Unacknowledged, unseen, unmentioned: Poverty in Europe

Eurozine ^ | Unk. | Per Wirtén

[Doe Eyes]

The standard of living of our “poor” is about the same as the standard of living of Europe’s middle class.

I'd like to see proof of that.

[denydenydeny]

The standard of living of our “poor” is about the same as the standard of living of Europe’s middle class.

One of the biggest culture shocks you get in Europe as an American is when you visit comfortably upper-middle class families, and they live in what we would consider small, modest apartments.

[Fiddlstix]

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[Thunder 6]

Several years ago, I had the opportunity to drive through what was East Germany: Whole sections of Leipzig and Chemnitz (Karl Marx Stadt) were completely abandoned, and crumbling. In Dresden, I tried to speak German to a shop girl (wanted some Zeiss Binoculars), and realized it wasn’t due to my terrible grammar she wasn’t understanding me...it was because she was from Poland, as were most of the service workers there. Interesting migration issue.

Regards,

[bruinbirdman]

"It's Euro socialism, not royalty that is the problem. "

And this guy thinks Galbraith and FDR fixed everything in the U.S.A.

"Galbraith, a little dramatically, likens the situation in the EU to that in the US in the 1930s. But his point is that the US, with the New Deal and concerted national policy, started to help up its poorest states, and in so doing also helped its most impoverished citizens."

yitbos

[edcoil]

There is great wealth in those countries and while the title have no official functions, the families continue with benefits.

Not exactly sure where you feel you earned the right to tell me what I know or don’t know - but get your knowledge right before challenging me.

[skeeter]

I saw some of the country between Vienna & Berlin by train and was surprised at the low std of living of those in much of the countryside. Extremely neat, but extremely small houses w/no yards to speak of.

[DB]

The proof is out there...

There’s been many articles of European origin posted here saying as much.

Have you ever been to Europe?

Look at some of the responses to my post of people that have visited.

[WilliamofCarmichael]

RE: "They like to form international organizations, pass international rules and regs to undermind US economic might"

I believe that France has been the prime mover and it was France who seized the first opportunity and virtually forced a common currency on the EU. One prize would be a currency that would be much stronger than the lowly Franc to combat the Dollar.

"The idea of adopting a common currency in Europe has long been a mythical objective, one that you talk about but never take seriously. It suddenly emerged as a very real possibility in the aftermath of the Soviet Union collapse. France was concerned that Germany would divert its attention to the East and Germany formally needed the Allies, including France, to agree to its re-unification with East Germany. President Mitterrand linked his support to the establishment of a common currency and Chancellor Kohl accepted the deal."

"European Monetary Union: the dark sides of a major success," Charles Wyplosz

A major question is can the European Monetary Union (the Euro) survive without closer political union among EU members. So far the EMU has not been severely tested but that test has just arrived.

[bruinbirdman]

"France who seized the first opportunity and virtually forced a common currency on the EU."

Bankers and other capitalists from all countries.

yitbos

[Doe Eyes]

Have you ever been to Europe?

Many times. UK, Italy, Belguim, Sweden, Spain, Portugal and Poland.

[razorback-bert]

Bankers and other capitalists from all countries

I don't believe they are capitalist, more of elitist.

[DB]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1296803/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/fr/576678/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1921508/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/800358/posts

[flaglady47]

Interesting article. I’ll always remember when going through Bratislava in Slovakia (when I was there it was still part of Czechloslovakia), and seeing horrifying to look at block housing units built by the Commies during the occupation by the Russians. Ugliest buildings I’ve ever seen. Row after row of them. Totally dehumanizing. They are most likely still occupied. The equivalent of “teeming tenaments”. Filled to overflowing. Saw the same in the newer part of Budapest, again built during Russian occupation. The old part of town (the Buda part) was lovely, and the tourist section. The “modern” part contained the same block houses as in Bratislava, equally ugly, and equally dehumanizing. The EU can’t see the poverty moat in their own eye.