what are the pro's & con's of the euro?

Road_Hog

the_pink_panther wrote: »

Why was the euro ever introduced?

To create a political union, no other reason.

Generali

Mrs_Bones wrote: »

The politicians seem intent on pushing this fiscal union idea through though, do you really think they will meet much opposition and be prevented from taking over the the government powers of other countries like the ones you mentioned above? They already seem to have got their way in Greece and Italy. Will the German people or those from the Netherlands actually get a say in where their tax money is sent? Democracy seems to be dying in the EU, it's been ill for a long time.

It's hard to say TBH. Firstly, there's nothing quite as hard to predict as the future.

More seriously, what is 'Italy'? It didn't exist as a political entity until the C19th and, AIUI, most 'Italians' only feel much of an allegiance to the Azzuri and perhaps to Ferarri. Beyond that there is the campanilismo (literally the bell tower); the allegiance is to the town or to the local area. Italy itself is a corrupt construct to be treated with suspicion. (Happy to be corrected on that).

Greece is a pretty modern country I think as is Spain and Belgium. For the Flemish perhaps there's no difference between run by Germans in Berlin and French in Brussels. I don't know, I'm only supposing really.

Certainly people I've met from smaller European countries have been pretty sanguine about giving up things like foreign policy to 'Europe' or just about anyone really.

The other side of it is whether the Germans are prepared to foot the bill for European unification after the terrible and ongoing financial cost of trying to bring the East back into the fold. I have my doubts: I suspect that the German electorate has had enough of footing the bill for other people's screw ups.

Time will tell.

MiddleWill

Mrs_Bones wrote: »

The politicians seem intent on pushing this fiscal union idea through though, do you really think they will meet much opposition and be prevented from taking over the the government powers of other countries like the ones you mentioned above? They already seem to have got their way in Greece and Italy. Will the German people or those from the Netherlands actually get a say in where their tax money is sent? Democracy seems to be dying in the EU, it's been ill for a long time.

I entirely agree. A colleague of mine made a joke a few weeks ago regarding the new proposals for closer fiscal union - "Germany failed to conquer Europe in World War 2.... well, they've got it now!". I was rolling! :rotfl:

It's frustrating how public opinion in Britain is ignored (we want out, we're ignored) and indeed Germany. They're one of the spearheads for all this nonsense with France and yet the German public despise giving away their hard-earned taxes to countries like Greece and Ireland. Hell, Merkel could barely gather concensus for Greece's bailout.

Something tells me she just wants the economy to nose dive even more and get Germany to answer one question - Bail on Europe and cause an unthinkable global recession (a proper one) or give out yet more money. I reckon Merkel wants the latter - cheap commodities that are now Germany's !!!!!. Well played.

RUN_RABBIT_RUN

at least we didnt join the thing

should have listened to thatcher

no,no,no