Le dollar est consideré comme la monnaie la plus puissante de l'économie mondiale, pensez-vous que l'euro peut se constituer dans une monnaie de substitution dans les échanges du commerce international?;en cas de réponse afirmative, cela peut être consideré comme une perte de l'un des simboles de la puissance americain?.

In response to Hector's question, yes, I think that the Euro has the possibility to establish itself as the principal currency of international trade - even more prevalent than the dollar. This is because the European countries, taken together, probably form the largest current economic power. What I think is really interesting though, is the symbolic importance of the Euro - the common currency has united many countries that have historically been at odds with each other. I'm interested to see how far the Euro and the EU will go.

I noticed that for the French students money is mainly associated with plaisirs, vacances, luxe, confort, voyage. For us, it can be food, need, earn, important... Logistically, I can make the argument that for you money is good, a luxury, but not vital, while in “capitalist” America money is the means for life (in general, not “good life”). What do you think?

About the euro versus the dollar or the EU versus the US: does anyone else besides me foresee a future world bi-polarity (a modification of the Cold War)? We already noticed some differences in international politics and interests and also, Europe seemed to have closed off economically (especially in terms of professional exchange). Part of the idea for European unification was a compatible balance of the American economic and political power, and balance already suggests dichotomy. Does anyone think that a “with or against us” process of colonization of the rest of the world (a competition for influence) can lead to maybe not an iron, but “perforated metal” :) curtain?

Je ne crois pas que pour les français l'argent soit forcement sinonyme de luxe!! par contre, en france la plupart de la population a envie d'avoir d'argent simplement pour les nécessités fondamentales et en quelque sorte pour chercher un etat de bien être!