Europe

[Furunculus]

1. Personally, I think it's great. This way, federalism can be achieved at a faster pace. That, combined with Germany's court decision should help to ensure a Federalised, Democratic Europe sooner rather than later.

2. Well, he has spent the past 30 years studying European Politics, is a fellow of Oxford University and has written seven books; hardly symptoms of idiocy. And the fact that he is disagreeing with populists is probably another sign of intelligence. His latest article in the grauniad seems particularly relevant to this debate.

3. I don't understand (Most) Eurosceptics. They say that the EU is undemocratic; which is a fair criticism, and needs to be addressed. But this somehow translates into the whole concept being flawed, and that the EU should be dismantled. Ok, fair enough. But what's your alternative? Go it alone against USA, India, Russia and China?

4. Before you say anything, I'll let you in on a piece of information. In every single century during the entire history of mankind, save two, either China and India have occupied numbers one and two in terms of rank of gross GDP. The two centuries when they weren't? The 19th and the 20th, coincidentally the era when European/Western power was at it's zenith. What we are seeing with the "rise" of China and India is not some freak accident, but rather a realignment of of the natural order of the peoples. The old European nation-state is obsolete, finished. We are seeing the emergence of the civilisation state, where entire cultures are unified into single borders, single economies and single millitaries.

5. Britain cannot compete on that kind of scale. Neither can France, Germany or Finland. However, should we put aside our differences and together to protect our interests at home in Europe and outside of it, maybe we can do something. We can't prevent Chindia's increasing relevance, but we can sure as Hell prevent our irrelevance.

1. I'm not quite sure i follow, the creation of an anti-federal right-wing bloc will make federalism faster? Perhaps by starting an honest debate for once within mainstream euro politics over whether the people actually want a federal europe......... you may be right, but the result could easily go the other way. As to the german ruling; i support it to, it makes a strong case for national oversight and involvement in european politics, and to whatever extent european politics exists I want to see the primacy of national parliaments.

2. No, he still is an idiot. He has not grasped after thirty years of 'study' that the demos do not feel loyalty and trust to a cratos which shares none of the history that creates the shared culture, social norms, and goals that allow trust to form and loyalty to be awarded.
"Cameron may have helped the Polish right, but he has not served Britain. A dubious rightwinger now heads conservatives in Europe. What on earth does the Tory leader think that he's doing?"
He is doing what he is supposed to; responding to his EUro-skeptic electorate by not housing his european political arm within a federalist euro political bloc. TGA is still trapped in a lefty mindset of distrust and fear; distrust of the irresponsible peoples within europe who will once again descend into blood and barbarism without a post nationalist political ideology, and fear that non-liberal ideologies will be storming the gates of illiberal europe unless they band together against america and asia. I don't have that distrust of people, and i don't have the fear of once again seeing my ideological champions dashed to the ground.

3. No, the whole concept is unecessary and inherently un-demos-cratos. I say this because I believe in the sovereign nation-state. 1000+ years of co-existence and co-dependence has forged the English people, and latterly the British peoples, into a group with a shared culture, shared social norms and values, and a shared world view. Therefore I trust this body of people act in a way that I generally approve of, and to produce a governing body that will act broadly in manner that I understand and accept. Therefore I am willing to be bound by their decisions, and thus is my acquiescence to the will of the state created. I am, in short, willing to suffer the consequence of my governments actions. I share no such empathy and common history with the continental nations, therefore I have no trust that they (the EU) will act in a manner that I approve of, and thus I do not acquiesce to be governed by the EU. In short, I am unwilling to suffer the consequence of the EU's actions conducted in my name. It will never be right that I should be governed by those I do not consider my 'family', hence I will never support the EU's political ambitions.
You know what, i'm pretty sure there are lots of people in europe who feel the same way about britain too, and that's okay, why should they want our free-booting capitalist ways interfering with their own political evolution.

4. Referring to #2, i don not fear that Britain won't be able to compete with the rising asian titans.
We are an innovating economy, our future wealth is tied to our ability to create value for others, not add value. That does not require a federal euope for Britain. Whether it requires a federal europe for France, Belgium et-al is a choice for them to make, not me.

5. Again with the fear, i'm not interested.