The great paradox of the EU is precisely that it is not based on a neo-liberal agenda but is founded on a 'social market' agenda (something of a contradiction in terms arising from the soziale marktwirtschaft approach to co-ordinated welfare capitalism adopted in post-war Germany). The UK has long favoured the market side of the equation and rejected signing up to the social agenda but that is not true for other Member States, who often favour the social agenda and are resistant to the market side (France being the most notable at the moment). It would be wrong to cast the EU from the traditional UK perspective as that is a minority view and I think you're right to see both sides of it. On balance I firmly believe it's a positive moderating influence albeit not a panacea, but I would say that... :-)
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