During the Cold War, America influenced 1/4 of the world and communism the other 1/4. The rest were, as they called themselves, non-aligned, pretending to be neutral.
Showing posts with label European Union. Show all posts
Showing posts with label European Union. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
France & Germany, United No Matter What
Sarkozy, the current President of France, is making a desperate attempt to conserve his position in next year's election. According to the latest polls, he is behind Mr. Hollande, the Socialist candidate, by 15 points. That is the main reason why Sarkozy can be seen on European television almost every day, shaking hands with the German chancellor and trying to save the E.U. (European Union) from falling apart financially and politically. He knows that if he is successful in averting an economic disaster, his compatriots just might give him a second chance.
Let's go back 70 years and remember the invasion of France by the Nazis; this was the second war between these two nations in the 20th century and the E.U. was created specifically to avoid a third conflict. It is therefore remarkable to see these traditional enemies as the stalwart anchors of a united Europe. I can assure you that the ruling political class on both sides of the border are vividly conscious of that fact: It is not, as some analysts imagine, just to save the euro, or even to prevent a recession among the 17 members. The main concept behind the urgency of finding an agreement or changing the existing rules has to do with the enormous fear that a separate and powerful Germany causes to all its neighbors, including of course the Russian Bear.
Nobody in the European media has actually mentioned the primal shudder of another war on the old continent, but the older generation who still remembers the horrors of WWII is working feverishly to avoid the dismemberment of the 17 nations. I was too young to understand the events between 1940 and 1945, but I grew up listening to the tragic personal experiences of my older relatives and of many German and Italian adults who crossed my life later on. I understand now why my mother, born in Italy, threw away a magnificent photograph of Hitler, Mussolini, Franco, and Stalin (a montage) playing pool: Each ball represented a different European country conquered and savaged by these monsters.
There is a strong reluctance among Germans to put more money into economies that were poorly managed; there is even a proposal floating around that would allow the Union to "take over" the finances of any country which shows an excessive deficit. It won't be approved, but it indicates the degree of impatience in Berlin's political circles. Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, must balance the need to keep her majority in the Bundestag against the growing frustration of a large portion of its citizens who would prefer an independent Germany, the biggest economy in the E.U.
Berlusconi, the ex-prime minister of Italy, a billionaire who preferred luscious women to the task of governing, has almost bankrupted his country. I remember, being half-Italian and half-German, that Germany admires Rome, the Rome of Caesar, but not the modern one. During WWII, Mussolini was tolerated in public and despised in private; Hitler knew that Italy wasn't going to offer much resistance to the Allies, but my relatives who were called to fight with the Nazis told me that very few Italian soldiers felt a kinship with Germany. They were forced to fight and escaped as soon as they could.
Even today, Italians see the Germans with some suspicion and vice-versa. Italy is fun, which is why so many Nordic tourists flock to their beaches and historic cities in the summer. Germany is hard work and no fun, except maybe for their beer festivals. The two cultures are completely opposed and will never mesh completely. Thus the motive for keeping the E.U. together whatever the cost..and they will. It all comes together this week as the heads of state gather to draw the new rules.
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Let's go back 70 years and remember the invasion of France by the Nazis; this was the second war between these two nations in the 20th century and the E.U. was created specifically to avoid a third conflict. It is therefore remarkable to see these traditional enemies as the stalwart anchors of a united Europe. I can assure you that the ruling political class on both sides of the border are vividly conscious of that fact: It is not, as some analysts imagine, just to save the euro, or even to prevent a recession among the 17 members. The main concept behind the urgency of finding an agreement or changing the existing rules has to do with the enormous fear that a separate and powerful Germany causes to all its neighbors, including of course the Russian Bear.
Nobody in the European media has actually mentioned the primal shudder of another war on the old continent, but the older generation who still remembers the horrors of WWII is working feverishly to avoid the dismemberment of the 17 nations. I was too young to understand the events between 1940 and 1945, but I grew up listening to the tragic personal experiences of my older relatives and of many German and Italian adults who crossed my life later on. I understand now why my mother, born in Italy, threw away a magnificent photograph of Hitler, Mussolini, Franco, and Stalin (a montage) playing pool: Each ball represented a different European country conquered and savaged by these monsters.
There is a strong reluctance among Germans to put more money into economies that were poorly managed; there is even a proposal floating around that would allow the Union to "take over" the finances of any country which shows an excessive deficit. It won't be approved, but it indicates the degree of impatience in Berlin's political circles. Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, must balance the need to keep her majority in the Bundestag against the growing frustration of a large portion of its citizens who would prefer an independent Germany, the biggest economy in the E.U.
Berlusconi, the ex-prime minister of Italy, a billionaire who preferred luscious women to the task of governing, has almost bankrupted his country. I remember, being half-Italian and half-German, that Germany admires Rome, the Rome of Caesar, but not the modern one. During WWII, Mussolini was tolerated in public and despised in private; Hitler knew that Italy wasn't going to offer much resistance to the Allies, but my relatives who were called to fight with the Nazis told me that very few Italian soldiers felt a kinship with Germany. They were forced to fight and escaped as soon as they could.
Even today, Italians see the Germans with some suspicion and vice-versa. Italy is fun, which is why so many Nordic tourists flock to their beaches and historic cities in the summer. Germany is hard work and no fun, except maybe for their beer festivals. The two cultures are completely opposed and will never mesh completely. Thus the motive for keeping the E.U. together whatever the cost..and they will. It all comes together this week as the heads of state gather to draw the new rules.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
United Europe?
When I was a kid living in Switzerland, my family used to go to nearby French towns on week-ends and during summer vacations; we enjoyed the added value of our Swiss Francs which were always quite welcome among the French businesses. We could buy more because our currency was stronger, a situation that is very similar to the relation between the Mexican peso and the U.S. dollar even today.
Alas! The European Union was born and with it, the Euro, a currency that is used by 17 countries, including of course France, Italy and Spain, three favorite destinations of yesteryear which used to have much lower prices and cost of living. The Union of 27 countries took place in 1993, although various attempts were made much earlier. The Euro itself became a common currency in 2002.
As some countries are showing the tendency to go bankrupt, many voices are expressing the desire to return to their national currency; Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal among the larger members are having trouble making ends meet and the richer nations such as Germany and France are trying desperately to find a way out of the financial impasse. The main culprit is the euro, as the nations in trouble cannot simply devalue their currency and print more money. Denmark, Sweden and England among others refused to adopt the euro, and, as such, are not affected by the banking crisis in the rest of Europe. Switzerland, not a member although it has strong ties with the E.U., has seen its currency rise to the top as one of the strongest in the world. That causes a serious problem for exports as its goods are much more expensive.
The euro will not survive the pressure in my humble opinion, making way for national currencies once again; a country's sovereignty is partly based on the coins and paper money emitted by the respective national central
banks. They can control inflation, deflation, and financial needs without consulting with other countries. The European Central Bank (ECB) was established in Frankfurt, Germany to coordinate the needs of 17 countries. It has obviously not done its job efficiently and perhaps that is too much to ask. Individual governments still make their own decisions on budget matters, sometimes in a foolish manner by funding excessive benefits for their welfare programs. The ECB cannot solve their financial problems nor can it force them to embrace austerity plans. The result is what we see today, a cacophony of mutual accusations that are sinking the European stock markets and endangering the stability of their banks.
The initial shows of unity in the European Union have given way to the rise of nationalistic movements which demand a return to full sovereignty, including national currencies. The original concept was designed to eliminate once and for all the threat of war among European nations after two global conflicts.
It doesn't seem that the dream will perdure, unfortunately.
Alas! The European Union was born and with it, the Euro, a currency that is used by 17 countries, including of course France, Italy and Spain, three favorite destinations of yesteryear which used to have much lower prices and cost of living. The Union of 27 countries took place in 1993, although various attempts were made much earlier. The Euro itself became a common currency in 2002.
As some countries are showing the tendency to go bankrupt, many voices are expressing the desire to return to their national currency; Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal among the larger members are having trouble making ends meet and the richer nations such as Germany and France are trying desperately to find a way out of the financial impasse. The main culprit is the euro, as the nations in trouble cannot simply devalue their currency and print more money. Denmark, Sweden and England among others refused to adopt the euro, and, as such, are not affected by the banking crisis in the rest of Europe. Switzerland, not a member although it has strong ties with the E.U., has seen its currency rise to the top as one of the strongest in the world. That causes a serious problem for exports as its goods are much more expensive.
The euro will not survive the pressure in my humble opinion, making way for national currencies once again; a country's sovereignty is partly based on the coins and paper money emitted by the respective national central
banks. They can control inflation, deflation, and financial needs without consulting with other countries. The European Central Bank (ECB) was established in Frankfurt, Germany to coordinate the needs of 17 countries. It has obviously not done its job efficiently and perhaps that is too much to ask. Individual governments still make their own decisions on budget matters, sometimes in a foolish manner by funding excessive benefits for their welfare programs. The ECB cannot solve their financial problems nor can it force them to embrace austerity plans. The result is what we see today, a cacophony of mutual accusations that are sinking the European stock markets and endangering the stability of their banks.
The initial shows of unity in the European Union have given way to the rise of nationalistic movements which demand a return to full sovereignty, including national currencies. The original concept was designed to eliminate once and for all the threat of war among European nations after two global conflicts.
It doesn't seem that the dream will perdure, unfortunately.
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