One possibility is the geographical difference and the effect it has on people. Great Britain is an Island so it can feel relatively safe (see the fate of GB in WW2 as compared to the rest of Europe) and because of this it can afford a more separatist policy. continental Europe however need a closer cooperation between the neighbours, as they share physical land borders, and only peace and a close cooperation can give the feeling of safety (for example to German neighbors, close economic Union is the best defense against a possible attach from Germany).
Direct democracy would be extremely costly because people would have to vote on every single thing and this would cost time and money to ensure everyone has voted. It couldn't be resolved in early times, but maybe with the age of technology, you could surpass that by having everyone vote online or something similar.
Answer:
Five hundred years ago, Ferdinand Magellan began a historic journey to circumnavigate the globe. Simple, right? Not really— the explorer and his voyage are a study in contradiction. Magellan was Portuguese, but sailed on behalf of Spain. He was a formidable captain, but his crew hated him. His expedition was the first to sail around the world, but he didn’t end up circling the globe himself. His name wasn’t even Magellan.Five hundred years ago, Ferdinand Magellan began a historic journey to circumnavigate the globe. Simple, right? Not really— the explorer and his voyage are a study in contradiction. Magellan was Portuguese, but sailed on behalf of Spain. He was a formidable captain, but his crew hated him. His expedition was the first to sail around the world, but he didn’t end up circling the globe himself. His name wasn’t even Magellan.
The main reason why Spain decided to support Columbus' voyages of exploration was because he promised that he would bring gold and spices back from the New World. Another reason was that the Spanish Crown was interested in spreading Christianity.
