The end of the European Union?
« on: 2011-11-30 19:19:50 »
I'm not sure what to make of this as an American who hasn't ever stepped foot in Europe, but even I can tell this is some pretty compelling rhetoric. I'd be interested to hear other's points of view on it.[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGQIxYfKKtc[url]
Re:The end of the European Union?
« Reply #1 on: 2011-12-01 02:59:20 »
[Blunderov] I'm a bit in haste but I'll give my first impressions anyway
A very impassioned address from one who clearly was never in favour of the UK joining the (as it was known then) "common market"! But one has to wait to the end of the video to discover just who it is he means by the "they" to whom he so often refers. Turns out he means what he terms "the political class" and this does give pause for thought.
Who is this "political class"? It seems he means the Eurocrats (tm) and their many tedious regulations which they impose on all in order to make the market well, "common". And herein a conundrum: democracies very frequently take actions which go against the majority of public opinion. For example, here in the RSA, if the public had it's way the death penalty would be back tomorrow and probably with a little public flogging thrown in too. Millions demonstrated against the Illegal attack on Iraq but that act was deflected not one whit. Other examples abound. Think "bailout". Think "tolling agencies". Think unanimous votes for salary rises for MP's but not for public servants like police and nurses. Etc.
Democracy basically doesn't exist. Democracies are suitable for small city states, not large blocs. The notion is a fond relic of a dim and distant past. What we have in the West is a hybrid of technocracy and kleptocracy. Thieves appoint experts to keep basic services running and to manage the population in such a way as to maximise the opportunities for plunder.
This is why the "Occupy" movement has arisen. But, ISTM, the difficulty is how to replace one political class with another without invoking the same problems as before.
I think the idea of "globalisation" has met it's Waterloo. Ancient wisdom admonishes us not to put all our eggs in one basket and yet we have done exactly that. Globalisation (and by this I mean "capitalist" globalisation: this nuance has long been held rather deliberately tacit) has demonstrated it's inherent weakness. It concentrates too much power in too few hands. Massive corruption has ensued. (It may seem ironic when one realises that this criticism is more often leveled at Stalinist style communisms than it is at lassaiz faire capitalism but it isn't really: both are just different sides of the same industrialist coin.)
Perhaps we need to de-globalise? Get back to small, well diversified economies which take care of there own local concerns first and which are quickly responsive to democratic opinion.
[Blunderov] I'm a bit in haste but I'll give my first impressions anyway
A very impassioned address from one who clearly was never in favour of the UK joining the (as it was known then) "common market"! But one has to wait to the end of the video to discover just who it is he means by the "they" to whom he so often refers. Turns out he means what he terms "the political class" and this does give pause for thought. <snip>
<snip>A new paradigm is required.
Well ya know ... Jon Stewart show Dec 1st 2011 program really nails it by asking the question, "Why the F@%K did Martha Stewart go to jail ?" when the Econocrats are all still out there running 'amuck' and raking in the profits.
All these dialogues always seems to side step that there are people that should be on trial for fraud, damages to nice people, and just being mother F@#K'IN AS@#OLES. The root cause is not the EU or Democrats or Republicans; but that there are people that should be off the streets so we can begin fixing this world wide cluster F@#K; but no. the same clowns are still at it and we are all in for a great deal of hurt, especially if the EU collapses. So Scale or Paradigm shift is it seems to me moot, till the criminals are dealt with.
Till then we stick our heads up our collective; where the sun don't shine.
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