Its with mild amusement that I look upon the issue of the on-going problems with the Euro-zone. The Euro, an admirable and a-times much maligned currency of a group of European nations was essentially brought in to bring balance, parity and union in economics, providing somewhat, a powerful economic trading bloc for all members. However, like most member of a family, we all have differing outlook on life and how we see our fortunes and our future. A family consist of a mother and father( France & Germany) if you will. With all the sibling vying for attention. Most educated people will already see the flaw in the initial gambit.
Once, where you needed a suitcase full of Lira to buy a loaf of bread. Or parcel full of Peseta to buy a Paella, you could now do everything with the Euro in all member countries. Most common people, myself included believed and bought into this new exchange rate mechanism. A power-house of economic union that was going to see off the likes of America and developing economies in South America and Asia. Hello!
The Elephant in the room, which all these policy makers forgot to monitor is that the union should be based upon stringent, equitable and balanced fiscal policies. The very nature of which a free market economy does not support. Keeping it simple, we should all be retiring at the same age, paying around the same tax and keeping a summary GDP. However, what we got instead was each member nation playing what I call the classic game of charade. In Greece, a country loaded with government employee’s and little fiscal monitoring policies, what we got was individual buying new cars instead of saving for that rainy day. In Portugal & Ireland, it was not much better. Spain & Portugal went on an unsustainable real estate expansionist program and toxic lending which summarily came home to roost. I hear you ask about mom & dad! ( France & Germany ) Lend me your ear. In these two nations, there is more of a culture of savings and working to live rather than living to work. They save, in the UK we don’t, we don’t even really plan for our retirement. Over 75% of people in the UK do not understand fiscal planning, GDP or what the government is really doing with our hard paid taxes.
I began my piece by saying it is with mild amusement I look upon,….. What I was trying to get to is that, even now government of the west with the crisis in which we find ourselves are merely masking over the issue. The truth is: With technology, there are no real jobs anymore. We have more leisure time as human beings. In some Westernised nations, we have become essentially a consumer society. We produce nothing. A service nation can only provide shelter for the movement of money. There was a time money actually had creditable spine behind the trade. We are led to believe we need to work longer to provide for our future, but where are the jobs? University student have no upward mobility as the older people who should be stepping aside for them to enter the work force are holding on dearly to their jobs for fear of being unable to meet daily liabilities. Training such as apprenticeship no longer exist, we have work-shy and feral youths who only want to be famous, our hero’s are no longer our hard-working parents.
What the politicians and our leaders really need to address is: where is the love?
Where is the love for fellow human-beings? While we worry about not being able to afford a 3D TV, in some parts of the world the daily question is: what do I eat today, and where am I going to get my next meal or drink-able water. I watch and wonder as people consume bottled water supplied by Evian. Have you ever considered what evian reads at when read backwards? Yes, it spells: NAÏVE.
We are naïve to think we can keep violating this planet without consequence. We have to address the truth that there really isn’t work for all our people anymore. We have to help bring fellow human’s in less disadvantaged countries to parity, without cost. I can say these things because I am not a politician and do not need your vote. Many admirable people selflessly work for this end and they know the reality of all our future’s is the common ground of universal and global human parity.
Remember: These ranting are the work of a stable mind which has no affiliation with any political or economic bodies. I am a universal soldier of Allah.Peace be upon his name.
Remember: running-water cannot be stopped, it always find a way.
NB: if there is a specific topic you would like me to share my thoughts on, please do not hesitate to let me know.
