el viva espana
I am a complete unabashed and unapologetic Europhile. So much so, that I sincerely believe now is the right time to whole-heartedly commit to Europe, to put our complete economic support behind the great European initiative, and, get this, to join the single currency, the much lambasted and harangued, Euro. And I’m saying that with the belief that Greece will presently leave the European community, and it could well be followed by one or two more similarly high-profile states. By becoming both better financially managed and more controlled, the European Union will, in the long-term, become stronger and more influential on the international stage. And just imagine the terms of entry and inclusion that we could negotiate with such a bold and decisive action. We would undoubtedly accede to position of joint leadership with the European powerhouse and central driving force, Germany.
Speaking of Greece, its recent electoral decision has oft been reported as an ‘astonishing and radical victory for the extreme left-wing’. I personally see this outcome as neither astonishing nor extreme. Admittedly, it’s premise is ‘anti-austerity’ and it is attempting to buck the measures that the rest of us are following in attempting to make the best of the financial collapse, which, lest we forget, was hoisted on us by an unregulated and out-of-control laissez-faire financial system, but it’s far from ‘extreme’. The policy has been supported by leading Keynesian & monetarist economists throughout the western world: hardly extreme and certainly not left-wing. And as for ‘astonishing’, when a country lives beyond its means for decades, is riddled with black-market & public sector corruption, defrauds & falsifies its economic position and strength at every turn, then votes in a populist government that promises an easy way out, well, I’d say that was par for the course. How a country thinks it could continue when it’s debts peak at 176% of GDP is frankly, beyond me.
The first deadline for a deal between Athens and the troika comes on the 28th February, when the current bailout agreement is due to be replaced with a follow-up. The EU should welcome the long-overdue shake-up that’s coming and be delighted to see the back of Greece.
