The recent economic collapse in Greece has caused a significant weakening of the Euro and has created a measure of financial panic all over Europe. So what solutions are being put forward by the governments of Europe? More centralization, more globalization and more power for the EU. For example, the German and French finance ministers have formulated a draft plan that would significantly strengthen “financial policy cooperation” within the EU. In essence, the plan would create the framework for a “European economic government” that would have substantial power over the economic decisions of member nations. But if Brussles continues to swallow more and more economic power, where does that do to the governments of individual member nations?
The chair of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, who received the new proposal from German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble and French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde is quoted as saying that some form of “European economic government” is needed to ensure that a crisis such as the one that has happened in Greece does not happen in the future….
“We need a European economic government in the sense of strengthened coordination of economic policy within the euro zone.”
It certainly seems as though almost every issue that comes up in Europe these days is an excuse for the EU to grab even more authority. Is Brussels destined to become a blackhole that ultimately sucks in all power and authority in Europe whether anyone likes it or not?
Not that this kind of thing isn’t happening on a global level as well.
These days the IMF is constantly pushing for more power and authority over world financial affairs.
In fact, IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn said on Friday that the International Monetary Fund wants new authority to supervise the global financial system. In addition, Strauss-Kahn has been openly advocating the creation of a global reserve currency that would compete with (and ultimately replace) the U.S. dollar in global trade.
So is all of this centralization and globalization a good thing? Is it right that the economic decisions for the planet are increasingly being made by a handful of very powerful men that we never even elected?
If we continue to hand authority to unelected bodies outside of our home countries, what will that do to our own political power? If we do not even have the power to vote out those who are controlling our economic destinies, then how could we ever possibly hope to change things?
Those are some very important questions. But the truth is that the powers that be are going to continue to push globalization and centralization on all of us. It is up to you and I to tell them what we think about it.