Political Terror
France is about to vote, probably against the plans for a new European Constitution. Where is Robespierre? Will virtue spring from this terror? Will anyone care? Politics is now concerned about consensus, trying to sense the mood of the middle ground and devising a strategy to dominate that arena, pushing aside any competition. Losers are granted a place in the House of Lords, which is the best club to be found in London.
Strange that we have allowed politics to fade away, despite knowing that these elected representatives take more than half of our earned wealth in taxes and often waste that money on spurious projects. Football, on the other hand, has all the pain, terror, and ecstatic joy that Robespierre would have understood. Last night one football team, from Liverpool, England, home of The Beatles, took its supporters through the whole gamut of emotions. Three-nil down at half-time, they came back to score three goals in six minutes, and then to win on penalties. Their goalkeeper Dubek became an idol. He was in the right place at the right time, sticking out an arm to push the speeding football away from his goal. Such joy, unbridled passion.
Politicians can no longer build such emotions. Do we need paranoia, fear and the promise of a new world or shall we continue plodding along? Give me the latter, Robespierre may well have said the same, if he had not faced the executioner himself. Fear begets fear, and makes us all turn aggressively. That road takes us into Sudan, to Palestine, to Iraq and many other countries. Or shall we be like Lenin and many dictators before him and see that a ruler needs terror.
Let's hope that the next leaders of the Conservative and Labour parties still see consensus politics as their road to valhalla.
The Joy of Critique
As an inveterate scribbler it's good to know that my words are checked assiduously, even if the critic must remain anonymous.
Once again I got it wrong (or was it my fingers) for Albany read Albion, probably the earliest name used to describe the mainland once known as Great Britain. The other, smaller, island nearby then being called Hibernia, which is possibly why so many Scots decided to live there.
Apologies to all called Albany; from the state capital of New York to the peanut centre of Georgia, to that London club. Not sure that I really need to apologise to the Celtic Scots who lived in Albany, now known as Scotland, as that is (was) part of Albion.
Enough of this grovelling. Something interesting must have happened during the 24 hours that have just gone. The wind continues to blow, and the BBC are being blown apart as they have introduced a new weather chart. Its primary colour appears to be brown, not a colour immediately associated with our climate. The display is tilted so that Scotland (Albany) appears small in the distance at the top of the screen. That may be true, as following the last Ice Age Scotland is rising, slowly, every year. That effect, combined with the hordes of Scots that now live in England, including most of the government, is pushing southern and eastern England slowly into the sea. Isostasy is slowly drowning all good and decent English folk. Well, those that intend to remain in this green and pleasant land.
The BBC have all travelled to Africa today. Not sure why, except that our Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, is trying to make the Americans invest to help Africa's poor. So far the US government have ignored his pleas. That's understandable. How much money can arms dealers make out of water wells, sewerage systems, electricity, hospitals, roads and education for a bunch of people who are clearly too lazy to help themselves, especially when corruption still rules the continent?
My anonymous critic may have something to say but will it be of any more use than my collection of words?
Europe Tomorrow
Perhaps the Eurovision Song Contest points the way to the Europe we shall have tomorrow. The major financial contributors to the event were placed last; Spain, France, Germany, the United Kingdom all made the final, but were bottom of the table. Portugal. Ireland, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg were only allowed to vote having been dismissed at the semi-finals, and I can't recall seeing Italy at all, but that may be because I was too absorbed in the excitement of the show.
The Balkan states, who were kicking hell out of each a few days ago, voted enthusiatically for each other. The Russian satellite states stayed together as did Scandanavia.
Old 'Billy No Mates' the United Kingdom (no longer ever described as Great Britain and Northern Ireland) had to rely upon Ireland to lift them from the bottom rung.
Mackinder, a noted geopolitician of the late 19th Century argued that whoever held the heartland of Europe could rule the world. He talked of Germany, and the world has since changed with perhaps the loci shifting eastwards slightly but the addition of so many new countries to the EU must shift the balance of power.
Following the invasion of Iraq the British has few friends anywhere. We still describe ourselves as a lush economy and point to Germany as our poor relations, suggesting it is their poor management that has led to 12% unemployment and the likely collapse of the Social Democrats. That may not be the case. Consider instead that Germany is showing us the way forward. The dominant industrial force in Europe is now on its knees, increasingly threatened by China, India and the Far East if not from eastern Europe.
At present Britain is relying upon its earlier world domination, but that wealth is in the hands of a small number of people, who may be described as the financial aristocracy. Those folk are no longer relying upon the British workforce. They know there are cheaper slaves elsewhere, as, in common with most western European states, Britain still looks after its workers, albeit only superficially post-Thatcher.
Where to now Albany? Who knows, or cares? There are signs that the USA is also losing market share, and it cannot continue for ever increasing its national debt. There are hard times ahead. Already 12% of British pensions are paid to people living abroad. Increasingly the backbone of our country are content with materialism and finding personal enjoyment. This is now clearly the post-Empire phase as we slip into obscurity.
Thankfully there is a future ahead, if Greece is to be followed. They staged a magnificent Olympic Games, won the World Cup (that's in real football for my American readers), and now hold the Eurovision Song Contest trophy. It has taken them a few thousand years to regain a significant place on the world stage and good luck to them. They have the right attitude; being proud of their country and willing to accept help and expertise from others when required, as they all work hard to achieve success.
Albany may one day appreciate that national identity is important.
