Friday, 10 April 2020

Both over-centralised and powerless?


One of the side-effects of the coronavirus pandemic is that it has highlighted some of the difficulties afflicting the EU.  The inability of the EU to respond clearly and centrally to the crisis because of differences of opinion between member states is leading some Brexiteers to say “I told you so” or something similar and rub their hands with glee at what they see as an impending collapse.  But hold on a minute – what this means is that those who told us that the problem with the EU is that it is an undemocratic over-centralised body imposing its will on member states are now telling us that the problem with the EU is that independent member states have too much power and are preventing the central authorities from taking firm action.  Consistency and respect for reality were never exactly their strengths.

3 comments:

Spirit of BME said...

There is a dangerous virus stroking the land, called hypo-hysteria, which is creating a lot of damage.
I find the behavioural aspects fascinating and the EU (among many) has its fair share. From what I can see of the issues, it’s a mismanagement of expectations on one hand and mistrust on the other, but now is not the time to ask questions.
In my school, whenever you hit a disaster, the masters called it `character forming, ‘or an opportunity to learn and I think we should all do that in this bit of bother we are in.

Anonymous said...

Spirit of BME, I too can remember when we had proper schools in Wales with proper teachers and a proper school ethic.

What have we done to ourselves? And to think some regard it as progress. God help us. Or should I say thank God the English continue to help us!

John Dixon said...

"... I too can remember when we had proper schools in Wales with proper teachers and a proper school ethic" I'm not sure when you think schools, teachers and school ethics ceased being 'proper' in Wales although, from the rest of your comment, I'd guess you associate it in some way with the idea that we should in any way deviate from the English education model (which as any good English nationalist like yourself knows and understands is perfect, purely by dint of being English).

"Or should I say thank God the English continue to help us!" And, of course, we must say a particular thank you to English nationalists like yourself who are so willing to take the time to remind us how stupid we are and how utterly unable we are to do anything without the assistance of the master race next door.