Why the EU is collapsing

The following is a good article which covers both sides of the arguments.

https://www.ceps.eu/system/files/IEForum52016_1.pdf

It establishes that a primary failing of the EU is that of it's inability or unwillingness to look after the victims of their incessant push towards and support of globalisation.

"The European institutions have become major promoters of globalisation. The single market and the trade agreements reached by the European Commission have widely opened the European gates to globalisation."

"Unfortunately, there has been a complete failure to organise the necessary compensation for the losers of these policies. The European institutions have no power over social policy, which has remained firmly in the hands of the national authorities. However, the hands of these authorities have been shackled by the same European institutions’ fiscal rules.

The EU’s fiscal rules not only make it extremely difficult to compensate the losers from globalisation, but they have actually amplified their hardship."

"For at least the last five years, the European Commission has pushed all Eurozone member states into an austerity straightjacket that has produced economic stagnation and rising unemployment – particularly in those countries which had already been hit badly by globalisation. It should thus not come as a surprise that many citizens have turned their backs on the European institutions that are seen as cold and ready to punish when millions live in hardship."

"In addition to the strict fiscal rules, the structural reforms that have been imposed by the same European institutions are also to blame for the rejection of the European Union by millions of people. European policymakers have adopted the neo-liberal discourse, according to which workers must be flexible (read: they should be happy when their wages fall, when they can be dismissed quickly and when they receive reduced unemployment benefits). The neo-liberal policymakers that now dominate the European Union preach that social security is unproductive and should be downsized. These policies are euphemistically called structural reforms, and they are imposed on millions of people, mostly the losers of globalisation, by European institutions and national governments alike."

Essentially then, the author is pointing out that if you run shop as a bunch of corrupt crony capitalists whose policies and systems are failing, and then prop up those failings by punishing large populations with austerity and worse living standards whilst the elite continue to feather their nests, then you are on a hiding to nothing and eventually the people will fight back.

It goes on to say:

"Thus, the problem of the European Union today is that, instead of helping those who suffer from globalisation, it has implemented policies that hurt these people even more. It is no surprise that the losers revolt.

If the EU continues with its prescription of austerity and structural reforms, revolt will spread and will take the form of attempts in further countries to exit the Union. It is time for the EU to take the side of the losers of globalisation instead of pushing for policies that mainly benefit the winners."

Unfortunately this is where the article clings to fantasy and denial. The EU with it's ridiculous number of highly paid executives is not an organisation willing to reform. It has been getting steadily more corrupt over recent years and shows no sign whatsoever of changing. It is hell bent on dominance, control and the establishment of a Federal States with a huge EU army made up from the military forces of each member state. It is a machine that makes £billions for a select few, whilst millions of "real" people suffer poverty, austerity, unemployment and lesser and lesser living standards.

The EU has failed. It has failed the people of member states, failed their economies, seen them be bankrupted and then used other member states to bail these failures out. The EU is like that black sheep family member who is addicted to gambling and keeps coming back to beg for a bit more money because he's about to be kicked out of his home. Each time he promises to reform, to clean up his act, and each time he doesn't and come back with the begging bowl.

Eventually the rest of the family says "NO MORE, it is over".

This is where the EU stands now. One member state has had the courage and moral fibre to stand up and be counted and say No More.

The rest are now so scared of the repercussions of this "rebellion" that they are muttering about making an example of the "bad pupil" and not giving the UK easy terms to leave. This as a way to discourage other member states from following suit, to essentially frighten them and say, "look if you follow the UK's lead then you'll have an equally hard time".

This is simply more confirmation for Brexitiers of why it was so important to leave such a corrupt collective. A collective that is clearly more focussed on how to make an example of the UK than it is about the reasons the UK and many other member states hate the way the EU operates.

The EU is NOT going to reform. The crony capitalists consider themselves above the law and will continue to make legislation to fit their agendas.

In time, the other member states will see this for what it is and will seek their own ways out. Many are already wanting their own referenda. The brave face some are trying to put on right now isn't going to last. Whilst they try to "gang up" and see the UK given a hard time, they concurrently continue to suffer the collapse of their economies under the Union and the harsh austerity and other problems it has caused them. You can't keep bailing out a failed system. Nobody wins except the wealthy globalists. The system has to be changed. It refuses to change itself, so it must first collapse, be dismantled like a bunch of lego bricks, and be re-made into something new and different.

The process has just begun . . .

Re: Why the EU is collapsing

Absolute tripe without any onions.

Re: Why the EU is collapsing

I suggest you go argue that with Paul De Grauwe.

"Paul De Grauwe is a Belgian economist and John Paulson Professor in European Political Economy at the London School of Economics and Political Science as head of the European Institute. He is also professor emeritus in international economics at KU Leuven and former member of the Belgian Federal Parliament"

I think I know which of you is talking tripe lol !

Re: Why the EU is collapsing

I agree with much of your post Realist, I think it is not a question of will the EU collapse but how soon will it happen and what if anything might replace it.

Re: Why the EU is collapsing

The interesting thing about the whole situation is that the EU's bluff has been totally called.

If it wants to put out the notion that it truly is some kind of benevolent human rights peaceful organisation, then it can't be seen to ruthlessly punish a member state for simply wishing to leave. People leave clubs all the time and are permitted to do so without angst. Why should any harmonious club berate a member for leaving?

On the other hand, if the EU does let the UK out on favourable terms then it creates a huge signal to other nations that they could do likewise and there will follow lots of other referendums and exits.

So the EU very much stuck between a rock and a hard place. It's basically a poker shark who has been ruthlessly bullying others off the poker table, raking in the chips. Now the UK has shoved all it's chips in and said "We call, because we know you're holding rags and it's high time someone called your bluff". The poor old EU now has to flip its cards over at which point everyone will see it for what it is.

Re: Why the EU is collapsing

Realist, you have a fine brain & you obviously can grasp wide ranging concepts. I have read your post & I have to say its more than I can take in to my plebian brain & do the post justice.
My problem it is.
I'm just glad that people like you exist to debate important matters.

Compliments of the season to you & yours.

In case you are wondering what I am doing sat at the computer on Christmas day.
Just checking my emails & I saw there was a light on..hey ho!

Re: Why the EU is collapsing

I do love a well-argued, cogent and intelligent response. Any chance of giving one??

Re: Why the EU is collapsing

I seem to remember I was about 22 when we first joined the Common Market. I do remember our initial application being refused by France which, I have to say, did not come as much of a surprise. Apart from that, I don't think the Common Market really interested me very much and nothing noticeably changed as far as I was concerned.

In the intervening years, I have not been particularly concerned about changes which, I suspect, were made little by little. At the time I was not really interested in politics or economics, and the various changes of name didn't seem to cause any concern. I had other things on my mind.

More recently, of course, it has become increasingly apparent to me that continued membership of the EU has become less and less attractive, to the point where I realised that we, in fact, were being taken to the cleaners and, moreover, being required to pay for the privilege.

I'm 64 now. That's 42 years, the majority of my life, for which time we have been involved with an increasingly politically dictatorial organisation. I don't know how many years I have left (none of us do), but I really hope that I live long enough to see us not only leave the EU and regain our full freedom but also flourish again as an independent country. I'm sure we have the ability and, despite a minority of people who'd like to see us completely lose our sovereignty, the political will to bring that to fruition.

Re: Why the EU is collapsing

I do agree realist but it's also IMO partly to do with his long it takes to get 28 countries to decide on anything. Once we are free of them and our government can make a decision alone I'm hopeful some of the things like refuges etc can be decided and acted on fairly fast, waiting for 28 countries to make a decision and act has been like watching paint dry on any occasions.

Even us leaving Eu is going to be slower than it needs because 27 countries have to agree each thing.

Re: Why the EU is collapsing

Not necessarily. I have read lots of sources where people have said we can leave when we want: just stop paying.

The 27 countries can then take as long as they want to agree what to do, whist in the meantime we can go ahead and trade with anyone that we want free of their rules.