The Europe Test
The present European crisis is manifestly economic, with insolvency just over the horizon for much of the continent. But, as I see it, there is another profound matter that must be put into the calculus in assessing Europe today: the post-modern sensibility.
This sensibility includes the following characteristics: ethical relativism, the death of the Enlightenment meta-narrative, and the deconstruction of reason.
European leaders often act as if there aren’t historical antecedents. The new Europe not only rejects the past, it rejects the ethical foundation on which Europe was built. For example, the Treaty of Westphalia, which established nation-states, has been deposited on the ash heap of history in an effort to adduce consolidation, or at least the consciousness of consolidation. In doing so, however, it has undermined social and customary rules of human engagement and heightened social tensions.
Then there is the virtual destruction of the European meta-narrative that relied on a defense of Christian civilization and with it the conditions attached to the Enlightenment, i.e., individual rights, the rule of law, and a respect for private property. In the emerging Europe, with large Muslim minorities, individual rights are challenged by group rights, law is only what is defensible, and private property is at risk through cradle-to-grave tax policies designed for the equalization of privilege.
As a consequence, there is no longer a basis for democracy in Europe. Procedures dictate policies. The metaphysical and religious dimensions of life have been replaced by the political in which a Hobbesian worldview of power and influence is what counts. The European Union is, in fact, a closed society run by bureaucrats. Right and wrong are the subjects of procedures rather than antecedent conditions, and truth is whatever Brussels’ bureaucrats say it is.
Don’t worry about some utopian ”unity” – as things stand now, given current demographic trends, Europeans will soon be extinct. Common sense should tell you that a population that does not have children is fatally flawed, has some kind of mental sickness. And the Muslims are going to eat you alive. Europe is committing suicide.
The Euro will be the first casualty, followed by a disintegration of the EU, perhaps for a while, a rump EU will hang on composed of the richer nations. But, before that happens, your corrupt unaccountable Eurocrats will try to hold on to power & privilege so you might get a very authoritarian regime for a while, a sort of bastard National Socialism. But, reality always wins – as economic activity declines, it will all fall apart. And as this happens, your spineless & greedy politicians will pander more & more to an increasing Muslim population. That’s when the downward spiral will really accelerate. But look on the bright side, all the multiculturalist morons will see their dreams come true – you’ll find unity with the Third World that you seemingly value so highly.
To be perfectly honest, I don’t think Europe is prepared for the 21st century; to be a little more blunt, Europeans are still living in the Eurocratic matrix and have little desire to take the “red pill” so to speak. The European dream was built on some good intentions but has been an overwhelming catastrophe of a magnitude that only an army of bureaucrats can engineer. While Mussolini’s form of fascism was defeated, his maxim of everything being for the state and nothing outside of the state has been the mantra on the continent for decades. (Ironically, this is the only way European politicians have said it is possible to avoid fascism.) In Germany, for example, the only recognized marriage is performed in a government office by bureaucrats. The “real” wedding has all of the love and romance of a trip to the DMV and any religious ceremony may be performed later for purely cosmetic purposes. If you do opt for a church wedding, you have to be members of “the church”, which means you have to register at a government office to be a church member. The government will then take taxes directly out of your income to fund the church of your choice; the flavours available are “protestant” and “catholic.” If you want to get your child baptized, you have to be a member of the state supported church. Additionally, the g’dfather or g’dmother will also have to be a member of the church and pay their church taxes directly to the state for this privilege. Clergy are employed by the state.
Europeans don’t really even have the language necessary to talk about some things such as individual freedoms. Gesellschaft also means “community” in German, and often social policies are determined by what is “good” for the “Gesellschaft.” Ask any German and he will tell you promptly that reducing the welfare state is definitely not good for the Gesellschaft. Gemeinschaft? Gemeinschaft, well, that means “community” or “society” as well. Notice the similarity in the root words in this motto of one well known European head of state*: “GEMEINnutz geht vor Eigennutz”, or in English, “Community usage before individual usage.” Unfortunately, this idea of group rights trumping individual rights runs so deeply in Europe that i don’t think many of the people raised on this “good for the community” blather will ever be able to accept an alternate reality without shock and awe statism.
P.S. *This European head of state was Hitler.
for the moment, the main danger for Europe are the bankers, not the Muslims.
“The European Union is experiencing an existential crisis. This crisis is not about Greece, but rather, what it is that members of the European Union owe each other and what controls the European Union has over its members. The European Union did well during a generation of prosperity. As financial crisis struck, better-off members were called on to help worse-off members. Again, this is not just about Greece — the 2008 credit crisis in Central Europe was about the same thing. The wealthier countries, Germany in particular, are not happy at the prospect of spending taxpayer money to assist countries dealing with popped credit bubbles.
They really don’t want to do that, and if they do, they really want to have controls over the ways these other countries spend their money so this circumstance doesn’t arise again. Needless to say, Greece — and countries that might wind up like Greece — do not want foreign control over their finances.”
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” Remember, building a super state requires one of two things: a war to determine who is in charge or political unanimity to forge a treaty. Europe is — vividly — demonstrating the limitations on the second strategy.
Whatever happens in the short run, it is difficult to envision any further integration of European institutions. And it is very easy to see how the European Union will devolve from its ambitious vision into an alliance of convenience built around economic benefits negotiated and renegotiated among the partners. It would thus devolve from a union to a treaty, with no interest beyond self-interest”
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“The current economic problems may lead to a fundamental weakening of the European Union. Germany is economically powerful but needs economic coalition partners that contribute to German well-being rather than merely draw on it. A Russian-German relationship could logically emerge from this. If it did, the Americans and Poles would logically have their own relationship. The former would begin as economic and edge toward military. The latter begins as military, and with the weakening of the European Union, edges toward economics. The Russian-German bloc would attempt to bring others into its coalition, as would the Polish-U.S. bloc. Both would compete in Central Europe — and for France. During this process, the politics of NATO would shift from humdrum to absolutely riveting.”
http://www.stratfor.com/weekly/20100524_germany_after_eu_russian_scenario
The economy and currency should weather the euro-zone crisis without serious implications, and there is no need to change the structure of reserves, Central Bank Chairman Sergei Ignatyev said Thursday.
“The [euro-zone] problem is more political than economic,” he said. “With swift coordinated actions of European nations, the problem is fully solvable
Moscow Times
The main danger for Europe is Europeans who can’t seem to reconcile their bloated welfare payola states with the sustainable economic growth necessary to keep the whole thing going. The truth is that large swathes of Europe had already become uncompetitive before the 2008 financial crisis. The problems in the world markets only served to speed up the demise of the European social market system. It exposed the underlying lack of growth and demographic implosion plaguing the continent to be more destructive than previously thought. Europeans, who have been raised on pie in the sky views of the nanny state, are unable to accept the shaky foundations the EU is built on.
What a surprise. Odd that very few of the pundits, “experts”, and commentators cheer-leading European “Union” were unaware of this evidence. Also of interest is the paradox that while these same “experts”/ planners were developing this “Union” they were at the same time, almost in the same breath, “encouraging/funding” forceful “self-determination” for small groups- tribes to “shake off their chains” and declare themselves “independent”. e.g. the Catalans, the Irish, the Welsh, the Cornish, the Scots,ETC When groups as full citizens of established social / economic communities, with attendant advantages for defense and safety, are encouraged — using terror, to dispute with one another over theoretical “freedoms” without advertising the costs, QUI BONO? The Greeks, Italians, Spaniards, and Portuguese among others, have a long history, if not taught in their schools, known via the grapevine of elders who lived through those times. They know, in their skins and experience that NO GOVERNMENT can be trusted, so get what you can while you can. AND NOW, THE USA is learning by cruel experience that THEIR “leaders” and pundits are absolutely untrustworthy, break the LAW–Constitution at will for the power to push other people around –ALWAYS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE SUCKERS WHO BELIEVE THEIR LIES,in the interests of fairness and compassion. Using the same tactics of pitting citizen against citizen for some theoretical “identity” in conflict with the IDENTITY as AMERICAN, e.g. Afro-American, Jewish-American, Irish-American, Polish-American, Hispanic, ETC. USING TAX EXPROPRIATED FROM LAW-ABIDING COMMON CITIZENS TO PAY FOR THEIR lawlessness. So goes that vaunted, and envied by these destroyers of it, the American Esceptionalism / Particularity. In which most of the time their governments could either be trusted – OR pay to the abused citizens a penalty sufficient “pour encourager les autres”. WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE WHO SET OUT TO DISENFRANCHISE AMERICANS FROM THEIR PARTICULARITY — AND IN THE SERVICE OF WHAT PRINCIPLES???
Men do not and cannot create. We can only manufacture from the materials God has, ex nihilo, created.
Otherwise, the author is correct, in every detail.
He describes Communism; the totalitarian state, in which Big Government owns and controls all the people, places and things. Nouns are people, places and things, so perhaps such a polity might be called “nounamitic”. And its unfortunate inhabitants, “nounamites”.
Our Government now has substantial holdings in what used to be private enterprise, acquired on credit; to be paid for with the slavery of our descendants, who will have us to thank for the gulags in which they will toil and perish.
Congratulate yourselves, Obamanites! You have “succeeded” in perverting not only our morals, abortion, homosexuality, eg., but also in making us dependent on your handouts, and anxious, therefore, to please our new, cruel masters. We are all anxious to serve our Islamic World Order masters, are we not? Sharia, anyone?
“Democracy” or popular republicanism has never set deep roots on the European continent, except in Switzerland. The French Revolution led to tyranny and Imperial dictatorship; not until the Third Republic did France establish a real one. And Germany? There are individual Germans older then German democracy.
If the American character is (supposedly) marked by individualism, self-reliance, love of liberty, the European remains mired in paternalism. The Welfare State- Wollfahrstaat- was created by Bismarck to ensure that a complacent, docile and above all obedient people served the State’s ends, not the reverse; for the same reason it was expanded by the National Socialists intto a system which would be a “progressive’s” wet dream. Certainly some peoples have a tradition of rising up- the French and their barricades, with recent echoes in Greece- but, notably, the demand is that the State *do more*, not leave the people the hell alone. It seems the European mind finds freedom, which includes the freedom to fail, and the concurrent obligation to be responsible for one’s life, to be so terrifying as to drive them to riot. They have exchanged the aristocrat for the bureaucrat, but the mental habits of serfdom remain very strong.
Some ethical foundation on which Europe was built? The establishment of nation-states? The treaty of Westphalia helped the Netherlands and the Swiss to their own states(ok) and the Swedes and the French to large parts of German territory – and Germany had to pay a large sum to the Swedish. Germany was split into many parts(there was some structure before) and till 1870 the German kingdoms and states have been a play-ball of the French and English. Then the French declared war on Prussia because the French “loved Germany so much that they could not have enough Germanies” (French saying). There should be no German state? Why not? Treaties never helped us they made Germans only more desperate. German governments are the only ones that seem to focus on tolerance, respect and sacrifice. We never experienced even one of the three towards us. Liberte ad egalite,justice and fairness – French and English values but only for themselves. Seen from a historical perspective, Germany is Europe in small. The people in the various Länder are different – but we accept it. The wealthier states(including Bad.- Württ.) have to pay for the poorer ones(Berlin and others) and sometimes we look at Berlin the way Germany looks towards Greece. One thing similar, too. The Greek will never thank us – nor will Berlin. There should be two more items considered: culture and history. The various cultures and languages are the fortune of Europe and the pride of its people. That is why a single language is not the problem but it would be a problem. To speak their own language was the dominant wish of the new countries (Estonia and co.)when they became independent again. History: Countries do not always agree about historical issues. We simply should accept that we do not agree. Being forced to agree with everyone and to everything is not very useful.
What Germany ?
Germany is a creation of Bismarck and of the Preusians,that has one century and a half of life. Before, there were Ländern, and Preussia. Got to say that Bismarck made what you repproach us, yeah he took Alsace Lorraine back in 1870, but that was against the good will of the inhabitants, who felt more tied with France. Today, if Germany wanted to fight and regain these provinces, Alsacians will take the arms against Germans, see how german xenophobic discourses on the club Mediterranean (and on the French and on Sarkozy too because of the Greece bailing out) hit there, german soldiers graves have been tagged and or broken.
The “Heilige Römische Reich Deutscher Nation” existed since Karl der Große. The role of Kaiser was not bound to any dynasty. Heinrich Heine used to refer to Deutschland long before Bismarck. He lived in France but wrote many poems as for example: Denk ich an Deutschland in der Nacht… and Deutschland ist ein kerngesundes Land … You may read it. I am sure, Heine can be read in France too. Germany was always a cultural phenomena or did we ever say Schiller is a poet from Württemberg? No, Germany is not an invention of Bismarck. I know France very well. I have lived for some years in Paris, studied there. You should know that Germany is very different from France. We do not dream of yesterday, we focus on the present.
Deutschland existed since Karl der Große. Ever heard of the Heilige Römische Reich Deutscher Nation? Kaiser Otto, Barbarossa? Ask Heine. He lived in Paris and referred more than often to Deutschland. Deutschland always was united in culture. “Alsacias will arms against Germans” Oh, we better leave the EU before. While I am writing here I watch a German political talk show. A prominent manager from French-speaking Belgium just says that Germany did make nothing wrong till now. “German soldiers graves broken”. New news? I am not interested in people who destroy any graves?
Marianne, don’t make the mistake to believe that there are no problem between our two countries ! it is a race who’s gonna lead the EU policies ! Germans tried with their heavy means, austerity in economicals plans, sorry but the rest of Europe isn’t made of your stuff, we enjoy life !
I know that we share lot of the german DNA, my ancestry does, and also from a slavic perspective too, but DNA doesn’t means that we have the same goals as a common patry ideology.
We admire Carolus Magnus as the founder of our parallel society, your are like our twin people that fight for Cain dish.
I have read so many xenophobic Germans comments, that it inclines me to not believe that you think that you’re a part of our same popole. And you know, wars aren’t made by smart popole, but by popole who thought that their neighbour would leave t’em nuthin in their plate !
The problem of European Union unity is not only political as discussed here, it is also economical. The EU is already beginning to break up, because the revenue is much less than expenditures in many of the countries, and they can’t print money to hide the fact they are broke. This experiment is failing regardless of the politics.
Europe died in the trenches of Somme, or on the train to Auschwitz, take your pick. The only reason it exists now is because of American life support in the form of the Marshall Plan and NATO. Nations rise and fall, empires come and go. That which started wiith the Crusaders marching into the Mediterranean to seize the tools of civilization and bring it back north, ended when the citizenry allowed the goose stepping Germans to take over the whole continent. If not for American interventionism, they would be speaking German or Russian. Thanks to US interventionism, they will continue on as a greater Switzerland, a German dominated Swtizerland at that, wealthy perhaps, but utterly meaningless on the world stage.
Oh well, at least they’re judenrein, which is what they wanted. Meanwhile, the mantle of civilization has moved westward across the pond.
Europe died in the trenches of Somme, or pn the trains to Auschwitz, take your pick. The only reason it exists as we konw it now is because of US life support in the form of the Marshall Plan and NATO, otherwise they’d be speaking Russian or sieg heiling. Nations and societies rise and fall, and whatever began when the Crusaders seized technology and global trade from the Mediterranean people and brought it north, died in the 1900s when Western Europeans let the Germans goose step their way across the continent with nary a fight.
Thanks to American interventionism, they’re not goose stepping or speaking Russian now, but their time is still up. The best they can hope for is to be a Switzerland to the world, quietly prosperous but utterly meaningless on the world stage. But at least they’re judenrein, which is what they wanted.
In the meantime, the mantle of civilization has moved westward across the pond.
The Europe Test: Does it have the will to unify ?
A person of no particular perception, such as myself,
may yet profit by conscientious collection of precepts
from those with more insight into the human condition:
One is under control throughout life; The only choice
is whether the control comes from within, or is imposed
from without, and, perhaps, by whom.
The human race divides politically into two classes:
Those who wish to control other people’s behavior,
and those who have no such inclination.
The human race divides socially into three groups:
Leaders, Followers, and Obstructionists; In times
of emergency, the first task of the first two groups
is to get the third group out of the way.
A society has the morality it can afford;
The rich can afford charity, and mercy.
It is later than you think.
To those Europeans who will not submit to internal bureaucracy
or external political/economic/military subversion I say:
We have here in the US two relics of revolutionary days
which you are welcome to use: Benjamin Franklin’s ‘Join, or Die’
political cartoon, and Christopher Gadsden’s ‘Don’t Tread On Me’
battle flag.
Franklin drink at the french sources, and Thomas Paine too !
We are creatures of light and darkness;
It is always a question of choice;
Toujours L’audace !
“Do Europeans have the will to create an entity that is more than geographic, one that inspires tolerance, respect, and sacrifice?”
Nope. Never had it, never will.
Next question?
Next question:
At Fourth and Last, the goal in sight,
will hard-won wisdom overcome evils past.
Do Europeans have the will to create an entity that is more than geographic, one that inspires tolerance, respect, and sacrifice?
NO.
Europe is a continent, a geographic entity. European democracies are young – in the Second French Empire Napoleon III ruled France until 1871; the Kaiser ruled Germany in 1914; ditto for the Hapsburgs and the Austro-Hungarian empire in 1914. A number of European countries have had continuous democratic government only beginning in 1918 or later.
In N. America the Legislative Assembly of Nova Scotia first met in 1758 and the US Congress first met in 1789. Our modern N. American democratic institutions are older than Europe’s.
Perhaps that is why a bunch of dirigiste Eurocrats dreamed up and marketed a quasi-democratic money spinner for the sole benefit of pompous bureaucrats. The European Union is the classic example of a chocolate teapot – looks nice but melts when things heat up.
Europe should go back to being a geographic entity made up of individual Nations. Two world wars show that Europe causes trouble when operating as a bunch of separate nations/empires. The present sovereign debt crisis demonstrates the same European capacity to cause trouble as a currency union. Europe is trouble period.
For the sake of world peace pray that Europe never becomes a political union. That would cause serious trouble indeed.
“Do Europeans have the will to create an entity that is more than geographic, one that inspires tolerance, respect, and sacrifice?”
That question has already been answered: H3LL, NO.
nice post.