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This thursday, the Irish Republic’s electorate vote in a referendum regarding the full ratification of the Lisbon Treaty.
Any change to the constitution of the Republic Of Ireland requires a public referendum (the only country in this instance I believe to require such a measure) and many see thursday as crucial to further cementing the EU as a singular, centralised political entity. Approval will give the green light for remaining states yet to adopt the treaty to proceed with parliamentary votes to do so. Rejection will in all likelihood delay and scupper the whole process of futher integration and union, and according to many observers plunge the EU into a state of crisis.
Recent opinion polls have indicated a huge swing towards a NO vote after the YES campaign initially showing promise.
What is your take on the whole European gig?
Progressive Political Evolution?.. Or a Flawed Federal Frankenstein?
Definately the latter (Flawed Federal Frankenstein) Pepper! Make no mistake but that the EU has been stealthily shutting down our democracy, whilst we flounder helplessly like stranded dolphins.
Establishing itself as a state in its own right, it gives EU law superiority to national law, ending the national veto over umpteen new policy areas, including the likes of public health, with the big business credo of ‘the free market’ becoming the controlling principle of the EU.
This uniting of big business across – say – Germany, France, Italy and Britain – without national parliaments for the proletariat to insure themselves, is not only centralist and undemocratic, but is about to prove even more insidious under The Lisbon Treaty, screwing Joe and Janet Mc Bloggs on the likes of retirement ages and pension taxes for starters. Oh god, don’t get me started.
I have already?
Well I’ll stop here before exploding in an unsightly collage of snot and sinew!I have to say I am wary and suspicious of any organisation that becomes too powerful and makes its own rules. I have a sneaking suspicion that althought it may superficially seem to be a good thing, that it is just a way to prevent individual countries from acting on the will of their people through democratic process.
But… you could argue that we should have joined the EEC with the original few and we would have had a bigger say. Perhaps Ireland is right to get in there and get established in the early days.
Flawed Federal Frankenstein *box ticked*
Ireland and the UK joined at exactly the same time.
I think the whole thing has been one of the most marvellous projects ever conceived. I’ll tell you what the proles of Europe should be appreciative of – not getting sent off to butcher each other senselessly every generation or so in each others’ countries. There’s barely been a hint of bother between treaty members for over half a century. Magnifico.
As for social change, Britain’s people’s responses have been frankly strange. Credulous enough to believe nonsense about banana and gravy regulations made up by the likes of The Mail, they have been happy to be suspicious of progressive notes like the famous social chapter. ‘No, that’s right, Maggie. It’s our natural born right as freeborn Britons to be exploited by our employers, if that’s what we want. You tell them Diegos to take their workplace rules banning sixty hour weeks and tell them to shove them up their garlic wiffy backsides, the cheeky bastards.’
The internationalist spirit of the enterprise should also make a true socialist’s heart sing. Nations like Ireland and Portugal have benefitted immeasurably. The area’s poorest people elevated. Wundebar.
Encore.
In continuing on with my theme (now that the threat of implosion has subsided and all is calm) with regards to the undemocratic autocracy of the EU, under the Lisbon Treaty, a President will be installed – unelected by the people – with nary an input from the likes of thee, me or sweet Fannee Adams. Ditto, a Foreign Minister, who will make up foreign policy for all EU countries.
The shortsighted boasts of European amity are laughable in the face of the turmoil which surrounds the rest of Europe, with British troops in Kosovo and the killing fields of the former Yugoslavian conflict still fresh in our memories. And whilst Britain and Germany may be refraining presently from physically kicking the shyte out of each other, it hasn’t prevented Britain from sending its young men and women to face and create slaughter in Iraq and Afghanistan. Like the tigers of the Sunderabad, driven to aggression by salt water, we can’t fecking help being driven into conflict – although by oil rather than water. Wars will always be waged. Multiculturalism, Internationalism – Utopian dreams.
Now let me run this by you for consideration:
The Workers Solidarity Movement’s anti – Lisbon treaty leaflet
>> Lisbon – So What’s It All About Then?
“Over recent months, there’s been endless talk about the Lisbon Treaty. Most political parties advise us that we’ll be embarrassed and economically ruined if we don’t vote ‘Yes’. Groups advocating a ‘No’ vote tell us that we will lose our democracy and sovereignty if we do vote ‘Yes’.
We as Anarchists think they have both missed the point. People in Ireland can do a lot better than a choice between the clowns in the Dáil or those in Brussels. We oppose the EU but don’t insult people’s intelligence by saying that our current society in Ireland with its ludicrously high house prices, diabolical public services and corruption is anything better.
A ‘No’ vote will not ruin us. The treaty doesn’t commit us to any major new economic agreements. A ‘Yes’ vote will not ruin us. Let’s not forget that sovereignty as it is currently discussed is meaningless. The major lack of democracy in our lives is not between us and the EU but between the Irish government and us. The Irish elite are happy to have a debate focused on Europe because it deflects attention from the real struggle which is here in Ireland.
Anarchists believe the problem is not the treaty alone but the EU as an institution. The treaty, no matter what it contained, wouldn’t give us more control of our lives. This can only happen when we have democracy in our communities and workplaces.
>> They’re Stealing Our Public Services
Over the years, trade unions and social movements across Europe have improved our quality of life by winning increased public services. Today, we are seeing the European elite, including the Irish elite, attempting to overturn these victories. We are seeing an attack on working people through the process called “liberalisation” which means the handing over of public services to private owners so they can make profits from services that are essential to us all.
We’ve already seen this when the Irish government brought in the ‘Bin Tax’. Over the past few years this tax has risen and risen. Now the county councils are “outsourcing” waste collection. Essentially they have given our taxes to private companies to profiteer on what is an essential service.
If our leaders have their way things will get worse. We’ve already seen attempts to re-introduce a water tax in the 1990’s. This will follow the same process as the ‘Bin Tax’. Water charges, once introduced, will steadily increase before being privatised. A ‘No’ vote won’t stop this “liberalisation” by itself, but it will send a clear message that we will not allow this to happen and that the fight starts here.
>> A Treaty for Elites
This treaty also asks us to support changes in the structure of the EU. These changes will not affect our lives on a daily basis. Much is being made of the fact that we are losing our commissioner, but for us as Anarchists this question is irrelevant to the daily lives of people in Ireland – Charlie McCreevy has been a Commissioner for two years – is he really making a difference? Do you trust him or any politician to act in your interests?
We see issues like the democratic deficit in the EU as merely a symptom of the real problem. The real problem is in how we live our own lives. We work all day and have absolutely no control over our lives in our workplace; we are asked to vote every 5 years to chose who we would like to make our decisions for us. This is not democracy in any meaningful sense of the word. There are people who do have control however; the politicians and business elites. They make money off our work everyday. A quick look over the past ten years in this country has seen the fact they couldn’t care less about us. A massive amount of wealth has been created by workers in this country during the Celtic Tiger. Our bosses have hoarded this wealth while we had to take out huge mortgages to buy homes.
Now things are not looking so rosy and this has left many of us looking into an uncertain future. The elites do not face these problems. Many have become millionaires, even billionaires. Now are they willing to give a bit back to relieve our uncertain futures? Of course not. This is capitalism – they make money in the good times and then live off it while we are going through the bad times.These problems exist for a reason. There is no democracy in our workplaces and until this happens the money will always end up in the coffers of the elite. This treaty asks us to support changes in the EU to make money transfers and trade relations between them easier. Why should we give them the thumbs up when they couldn’t care less about us? Vote ‘No’ to their restructuring. But a vote ‘No’ is worth little on its own if things are not changed at home. The EU must change but so too must Irish society.
>> So, What’s the Solution?
Through its commitment to liberalisation, this treaty is endorsing the passing of more of our public services in to private hands. This is robbery. It is maintaining, reinforcing, and expanding the undemocratic structures of Ireland today on to a European level. There are quite clear reasons for this – as we have argued above, the EU and the Irish State are designed to benefit a minority; those who control the wealth in our society.
This is nothing new. It has being going on to some degree or another for thousands of years. Is this the best we can do? For us the answer is simply no. How can Ireland, a country with vast amounts of wealth, allow 25% of the population to either live in poverty or at risk from poverty? It simply isn’t good enough. We don’t believe the problem lies in a bad government or corruption. The problem is the structure of society we live in.
We, as Anarchists, believe that only a radical change in the democratic and economic structure of our society can change things so that the majority of people benefit from the resources of this country. The wealth, held now by the minority, must be used to benefit everyone.
We believe control is the key. Firstly we must have control over our workplaces. If we cannot control our workplaces we will not have any control over where the resources of our country end up. The health service is a good example. The people who do the work – doctors, nurses, cleaners, technicians, cooks, etc. should be the people who run the health service on a daily basis. Our current system puts a politician and businessmen in the HSE in control of the system when clearly those who work in the industry know it best. The same can be said for private industries: the people who do the work never see the wealth created; it always ends up in the hands of one individual or a small minority.
We must have control over our communities – the innumerable planning disasters we live with and see around us show the disastrous effect on communities that entrusting planning to politicians has. Many of us in this country live in housing estates with few green areas, little space for kids to play and inadequate access to proper services. Politicians simply allow their developer friends to build as cheaply as possible with no regard for the communities who have to live with the effects of poor planning. This is just another symptom of a world where the lives of people are entrusted to a political system that has no interest in representing anything other than the interests of the rich and powerful. We want a world where our communities can control themselves, not act as testing grounds for feckless developers.>> What do we mean by control?
Control is not about you controlling anyone else or anyone else controlling you; it means that you and your work mates and your neighbours should run your lives together. We don’t believe that a government, a party or a religious institution knows what is best for you – you can only decide that with those you live and work with. For you to have control over your day-to-day decisions direct democracy is essential. Direct democracy is where you have a direct say over the issues that affect your life, including in your workplace.
>> Is this Socialism?
Yes. The means of producing wealth should be in common ownership. Anarchists believe that everyone should contribute to society according to their abilities and receive according to their needs. We also see freedom as essential, we want to end the division of people into rulers and ruled. As one of anarchism’s early advocates, Michael Bakunin, said, “Freedom without Socialism is privilege and injustice…Socialism without Freedom is slavery and brutality”. How can this be achieved? We are not so naïve as to think that the likes of the property developers, the businessmen or the politicians are going to give up their power and wealth easily – we must be organised. Organisation is our strength – in your workplace this can mean joining a Trade Union or perhaps in your area joining a campaigning group. Together, as organised workers and neighbours, we can build a new society of equality, prosperity and liberty for all.”
I couldn’t have put it better meself!
@esmeralda wrote:
I couldn’t have put it better meself!
I have no doubt.
However, Googling the views of obscure anarchist groups that vaguely reinforce your own ill thought out, knee jerk rants is a bit weak – especially from a self-proclaimed Scottish Nationalist. Nationalism and Makhnovist anarchism? Hilarity ensued.
Now, the unelected ‘President’ you mention. This is just an evolution of the current system. The role is largely administrative. We’re not talking about an American style presidency. Fear mongering guff. Similarly, the ‘Foreign Minister’, which is just a streamlining and amalgamation of two existing posts. In fact, the EU has explicitly addressed fears that this new post would undermine or conflict with national foreign policies.
As for Yugoslavia, Iraq and Afghanistan, these are quite clearly not member nations and therefore not covered in the description of the stability that the EU has provided. Britain and Germany are not ‘refraining’ from an otherwise desperate impulse to attack each other. They are now linked in fraternal bonds of commerce, law and cooperation, as are France, Spain and Italy. A super achievement.
I don’t think anyone pretends that the EU is perfect, but it is an enterprise that seeks to elevate Europe from a truly sickening past. It is succeeding. It is also in its infancy and reformable – the Lisbon Treaty is a manifestation of that characteristic. The treaty aims to bolster the European Parliament, addressing concerns of not enough powerful direct representation for the people of Europe, as well as making the Charter of Fundamental Rights legally binding; extending dignity, freedoms, equality, solidarity, citizens’ rights and justice across the continent.
Multiculturalism and internationalism, amongst other high ideals, might be foolish, Utopian dreams to small minded creatures like yourself and I may indeed be a dreamer but I’m not the only one.
This is the final struggle
Let us stand together, and tomorrow
The Internationale
Will be the human raceAh, Pikey. I’m glad to see that being asked to resign from one site and chastised on another for maliciously stalking my good self – even, in the light of my illness, wishing me dead, hasn’t made you bitter and vengeful, to the extent of posting opinions diametrically opposed to my own, just for the spite of it.
Oh – and yes – I voted Scottish Nationalist in order to get shot of an increasingly right-wing, English Government lackey Labour party. The Nationalist Left see the EU reform treaty as a key opportunity for taking the offensive against the big-business dominance of their parties – not in any abstract sense, but because it now directly threatens democracy itself.The SNP was historically opposed to the European Union. In 1975, it campaigned for a No vote alongside the STUC and the Labour left. Billy Wolfe, its chairperson through the 1970s, attacked the EU as undemocratic and centralist. By christ, he was right, and it’s a view the SNP would be wiser to adopt now.
Anyways, including vengeful eejits, we have 2 agin, one for, and one not sure. Any more for any more? And Pepper, don’t set the question then run away without giving us your own slant on the matter.
I’ve always been very pro EU and pro Britain joinung the euro. But I admit that various silly decisions and ideas have come out of Brussels but no more so than from the governments of the individual nations, including ours!
When all is said and done, we are citizens of the EU, and have official status as such. This grants us rights throughout the EU area regarding travel, residency and work. If we leave the EU, all that will be lost.
That’s 2 fors, 2 agins, and 1 not sure!
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