Quote Originally Posted by Furunculus View Post
why, it accurately defines what he describes, why dress it up otherwise?
Fair enough, it's just quite a strong term. Protectionism to me implies markets completely closed to foreign goods, I'm less frightened by Protectionist as a term (and policy) -i.e some degree competition and support

Quote Originally Posted by Louis VI the Fat View Post
It's all not a matter of rightwing - leftwing.

The Nordic countries are made of glass, they're so transparent. It is a miracle to behold. Everything is open, direct, accessible.

Greece, within Europe, is in all of these aspects at the other end of the scale. It is all not a matter of left or right, nor even of economics. It is cultural.
I am wary of the term "culture" in this sense, it can imply that such countries are predestined to be as they are -either well or badly run. "Societal" might be less ambiguous a term as it is understood to be transient, changeable and fluid. After all, if we don't strive for or accept that places like Greece, never mind the UK, Italy, Russia or Sudan for that matter, can evolve in a positive manner, we might as well give up or request invasion by the superior Scandinavians.