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pampango

(24,692 posts)
Tue Oct 30, 2012, 08:17 PM Oct 2012

Greece ex-PM: Europe must overcome the politics of fear

To those who were surprised that the European Union received the Nobel Peace Prize, I say: “Think twice.” This was not only a deserved award for Europe’s contribution to bringing peace and stabilizing democracies in the recent past. The Nobel Committee was also sending a clear warning to contemporary leaders. I could almost hear them saying: “On this difficult odyssey, don’t abandon ship. In today’s world, the EU is too valuable to squander.” It was an indirect but powerful rebuttal to the dangerous nationalist and populist rhetoric some politicians have adopted when describing the recent financial crisis.

Like ghosts from the past, we see political violence, xenophobia, migrants being scapegoated, and extreme nationalism creeping into our public debates — even into our parliaments. This is a Europe diverging from its founding principles. Principles that rendered nationalistic hatreds an anathema.

There is nothing wrong with European countries ceding sovereignty in the interest of creating a stronger Europe. (Indeed, they already have.) But as we do so, we need to rethink how our representatives in the union are elected and how decisions are made. An EU president, elected by a European Parliament (or even a directly elected president), European-wide referenda, forms of more direct citizen participation, and the use of social media are ideas already ripe to explore.

We do have a choice. Either we empower Europe and its citizens and become a catalyst for humanizing our global economy, or globalization will dehumanize our societies and undermine the European project. As a citizen of Europe, I vote for the first choice.

http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/Global-Viewpoint/2012/1030/Europe-must-overcome-the-politics-of-fear-around-the-debt-crisis

It is a long and interesting article by George Papandreou - whether Europe should renationalize or continue to "cede sovereignty in the interest of creating a stronger Europe".

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Greece ex-PM: Europe must overcome the politics of fear (Original Post) pampango Oct 2012 OP
Bookmarking to read tomorrow when I'm not so tired... looks like a great article. Kick! nt riderinthestorm Oct 2012 #1
(like riderinthestorm above... will have to read fully hopefully less sleepy tommorow) BUT Joe Shlabotnik Oct 2012 #2

Joe Shlabotnik

(5,604 posts)
2. (like riderinthestorm above... will have to read fully hopefully less sleepy tommorow) BUT
Wed Oct 31, 2012, 01:10 AM
Oct 2012

The drum beat of corporatist bankers has been unchanged since the G7 was formed. "you are either with us.... or you are you will be left behind" False optimism fueled rhetoric works to a point, and then the 'fear' factor enters. My only hope is that people strengthen the bonds of true democratic socialism and reject bank-dominated corporatism. Sadly when the going gets (orchestratedly tough) history has often favored the corporate fascist state.

The Nobel prize was bullshit, cheapened by both old world and new world oligarchs, and their compliant media. Its meaningless this time around. 'Humanizing the global economy' is Orwellian. Equally: "European-wide referenda, forms of more direct citizen participation"......... don't hold your breath on that one... Mini-Switzerlands are not about to break out everywhere; that modicum of direct democracy is reserved for the very few countries that already have the money in the bank.

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