The United States of Europe and the Democratic Deficit
87Angela Merkel, German Chancellor
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Talk of a United States of Europe surfaced again recently. Gerhard Schroeder, who was the German Chancellor between 1998 and 2005 said to the German newspaper Der Spiegel that, "The current crisis makes it relentlessly clear that we cannot have a common currency zone without a common fiscal, economic and social policy. We will have to give up national sovereignty”.
The legality of Germany's recent Euro-zone bailouts has been in question too; however, conveniently, a court decision has ruled that it is constitutional.
Incumbent Chancellor, Angela Merkel said, "The problems of a single country can imperil the currency. That is why I say we need more Europe." She also pushed for stricter enforcement of European stability and growth agreements to include consequences, for states that breach their deficit limits.
It makes you wonder why they didn’t think of all this before they decided to tie the knot. It’s a bit like trying to patch up a rocky marriage, by having another baby. The cost of coming out of the Euro is estimated at about 10,000 euros to each Greek citizen, (about 40% - 50% of Greek GDP) and to each German 6,000 to 8,000 euros - and that’s just the first year.
'Never waste a crisis', I've heard people say, and it seems this crisis won't be wasted, for all we ever hear about now, is the fiscal deficit - in other words cuts and longer working, to placate the money markets. This couldn't be more convenient for those who'll profit from the privatisation of pensions and other former public services - a situation that seems to me, more convenient than coincidental. Yet, we could also use this crisis to address the democratic deficit. Maybe then, the economics and other aspects would fall better into place.
The European public gets scant consultation. We find ourselves managed by deception, fait accompli, and by a myriad of Machiavellian manoeuvres, by career politicians who largely ignore their electorate and pander to an elitist clique whose culture of global-marauding affords them little affinity with the ordinary European.
There’s also too little account taken of the diversity of European culture. We might assume that the German people have a competitive culture, and they’re naturally industrious and predisposed to working together, building a strong economy - and let’s duly respect them for that. On the other hand, we might also assume that the Greek people are content to live a more laid-back, frugal lifestyle. As sovereign states, are they not entitled to be different? We all have different values, even as individuals and I suspect that the Greek Prime Minister, George Papandreou, with his background, has little empathy with his public. To me it seems the gods in their tax havens have created a crucible -and now they lurk, and weigh-up the opportunities it throws up for them.
Yet, we are where we are - so now the necessity for fiscal union materialises, as if it were unforeseen, which, to ordinary Europeans, simply means spending cuts. However, it isn’t difficult to empathise with the average German who might resent having to subsidise the Greek lifestyle. On the other hand, I can understand too, the people in Greece protesting and rioting, in response to austerity measures, imposed by proxy, by unelected banksters who apparently can’t even balance their own books - never mind curb their addiction to self-aggrandisement. Is this bind a purposeful trap, I often wonder? If it is, I suggest that the way forward for ordinary Europeans isn’t economic; it’s democratic.
I know few people who follow EU policymaking - including me; I have to admit. We get a dearth of EU information from a mainstream media, which nevertheless provides us amply with the traditional diet of Westminster pantomime. Yet, supposed irreversible rulings and binding treaties just materialise from the ether like rabbits from hats - proliferating like rabbits too. Few people know who their MEPs (Members of the European Parliament) are, and a mention of the word referendum has the politicos at their creative best.
What then are the objectives of the EU? Are we to believe that we’ll get financial and military security from this curious emulation of the USA? Can we look forward to, ‘government of the people, by the people, for the people’, when many Americans complain of a democratic deficit in their own country these days?
Yet it’s not the concept of a United States of Europe that I object to; it’s this particular concoction. It’s one to which 'we, the people' have negligible recourse. It’s a mystery to its people. It’s democratically inept. There’s no evidence that closer ties, by means of fiscal constraints against the ordinary citizens, would improve their lives. It seems the design: of the corporations, by the corporations, for the corporations, with the compliance of those who are supposedly there to serve ‘the people’.
I wonder too about the effectiveness of these large power blocs, in their actual capacity to serve and protect ordinary citizens - even if that were the genuine objective. Empires need to be defended and sustained. That burden lands on ‘the people’. Anyway, they often prove much more susceptible to internal corruption than to external influences - and they’re often over-inclined to flex their muscles and much less inclined to compromise than is wise for the common weal.
Where once we feared the battleaxe, now it seems ‘the deficit’ is the instrument of choice - for holding us all in thrall to the whims of a few. For money is manmade. It’s a device. Those who control it, are in a position use it, or abuse it - for, or against others. Economic collapse leading to fiscal deficit is the result of bad management at best, which we can replace; democratic deficit is the route to slavery, for it can lead to the sort of totalitarianism against which my parents’ generation had to risk all. That too, followed an economic collapse.
Sometime in the 1930s, Benito Mussolini, the Italian World War II, Head of State, described fascism thus, “Fascism should more appropriately be called Corporatism because it is a merger of state and corporate power” - and he described democracy thus, “Democracy is beautiful in theory; in practice it is a fallacy”. Will this be the generation to prove him right?
In February last year German foreign minister Guido Westerwelle said, "The long term goal is the establishment of a European army under full parliamentary control”. I have no doubt it would be "under full parliamentary control" - but who controls that parliament, and by what means do they achieve that?
That's the democratic question. We might choose to live on less. We might choose to be less wasteful - and yet still enjoy greater health and happiness. We might choose to ease ourselves out of the 'materialistic trap' - or we might choose to continue that vicious cycle, which has defined us in recent decades. However, these are democratic choices, which the former three, I suspect, neither the politicians nor the corporations would favour - for their power depends on the busyness of ‘the people’, hence they will always try to optimise that busyness, whether or not it’s conducive to the health and happiness of those from whom they draw their power.
This, in my view, is about a choice of priorities - between a dubious affluence, which we should address with the fiscal deficit - and freedom, which we should address with the democratic deficit. I believe that if ‘we, the people’ don’t focus primarily on the latter, then we shall surely lose both, eventually.
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Good article Amilar
Our parents fought a war to eliminate Fascism only to have this current generation embrace it. This would be less disturbing if not for the fact that here in the US we have a large swath of middle class conservatives supporting "Corporatism" and Ayn Rand atheism, all while claiming to be Christians. In the US, we call these hypocrites Tea Party members, dunno what the EU version is?
Here in a recent debate, called the Republican/Tea Party Debate, on CNN, the audience actually cheered for executions and letting people die if they didn't buy health insurance. (Makes me ashamed of my country)
It seems politicians at all levels have to pander to the corporations, triciajean. I think that's what David Harvey refers to as the 'state-corporate nexus', in his new book, The Enigma of Capital. It just seems so much worse now than ever before - and I think the European Parliament is an Orwellian nightmare waiting to happen.
I think you're right about getting the local politics sorted first.
Hi chefsref, it just looks like we’re back to square one as far as 'people power' is concerned. I do try to follow the goings on, on your side of the pond because the World’s so interconnected. It has something to do with America sneezing apparently, and it’s useful to know what’s in the wind.
I heard about that debate on CNN, but America is a big country with many people with widely differing views; I’ve always been aware, but never more so than now, that it has an abundance of decent, principled people, such as you.
The EU is broke, with Europe bailing out countries by the year, and then having to bail them out again, it's becoming chaotic. In England, there is a vicious anger at the EU, many people wanting England out the EU - a party named UKIP (UK Independence Party) were the 4th largest party in the last election, with a 16% vote - just showing how many people want England out the EU.
This particular paragraph of yours, amillar, resonated with me since it describes, in my opinion, what is happening in the U.S. as well: "The . . . public gets scant consultation. We find ourselves managed by deception, fait accompli, and by a myriad of Machiavellian manoeuvres, by career politicians who largely ignore their electorate and pander to an elitist clique whose culture of global-marauding affords them little affinity with the ordinary . . . citizen."
I would swear you are describing the United States of America at present.
Very well written, amillar, voted up.
It is all heading for a one world government. In a nut shell that is what it is all leading to. How and who that will benefit I have no idea but we none have a clue as to what is going on. I have no faith or hope in any of them. I sit and want someone to take a stand and I guess that is what everyone does. So no one does anything. If we united and took a stand we could change things...but we won't.
I know you don't like me to talk about it but I love your number up there!
Way-aye man Indigital, It seems we're all broke - except those who are too big to fail and who show no allegiance to anyone - and even show contempt for their geographic roots. However, I'm not sure about UKIP; I haven't looked into their policies, or read their manifestos. I don't think nationalism is an answer either, if it just means we look after our own little patch, and disregard the rest, but still have to pander to the corporations before we can get food into our bellies. We might be able to follow better what they do in the name of democracy, but that doesn't mean that anything will change.
I notice, at the Lib Dem conference this morning, they're talking about hiring staff to go after the rich tax dodgers; we'll see. Apparently, the losses to the Treasury, of this sort of anti-social activity are a 16 times greater than that of benefit fraud. We'll see what happens - don't hold your breath.
I think that democracy is in crisis all over the Globe right now drbj. I follow, and try to understand, USA politics as much as I can, and it seems voting makes very little difference to the direction governments take - wherever we live. That seems sinister to me, and that's why I write about it - the more we communicate this problem, the better chance we have of arresting the trend. (The audacity of hope?)
I think there's a school of thought that they don't need to govern, all they need do is control the money supply, and thus control everything on Earth. Even when a raindrop falls on my head, ironically, here in Scotland, I'll know that someone has, by some means, gained ownership of it, and thus controls my access to water. There are those who claim to own the very building blocks of life, our genes, by means of patent. If that's not megalomania, I don't know what is.
The number up there has been up and down like a yoyo recently Jackie. It has neither rhyme nor reason - (just algorithm).
That raindrop reminds me, here in America, we have to drink chemically treated sewer water. They can kill everything in it (or so they claim) but the hormones from birth control. I hope you are at least allowed pure water to be thankful for. I had a friend who had well water and I would carry home jugs of her water while she carried home jugs of store bought sewer water.
Yuck Jackie! Store bought sewer water - and they made her carry it herself? That truly must be the ultimate in adding insult to injury. Or, should that be insult to dysentery? I suppose if she had to get a bank loan to pay for it, we might say it's adding insult to injury by dysentery and usury.
You crack me up amillar but you have sure hit the truth of it!
There's many a true word spoken in jest Jackie, but let's face it, we need to have a sense of humour these days. There’s not much else keeping us going.
That is true and basically I do, I kind of feel like what I always said about the homeless, "What is a depression to them?" It's no good for our health to get mad and we can't get even unless we can help sway some opinions by election day. Our alternatives look so bad though, I just don't know. Just pick the best of the worst I guess. :)
We should make the best of a bad job Jackie. When I look around the World at the lives some others have to live, I realise we could be a lot worst off. However, if we don’t get a grip of these politicos and their puppet masters in the tax havens, we'll never get out from under the corporate yoke.
Democratic deficit is the route to slavery...that seems to be the clamorous tone on all continents, and China will shortly rule the world as we will all be in debt to her with no chance of digging ourselves out. Very thoughtful...
These are interesting but dangerous times ewelz51. Who knows what will happen next? I suspect there are those who know what they intend will happen.
Thanks for dropping by and commenting.
I see this morning, the IMF are warning that they have insufficient funds to bail out all those countries teetering on the brink. It seems really obvious to me that the Euro is a failed experiment that Europe would do well to walk away from. To chase further after this folly by trying to unify governments etc, just seems a scheme beyond nightmare. At the very least, the Eurozone should cut Greece loose and facilitate an ordered return to the Drachma, so that they can devalue their currency and muddle their way out of the mire.
It's difficult to know the best way forward Amanda. It depends on who you are, I suppose. It seems the Washington administration (and, I suspect the corporations) want the Euro to continue. But that means that 'we the people' would have to get used to a future of austerity measures and homogenised fiscal conditions imposed across Europe and anywhere else unwilling to confront it, by an anonymous global plutocracy of bankers and corporations. I suspect that most people are already aware how ineffective voting has become, and I just wish some politicians could have the courage to admit that democracy is now defunct and their role has become more or less a form of middle management. Of course, that would end their careers, but it might help the rest of us to come to terms with the reality.
I suspect that everyone is keen to preserve the Euro in it's current form, purely because to do otherwise would be an admission of failure. For some reason, the powers-that-be are clinging to the Status Quo as though it were some kind of life raft. In fact there is no quick fix available either here in Europe, or over the Atlantic in America. The debts are too big to cure with simple austerity measures. The sooner they recognise this and actually acknowledge the situation, the better it will be for all of us. I don't know how feasible it would be for the major nations to draw a line and start again, but that's truly what is needed.
I understand that these crises make the wealthiest even wealthier Amanda. As an example, here's a quote from US Secretary of the Treasury 1921-1932, Andrew Mellon: "In a crisis, assets return to their rightful owners" (meaning him). There’s some insight there to the mentality of these people - so I suspect that those who have the greatest influence to do something about the crisis, have least incentive. Most ordinary people are decent and want to trust that their luminaries are the same. I see little evidence of that.
If we look at the upshot, (at the end of the day, to coin a phrase), we’ll no longer have a welfare state, we’ll have to go private for our pensions, our young people’s education and our health etc. That means more vast profits for a few wealthy people. Is that just coincidence? That would benefit the global banks and corporations, but does that mean we can trust the private sector with our money? Does that mean that we’ll actually protect ourselves against poverty and ill health, in old age? Does the private sector guarantee young people a return on their £9000 for the tuition fees, upon which the banks, of course, will charge interest while still being the continued exponents of outsourcing etc? Where’s the evidence of that? They’ll say, “there’s no other way” - but they would, wouldn’t they. As far as I can see, all the evidence should urge us to make sure we find another way.
One other way would be to do what President Lincoln did to fund the American Civil War. Many Americans now question why the government allowed the private banks to regain control of the making of money. I do too.
A fantastic piece, amillar! The developed world is in a transitional mess, and no one knows where it'll be when it's all finished. Monetary union without a fiscal union has created the reality that Greece, with only 2% of the total EU GDP, is bringing the whole world economy to the brink of collapse. Politicians are all bought by corporate money. They haven't been representing people for a long time, at least here in the US. Koch brothers can use their money to create tons of lies, yet those who are less inclined to think and seek out the truth will buy those lies again and again. Even the US Supreme Court is now treating corporations as people. There're just too many ills in this world, no wonder people are not feelng hopeful.
Hi netracer87, it's always encouraging to know that others see the situation as I do; otherwise, I'd probably go up the wall. In my view, the EU is not a democratic institution; it’s a profiteer’s club.
Anyway, I don't think that money is the key. What we need to focus on is the democracy because when we lose that, we lose control of everything. That seems logical to me. Privatisation has been just one aspect of the sort of ideologies that have led us in the wrong direction these last 30 or so years.
My generation, as all generations do, taught our children not to take sweeties (candy) from strangers; yet there are many of my generation who took bank loans from the biggest Ponzi scheme, the World has known. We might question the legitimacy of the banks’ behaviour, and whether or not we should let them keep the swag, but it seems to me, it would be much more disgraceful if we let the corporations use the resulting situation to undermine democracy in the World in order to consolidate their plutocratic power. Let's hope our children can learn from our mistakes.
Right now, we might think that the debt crisis is all that matters, but what will future generations think of us as they go to the polls knowing that nothing will change? They might even find that they’re afraid to protest about the situation because the drones in the sky will photograph or even mow them down. Could that be our legacy? (At this point in a rant, my wife usually starts throwing things at me for being too cheerful.)
If we want to know what's going on, we might 'follow the money', as they say, but we ought never to let ‘the money’ lead us -- more deeply into servitude.
Thanks for commenting and welcome to Hubpages BTW.
Great article, as usual.
You are the best at telling it like it is in a most humorous way. I completely agree with you that the need to shore up the democratic deficit is most urgent.
Hi Fay - thanks for dropping by and for your kind and encouraging comment. If everyone was like you, there would be no democratic deficit.
Great hub!Here's to more of this.
Hi Xenonlit,
Thanks for the encouragement. It's nice to know your out there - I'll be looking forward to reading your hubs.
![On Principle and Pragmatism II - Ratification of the U.S. Constitution Almost Didn't Happen [29]](http://s2.hubimg.com/u/4035337_50.jpg "On Principle and Pragmatism II - Ratification of the U.S. Constitution Almost Didn't Happen [29]")
triciajean Level 2 Commenter 8 months ago
One of your best lines here, amillar, is "career politicians who largely ignore their electorate and pander to an elitist clique whose culture of global-marauding affords them little affinity with the ordinary European." Marauding they are.
I believe in local control. They doesn't mean tribes and states can't cooperate. They must. But anything that belongs to the tribe or town should be decided and managed within that tribe or town. A great hub.