stage where great powers project their ambitions. Understanding this shift is essential for making sense of the present — and the future.