The Belgian Crisis: Lessons for Europe

From the desk of The Brussels Journal on Sun, 2007-09-23 10:52

A quote from Anthony Manduca in The Times of Malta, 23 September 2007

Should Belgium – the heart of the EU – split into two it would be embarrassing for those in the EU who advocate even deeper integration and the eventual doing away of the nation state. However, I do not believe that the majority of EU officials and leaders are in favour of such a direction for the EU.

I have always been a strong believer in the EU and a defender of its values and what it stands for. […] However, one must be level-headed and practical when it comes to the EU. While acknowledging all the positive things it has achieved through shared sovereignty – and there are many – there are limits to how much further integration can take place. The Belgian state of affairs has highlighted the importance of the EU respecting core national identities and of recognising the fact that different regions have diverse approaches to economic issues within a market economy, which it does. Flanders, for example, is economically more liberal that Wallonia and this one of the causes of the sharp divisions between the two regions.

Should Belgium divide in two, however, it might be bad news for the EU federalists, but the two states will still be united by common values and beliefs within the European Union, along with their other EU partners. Furthermore, the EU will ensure that the split (if this does come about) takes place peacefully and without confrontation, in a spirit of solidarity.

I have no doubt at all that should the two regions eventually become independent they will remain EU members. I do not believe that a division of the country will harm the EU’s image and credibility. It will, on the other hand, boost those who argue – rightly – that the EU is a union of sovereign states bound by common values which voluntarily share their sovereignty in a spirit of solidarity.

The EU is corrupt

Submitted by longun45 on Mon, 2007-09-24 00:38.

To observe the functioning of the EU one must conclude that the "EU " is being run for the betterment of a small class of people.  Namely the super wealthy whose only hope to hold on to power is a police states where the "favored opinion" is the only one that counts, and where wealth is king. The credit is stretched too thin.  The inflation is too high.  The more government you have the higher the unemployment rate and the larger the welfare burden. Governments are trying to be all things to all people and punish those whom disagree by with holding services.   

 

 

The goal is to subjugate the entire world into zones that have no borders and no national identity.  The monetary conquest of Europe by corrupt bankers and wealthy families has nearly been completed.  The problem economically they did not for see, is the lack of population growth.  Their answer was unrestricted immigration to the entire EU.  Unfortunately when you import uncivilized, basic uneducated people who have a culture contrary to your own, you have sown the seeds of your own destruction. 

 

 

If the governments of Europe are not reigned in soon there will be a depression and a war that will truly be global.  Belguim is truly a microcosm of the total problems that will occur if the EU is allowed to continue its reign of financial and legal terror.

@dethule

Submitted by atheling on Sun, 2007-09-23 21:52.

"First of all, the 19th century exodus occurred not solely owing to political subjugation but also to economical consideration."

You just proved my point. Political subjugation AND economic consideration drove the exodus.

 

@dethule

Submitted by atheling on Sun, 2007-09-23 19:52.

When did those values become European ones? The 20th century in Europe saw Communism, Fascism, Naziism and Socialism. Not any of those systems value individual human rights or civil rights.

As a matter of fact, even 19th century Europe did not reflect those values - otherwise we wouldn't have seen so many Europeans emigrate to America.

First of all, the 19th

Submitted by dethule on Sun, 2007-09-23 21:13.

First of all, the 19th century exodus occurred not solely owing to political subjugation but also to economical consideration. Take Ireland as an instance.
To answer your question they became European through the spread of the enlightenment. This is the truly European essence in the pursuit of the 19th century, which does indeed represent aforementioned values. (Peculiarly as they had to be combated for)

values

Submitted by dethule on Sun, 2007-09-23 15:15.

@ rzeczpospolita
Something as shared European values do, to my mind, exist. I would classify them as individual human rights as well as civil rights. The question whether said values are properly exercised nowadays is yet quite a different issue.

I have always been a strong

Submitted by Monarchist on Sun, 2007-09-23 15:01.

I have always been a strong believer in the EU and a defender of its values and what it stands for.

 

Someone should finally explain me what these famous European values really mean? I heard even some wanted to exclude my Poland from the EU because of this, I hope that they succeed but I still might only guess what is about,  socialism, untouchable bureaucracy,  perversion, hypocrisy  or maybe corruption?