Austerity, Enlargement and Monetary Union. The End of European Democracy. Not Waving But Drowning.

https://rwer.wordpress.com/2012/03/30/money-circulation-on-the-eurozone-banks-deposits-under-the-lens/

Austerity, Enlargement and Monetary Union.

The End of European Democracy.

´Not Waving But Drowning´.
There are two things that the European Elites, in the Big Player countries at least, simply do not get. They are; Democratic Accountability and the importance of Economic Prosperity. If” it´s the economy stupid,” that comes first and people vote with their pocketbooks, there is then an option to dispense with one of these two mystery conceptions. Which one? of course, that would be Democracy.

The point which is quite clearly lost on the EU top Brass and their fundamental misunderstanding is this. To bake Austerity into the cake and to flout any pretence of democracy will not wash and has not been washing with people who are, or, at least believe themselves to be, free.

What makes this even more alarming and frankly plain stupid is that austerity is a political choice and not a Law of Nature. At this stage in the process where Democracy and Prosperity have been taken off the table and replaced with Authoritarian Austerity. We as Europeans and Citizens of our own Nations, Countries or communities can now look at both Democracy and prosperity and by understanding things better than the ´´ Experts, ´´ we will discover that we can demand and expect both Democracy and Prosperity.

What is the answer, how can we do this? quite simply by Democratising money.
´´The quality of mercy is not strain’d,

It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven

Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest;

It blesseth him that gives and him that takes:
‘Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown;´´

— The Merchant of Venice, Act 4, Scene 1

Wikipedia has an excellent entry on The EU history of referendums, and I have placed them in a spreadsheet to calculate the Effective votes based upon turnout in the different referendums. Of interest are.
  • The Danish and Swedish Euro currency Referenda of 2000, AND 2003.
  • The Irish Republic referenda of 2001 on the treaty of Nice &
  •  the 2008 Treaty of Lisbon referenda both of which were the subject of replays.
  • This after the events of 2005, where, a whole slew of referenda were planned but cancelled when the French and Dutch populations decided to take democracy into their own hands.
  • And FInaly the Events of the last 5 referenda starting with the Greek Austerity OXI vote.

 

Referendums related to the European Union

This is a list of referendums related to the European Union, or its predecessors, the European Communities. Since 1972, a total of 48 referendums have been held by EU member states, candidate states, and their territories, with several additional referendums held in countries outside of the EU. The referendums have been held most commonly on the subject of whether to become a member of European Union as part of the accession process, although the EU does not require any candidate country to hold a referendum to approve membership or as part of treaty ratification. Other EU-related referendums have been held on the adoption of the euro and on participation in other EU-related policies.
The United Kingdom is the only EU member state to have held referendums on the issue of continued membership of the European Union and its antecedent organisation, the European Communities. In the first referendum in 1975, continued membership of what was then the European Communities (which included the European Economic Community, often referred to as the Common Market in the UK)[nb 1] was approved by 67.2% of voters, while in its second referendum in 2016 voters voted by 51.9% to leave the European Union.[nb 2]
Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, voted to leave the EEC in a referendum in 1982 by 53% of voters.

CLICK ON GRAPH TO ENLARGE:

 

European Constitution, 2005[edit]

Several member states used or intended to use referendums to ratify the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe (TCE).
Referendums were planned, but not held, in:
 
 
It´s really the Treaty of Lisbon which marks the Highwater mark of the EU project both in terms of delineating the full highest extent of the water upon the beach. Since then the Tide has rushed out on The Technocracy accelerated by the Global Financial Crisis and then the Migrant Crisis stemming from The Wars in the Middle East and North Africa.
 
For a full Technocratic explanation of what Brexit is about and why ´´Populism seems to be the only Wave that Technocrats can identify This excellent report from Demos the cross-party Think Tank have put out.
 
 

Nothing to Fear but Fear Itself

There is a spectre haunting Europe: a culture and politics of fear, which asserts its growing influence in myriad ways. Most visibly, in the rise of far-right populist movements, the collapse of the social contract between citizens and political institutions, and in the proliferation of authoritarian and exclusionary rhetoric.
This pan-European project has sought to capture a snapshot of the ways in which fear is manifesting in the social and political climate of six different member states: the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, Poland and Sweden.

 
 
The narratives around the financial Crisis and also the Migrant/refugee crisis have been couched in terms of Global Markets, opportunity, Multiculturalism and fiscal responsibility even Climate Change. Austerity and remaining competitive in world markets is the mantra of the EU and National Politicians both Left and Right where they belong to the Danistocracy . to borrow the phrase of Toby Russel (he  posits the ruling Elite, Hybridised Oligarchy call it what you will as a Danistocracy borrowed from Popp and Albrecht, http://thdrussell.blogspot.se/2011/12/from-here-to-there.html ) That is the World of technocratic Economics which is neither political or affected in any way by Money, or more precisely That is The ´´There is no Alternative´´ (Mont Perelin/Bilderberg TINA Set)
 
Ruskin Put it this way in 1865, how little things have changed.

John Ruskin, Unto this Last 1860, Critique of Classical Political Economy.
´´Pardon me. Men of business do indeed know how they themselves
made their money, or how, on occasion, they lost it. Playing a
long-practised game, they are familiar with the chances of its
cards, and can rightly explain their losses and gains. But they
neither know who keeps the bank of the gambling-house, nor what
other games may be played with the same cards, nor what other
losses and gains, far away among the dark streets, are
essentially, though invisibly, dependent on theirs in the lighted
rooms. They have learned a few, and only a few, of the laws of
mercantile economy; but not one of those of political economy.´´
http://letthemconfectsweeterlies.blogspot.se/2014/08/government-of-poor-by-rich-for.html

 
The Last 5 referenda are not merely a losing streak for an off form European Star player, it is much more than that. The EU is not fit for purpose, purposes of Democracy or Prosperity. The main obstacles to Prosperity and Democracy are actually found within the EURO currency and ECB system of banking a Competency that is not subject to Subsidiarity or Proportionality principles it is jealously guarded outside of the view of the Experts as well apparently.
 The Euro is the Water in which we swim, the water which has been rushing out with the tide of Austerity and taking our democratic rights and liberty with it. Not just in The UK who voted for Brexit, but as can be seen by the preceding table, liberty is demanded elsewhere on the Continent of Europe. Where asked on matters where democratic and economic issues are concerned Voters reject centralisation instinctively it seems. Of course, technocrats crave centralisation and greater power.
The battle for democracy in the Uk continues post-Brexit and the two levers of Political Economy remain obscured from the discourse. The Copeland and Stoke By-Elections remain stubbornly focused on a personality politics which voters could not give a hoot about, it’s the Economy stupid and democracy not only needs to be done it needs to be seen to be done.

In Europe and in the UK, Sweden and Denmark where we have our own currencies the Answer for Prosperity is to Democratise Money.

And meanwhile floundering swept out to sea in the tide what is that we see is that Mr Junker perhaps or Mr Verhofsted?

Not Waving But Drowning.

EC enlargement of 1973[edit]

In 1972, four countries held referendums on the subject of the 1973 enlargement of the European Communities.
Before allowing the four new candidate member states to join the European Communities, founding member France held a referendum that approved this. Following the French approval, three of the four candidate states (Ireland, Denmark and Norway) likewise held referendums on the issue of joining the European Communities. The United Kingdom did not hold a referendum before joining.
Following the rejection by the Norwegian electorate, Norway did not join.
Denmark, Ireland, and the United Kingdom were admitted as members of the EC, acceding on 1 January 1973.

United Kingdom’s EEC membership, 1975[edit]

The Conservative government of Edward Heath did not hold a referendum before the United Kingdom joined the European Communities in 1973. The Labour Party‘s manifesto for the 1974 general election included a pledge for an in-out referendum after a renegotiation of its membership. Accordingly, after Labour won under Harold Wilson, the referendum was held on whether to remain in the Communities after a renegotiation of its membership. The result was in favour of remaining.

Greenland’s EEC membership, 1982[edit]

In 1973, Greenland joined the European communities as part of Denmark. However, after the establishment of home-rule and eurosceptic Siumut winning the 1979 Greenlandic parliamentary election, a referendum on membership was agreed upon, in which the voters rejected remaining part of the communities. This resulted in Greenland negotiating the terms of the its separation from the EU, resulting in the Greenland Treaty, and Greenland’s leaving the communities in 1985.

Single European Act[edit]

Two referendums were held in EU countries to permit them to ratify the Single European Act.

Maastricht Treaty[edit]

Main article: Maastricht Treaty
Before the negotiations on the treaty of Maastricht began, Italy held a consultative referendum in order to give the European Parliament a popular mandate to elaborate a future European Constitution. After the treaty was signed, three countries held referendums on its ratification.
In Denmark, two referendums were held before the treaty of Maastricht passed. The first one rejected the treaty.
After the defeat of the treaty in the first refererendum, Denmark negotiated and received four opt-outs from portions of the treaty: Economic and Monetary Union, Union Citizenship, Justice and Home Affairs, and Common Defence. The second referendum approved the treaty amended with the opt-outs.

EU enlargement of 1995[edit]

In 1994, four countries, and one dependency, held referendums on membership of the EU, resulting in the 1995 enlargement of the European Union.
The Åland Islands, a semi-autonomous dependency of Finland, also voted on their accession to the European Union. The favourable vote meant that EU law would apply also to the Åland Islands.
For the second time, Norwegian voters rejected the Norwegian government’s proposal to join the EU.
Austria, Sweden, and Finland were admitted as members of the EU, acceding on 1 January 1995.

Treaty of Amsterdam, 1998[edit]

Two countries held referendums on the ratification of the treaty of Amsterdam.

Treaty of Nice, 2001[edit]

In 2001, Irish voters rejected the Treaty of Nice, in the so-called “Nice I referendum”.
In the so-called “Nice II referendum” in 2002, statements on Ireland not having to join a common defence policy and affirming the right to decide on enhanced cooperation in the national parliament were stressed in a special document, resulting in a favourable vote.

EU enlargement of 2004[edit]

The 2004 enlargement of the European Union involved ten candidate states, eight from Central and Eastern Europe, and the Mediterranean islands of Malta and Cyprus. In 2003, referendums on joining the EU were held in all these nations except Cyprus.
Since the results were in favourable in all cases, all ten candidate countries were admitted as members of the EU, acceding on 1 May 2004.

Euro[edit]

Denmark and the United Kingdom received opt-outs from the Maastricht Treaty and do not have to join the euro unless they choose to do so; Sweden has not received an opt-out, yet deliberately does not live up to the requirements for joining for now. Two referendums have been held on the issue up to now, both of which rejected accession.

European Constitution, 2005[edit]

Several member states used or intended to use referendums to ratify the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe (TCE).
Referendums were planned, but not held, in:

Treaty of Lisbon[edit]

Only one member state, Ireland, obliged by their constitution, decided on ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon through a referendum.
In 2008, Irish voters rejected the Treaty of Lisbon.
After the first vote by Ireland on the Lisbon Treaty, the European Council and the Irish Government released separate documents, referred to as the “Irish Guarantees”, that stated the other member countries would not use the possibility in the Treaty to diminish the number of permanent commissioners in favour of a rotating system with fewer commissioners, and not threaten Ireland’s military neutrality and rules on abortion.[1][2] With these assurances, the Irish approved the unchanged Lisbon Treaty in a second referendum.

EU enlargement of 2013[edit]

Croatia was admitted as a member of the EU, acceding on 1 July 2013.

European Fiscal Compact, 2012[edit]

Unified Patent Court[edit]

The Unified Patent Court is a proposed court between several EU member states, that, inter alia, is to be constituted for litigation related to the European Union patent.

Greek bailout referendum, 2015[edit]

A referendum on the bailout conditions in the Greek government-debt crisis. A majority of the voters rejected the bailout conditions. However, shortly afterwards the government accepted a bailout with even harsher conditions than the ones rejected by the voters.

Danish EU opt-out referendum, 2015[edit]

The referendum was held to decide on converting the opt-out from participation in the area of Justice and Home Affairs area into an opt-in: the possibility for the Danes to decide on a case-by-case basis. The voters rejected the proposal.

Dutch Ukraine–European Union Association Agreement referendum, 2016[edit]

A consultative referendum upon a request of 427,939 Dutch citizens, based on the Advisory Referendum Act 2015.

United Kingdom’s EU membership, 2016[edit]

In February 2016, the Conservative government of David Cameron negotiated “a new settlement for Britain in the EU” which was then followed by a referendum on the UK’s membership of the European Union in the United Kingdom and Gibraltar. The result was for the UK to leave the EU and the deal was discarded .[3]

Hungarian migrant quota referendum, 2016[edit]

A referendum was held to decide whether Hungary should accept migrant quotas imposed by the EU without the National Assembly’s approval or not. The turnout was too low to make the poll valid.

Future EU enlargements[edit]

Countries which seek to join the European Union in the future may hold a referendum as part of the accession process. In addition, Article 88-5 of the Constitution of France requires a referendum there to ratify any future accession treaty.[4] Politicians in other existing members have proposed referendums in their states, particularly with reference to the accession of Turkey.
There is discussion amongst eurosceptic parties and movements across the EU to hold their own referendums on EU membership since the referendum in the UK.[5]
Not Waving but Drowning

Related Poem Content Details

Nobody heard him, the dead man,
But still he lay moaning:
I was much further out than you thought
And not waving but drowning.
Poor chap, he always loved larking
And now he’s dead
It must have been too cold for him his heart gave way,
They said.
Oh, no no no, it was too cold always
(Still the dead one lay moaning)
I was much too far out all my life
And not waving but drowning.
On Money and democratisong Money See these Blog Posts.

https://letthemconfectsweeterlies.blogspot.se/2017/02/meet-fuggers-brexit-euro-and-clueless.html

COLLATERAL SKIN IN GAME SERIES:

https://letthemconfectsweeterlies.blogspot.se/2015/05/on-tides-of-global-capital-david.html

https://letthemconfectsweeterlies.blogspot.se/2015/07/bricks-without-straw-economic-recovery.html

https://letthemconfectsweeterlies.blogspot.se/2015/07/bricks-without-straw-pharoh-merkel.html

https://letthemconfectsweeterlies.blogspot.se/2015/07/so-how-much-skin-do-troika-have-in-game.html

https://letthemconfectsweeterlies.blogspot.se/2015/07/on-skin-in-game-interestinf-question.html

https://letthemconfectsweeterlies.blogspot.se/2015/07/bankers-and-skin-in-game-taleb.html

https://letthemconfectsweeterlies.blogspot.se/2016/01/tragedy-and-hope-from-whence-we-came.html

https://letthemconfectsweeterlies.blogspot.se/2016/02/usury-hells-fuel-and-mans-oppressor.html

Concluding prayer.(from your writers´ epic poem, Usury Hells Fuel.)

 

A central lack of fibre. Either moral or physical around which myths of debt are spun.
As spiders spin webs and weavers warp clothe. Spartan Ephors of prudence pass judgement on all
and stand above and astride the law. Dispensing injustice and taking clothes off the backs of The freezing
and food out of the mouths of the hungry. Passing judgement on those who perform real work,
asking always for more and demanding to pay less.

So draw the bow of truth with intentness in the eye,
Seek out the irreducible posits, the epistemological gods of homer.
If there be one free miracle let the ephors explain the rest.
What is this power of usury? Where did this power come from ?
Who is it exercised for and to whom do you ephors of usury answer to ?
And now let me ask. How do we take this power away?
Only then we shall see good faith and brotherhood restored to the commons.
©RogerG Lewis 2016

https://letthemconfectsweeterlies.blogspot.se/2016/02/usury-hells-fuel-and-mans-oppressor.html

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