Posted on 10/06/2012 1:51:04 PM PDT by presidio9
CATALONIA may be the catalyst for a renewed wave of separatism in the European Union, with Scotland and Flanders not far behind. The great paradox of the European Union, which is built on the concept of shared sovereignty, is that it lowers the stakes for regions to push for independence.
While a post-national European Union may be emerging out of the euro zone crisis, with a drive for more fiscal union and more centralized control over national budgets and banks, the crisis has accelerated calls for independence from member countries’ richer regions, angry at having to finance poorer neighbors.
Artur Mas, the Catalan president, recently shook Spain and the markets with a call for early regional elections and promised a referendum on independence from Spain, although Madrid considers it illegal. Scotland is planning an independence referendum for the autumn of 2014. The Flemish in Flanders have achieved nearly total autonomy, both administrative and linguistic, but still resent what they consider to be the holdover hegemony of the French-speakers of Wallonia and the Brussels elite, emotions that will be on display in provincial and communal elections Oct. 14.
There are countless things that hold unhappy countries, like marriages, together — shared history, shared wars, shared children, shared enemies. But the economic crisis in the European Union is also highlighting old grievances.
Many in Catalonia and Flanders, for example, argue that they pay significantly more into the national treasury than they receive, even as national governments cut public services. In this sense, the regional argument is the euro zone argument writ small, as richer northern countries like Germany, Finland and Austria complain that their comparative wealth and success are being drained to keep countries like Greece, Portugal and Spain afloat.
The crisis has also produced a loss of
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
With the possible exception of claiming N. Sea oil, just where is the great wealth of today’s Scotland—where government spending is over 50% of GDP?
Don’t take your Euros away from me
Don’t you leave my banks in misery
If you go then we’ll be screwed
‘Cause breaking up his hard to do
Remember when you bailed us out
And with your balance sheets you gave us clout
All the austerity that we’ve been through
Breaking up is hard to do
They say that breaking up is hard to do
Now I know, I know that it’s true
Flanders and Scotland, please don’t go
Catalonia, don’t you love Spain no mo?
I beg of you, don’t say goodbye
Give the Euro pact another try
Come on baby, let’s start anew
‘Cause breaking up is hard to do
Financial services, manufacturing, tourism, fishing, luxery items, coal, zinc, iron.
Scotch.
“luxery items”
A necessity.
You are talking to a Scots-American who hasn’t had a drink in seven years...
Scotland would also be left with the Bank of Scotland’s bad debt. On the plus side, they would be free from the EU’s control.
I thought that luxuries was referring to stuff like haggis, woolens, Roman coins, ....
Heh.
I misread the first word as California and thought it was going to be about our more productive regions wanting out leaving socialist states like NY and CA to fend for themselves instead of leaching off others..
No you can’t go who will pay for all the deadbeats we created. Socialism is great until you run out of other peoples money, the responsible peoples money
What” Not going to thrown themselves on the socialist sword for the good of the EU .... how selfish and unpatriotic of them!
Cultural factors help too, such as: Work ethic, austerity, ability to think logically and respect facts.
Haggis is always good for a laugh from the uninitiated, but it can actually be delicious. Scottish smoked salmon is considered the finest in the world. As are their adult beverages, which you seem to enjoy, and I used to. That being said, aside from modern economics, Scotland’s greatest gift to the world was its national sport, which is the greatest game ever invented.
The scotch wells and the haggis mines.
Hopscotch?
It is doomed to failure eventually because of just the points made in the article....the rich get sick of subsidizing the poor, plain and simple.
You can't fool Mother Nature and human nature....for long.
Leni
good question
In my lifetime, there has not been a year in which California has not supplied much more to the Federal treasury than has been allocated here. So could you please explain what you mean by California "leaching off others"?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.