‘Eurozone on the brink’ screams the latest headline. And indeed, as the Eurozone (EZ) lurches from one crisis to the next, the whole structure seems increasingly imperilled by its lack of political cohesion. British Tories may wring their hands in glee, but the demise of the euro cannot but lead to the unravelling of the whole integration project, with disastrous consequences for a unified approach to jobs, growth and the environment.
Let the same British euro-sceptics reflect on two simple facts: first, there is little respect in Europe for the imperious and arrogant British—the image of Nigel Farage’s antics in the European Parliament are not easily effaced.2 Secondly, as much as Britain may criticise the euro’s construction, our own economy is not exactly thriving. Not only is Britain stagnating, but its social infrastructure is crumbling while its wealth and income inequalities are the largest in the region.
But back to Europe—which uniquely for Brits means ‘continental’ Europe. The single most worrisome manifestation of the EZ’s predicament is the near-total marginalisation of the Commission and the Parliament in the context of the crisis. Instead, it is the national politicians—Merkel, Sakozy et al.—who have made all the running. What could be more indicative of a ‘democratic deficit’ than the fact that Europe’s elected MEPs have become invisible!
There is a paradox here. Europe cannot go back to what it was before the crisis, nor can it tread water. But neither can a large EZ economy run by squabbling small-minded politicians from 17 countries thrive. Even George Osborne admits that full fiscal integration is the way forward—‘un gouvernement économique européen’ to use the jargon.
Such a form of governance would need far more powerful political institutions including quite possibly a directly elected President. Equally, the legitimacy of a far more centralised EZ would depend on its delivering—nay, on being seen to deliver—secure jobs, higher incomes and common social services. Take pensions: although a strengthened EZ cannot take over the entire pension system given current productivity differentials, it could deliver a basic citizen’s pension, a payment which would guarantee a subsistence minimum for all its retired citizens financed by an FTT (Robin Hood tax).
The principle is clear: if the EZ is to prosper politically, it must deliver tangible benefits. The young French and Dutch voters who voted against the Constitutional Treaty in 2005 were not generally anti-European; they merely wanted a more social Europe.
Whatever the free-market fundamentalists may say, greater social cohesion/social justice lies at the very heart of the European project. To deliver a genuinely social Europe, a new social contract is needed. Democratic governance is not about national politicians fighting for their narrow interests by drawing red lines, still less about 17 national Parliaments agreeing to each line of some new regulation. It is about a genuinely European political debate over our common interests. Only when this lesson becomes clear to all can we overcome the sort of gridlock we see today.
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[1] http://www.leftfootforward.org/2010/04/as-election-kicks-off-ukip-finds-itself-mired-in-sleaze/
#1 by RCS on October 27, 2011 - 1:42 pm
You don’t much like the Brits, but the majority view is that EU doesn’t work.
It is a flawed concept, badly constructed and appallingly managed.
I think you will find that “solidarity” is getting stretched a bit and nationalism is on the rise. You may not like Farage but what he says is largely true: Democratic deficit, insane economics and a single minded goal of a “European State”.
Having seen the problems that this has produced, the ordinary people of Europe, including the well-educated, may conclude that EU is structure leading countries into an authoritarian, over-regulated, economically stagnant backwater.
#2 by Barry Davies on October 28, 2011 - 2:11 pm
It’s a shame that people still like to lie about the democratically deficient eussr, one would have thought that it’s failure not only to act positively during this recession but that the existance of the euro is helping to sustain it might be wondering about the whole thing. We had a constituion forced on to us that no one wanted, we are being told what to do by the unelected failed politicians who make up the commision and the judges who have no reason to do anything that would aid any country but wrongly enforce the implementation of poorly considered laws.
As for Nigel Farage he is only speaking on behalf of the majority of peoples in the 27 previously free and democratic nations but as the eussr parliament has strict rules on who can speak and for what time they are allowed to speak his message is sadly diluted by eurocrat overregulation which diminishes freedom of speech.
This unwanted unloved political empire will crash and burn, we can only hope that it happens soon and real democratic accountability is returned to the previously free nations. The eussr has failed on every level and it is the ordinary people who are paying for it while greedy self serving politicians are raking in money that we would have for other projects if it wasn’t being poured in to the over-regulating economic black hole that is based in Brussells or strasbourg or the hague choose whichever one you like.
I certainly do not feel any solidarity with foreigners and am finding the rising unemployment, crime and the stress being placed on social and health areas in my nation is not least due to the massive unwanted influx of foreigners from europe
#3 by Marcel on October 29, 2011 - 2:48 pm
@RCS
Indeed, for the EU elites the idea of a European Soviet Union is what they intend on achieving, no matter what the cost.
And they will stop at nothing to get it, we already see they are destroying our prosperity and reducing the people to debt-serfdom where they are lavishly using our money to bail out their rich banker/investor friends. Destruction of democracy and stealing all our money has always been their goal, and the cheerleading press clowns love it.
The EU is basically bad for everyone who isn’t an elitist or banker or politicians, but the EU elites will hear nothing of it. Will people wake up in time to see that the EU is part of the problem and the Euro is destroying our wealth?
#4 by Marcel on October 29, 2011 - 2:53 pm
And of course, the absence of a ‘EU people’ or ‘European people’ means there cannot be European democracy by definition. Plus the fact that we the peoples do not want it. Period. Let’s see referendums on this question.
The EU parliament (‘Soviet style Duma’) and commission (‘Soviet style Politburo’) cannot represent democracy simply because of this. More Duma and more Politburo equals less democracy. Remember there was no legitimacy crisis when there was an EEC? An EEC is all we need, EU and political integration are undemocratic.
Plus I do not want Greek, Estonian, Italian, Irish, Portuguese politicians to be able to co-decide what the law should be in the Netherlands. I want our national democracy back and rid of the undemocratic EU and the wealthdestroying Euro. Lets start with referendums on giving the peoples money to the rich bankers. I don’t think people will vote for that, for some reason.
#5 by Al on November 2, 2011 - 12:12 am
You can’t transform an undemocratic government into a democratic one except by force. The EU will never surrender its power. Besides, Brussels is being sidelined in favor of Berlin directly calling the shots right now (the former was always Berlin’s proxy anyhow).
#6 by Pedro on November 5, 2011 - 5:08 pm
When will the u.k. have democracy?
#7 by sliepnir2006 on November 6, 2011 - 3:59 pm
Yet another pile of propaganda from a superstate built on ego and delusion. Although,even if going bust were the case, it is better to go bust than be part of the dictatorial pile of political garbage known as the European Union, or its delinquent parliament!
However, it will soon not just be the UK, who will be a thorn in the side, as the True Finns are coming along too. Personally I see the end of the Euro and I hope it comes quickly instead of the long drawn out death, which the crazy zealots of its political elite would have us go through.
As for Greece, your punitive measures are a disgrace, you cannot expect anyone to run through glass whilst taking their boots away. You and your self centered egotistical dictators,would place every man woman and child into extreme poverty as it would suit.
The word scum comes to mind, with the European Union being no better than some Stalinist superstate, which has no understanding of the meaning of Democracy.
With the rot, the lies, the corruption, the fraud, then the banks on top. There is no democracy left in the EU, it is a parasite, feeding off ordinary people, decrying the the democracy of their own individual governments.
Now terrified of the people, their reaction to it, does its best to undermine anything that might challenge its delinquency, including any referendum!
Fickle, hopeless, dictatorial, a veritable clownish outfit, which presents a paradox to anything democratic it claims to represent. In fact its Parliament is nothing more than a flea ridden, parasite infested, sewage ridden rat hole!
Please take your Union and shove it, if people dislike you it is for a reason and for a good reason.
Finally yes, get Britain, Finland, Denmark, Italy, Spain and Holland out from under the boot of this money grabbing, blood sucking, vampire. Maybe we will achieve that as and when our own politicians stop prostrating themselves before this financial prostitute and gain some strength, integrity , credibility and courage.
It is, after all much better to be an Euro sceptic, than to be an Euro Stalinist!
Finally, please will you just go back to Hell, we really do not appreciate the Devil banging at our door!
Sliepnir2006
#8 by Don Latuske on November 8, 2011 - 10:37 am
I am delighted at so many like-minded comments and commentators. I can only assume that George is at the heart of Europe (whatever that means and wherever it is) to state that various peoples want a social Europe. That sounds like USSR collectivisation. However, you can see the national interests touting like whores on the street when France protects the CAP and insists on MEPs meeting in Strasbourg and Germany so desperate to gouge out Britain’s business from the City of London and move it over to Frankfurt and so on.
I hope these institutions burn in hell and the sooner the better.
#9 by Albert Spits on November 9, 2011 - 5:17 pm
I always have to laugh hearing misinformed people like George Irvin speaking about the advantages of the EU. The whole EU project has been a failure since its beginning. Doesn’t he know that there is no such thing as European ‘democracy’. We have been sidelined in the Netherlands, France and Ireland because of the referendum regarding the European ‘constitution’, euphemistically named ‘Treaty of Lisbon’. What kind of democracy is that? Obviously the type Mr Irvin and his ilk promote. Rediculous. Euroscepticism is now all pervasive within the EU, and the Eurocrats are having a hard time explaining the socalled ‘benefits’ of the EU steamroller as well as the esperanto currency the euro.
Nowadays the Eurocrats and their Europhile supporters don’t even bother to advance arguments based on these socalled benefits, but instead they’re focussing on the fear theme, such as ‘disaster’, when the EU and the euro will fail.
I would suggest to Mr Irvin to instead focus on the market approach within the economy and you will see a whole different perspective. When the big banks fail, and the EU ceases to exist, it will not be the end of the world, but a new dawning of a free market for free peoples within the European community. Such as we see in e.g. the European Free Trade Association, Mercosur, ASEAN & NAFTA. No need for a enormous leviathan in Brussels or a currency which is the nemesis of many hapless European nations.
Albert Spits
Frédéric Bastiat Stichting The Netherlands
#10 by Al on November 11, 2011 - 11:07 pm
UK’s had parliamentary democracy since 1707; the constituent countries have had parliamentary democracy for centuries before that. Jealous? Where are you from, and do you even know what democracy is? If you did, you’d realize that the European Union does not have democracy at the federal level.
#11 by George Irvin on November 14, 2011 - 5:28 pm
I have to laugh when people like ‘Albert Spits’ above post such insightful and helpful comments. At least he had the good grace to tell us he represents the Frédéric Bastiat Stichting in NL, which is a self-styled libertarian/new liberal think tank. Freiderich Von Hayek would have been proud.
#12 by Talvez... on November 16, 2011 - 9:56 pm
Eliminating budget deficits by the masquerade of eliminating deficits… Hardly a true solution.
The adepts speak of fiscal transference to counteract the balance’s deficits and superavits. Well, it has been happening all this long to the GIPS, with the result that is in plain sight.
And from what I spoke with French, the problem with the EU is not that is not a social project – it’s the EU as it works now, with all its bureaucracy and meddling in people’s lives.
Maybe the EU politicians should live in the real world like the rest of thus.