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Yes it is, but I would hardly call the EU a sovereign European government. It does have some power, but real control still rests with the member states. All member states are required to approve things, and mention anything like federalism in most European countries and you will have an argument on your hands right quick. Power in Europe still rests in Berlin, Athens, London, Madrid etc. The European Union is great for promoting environmentalism, commerce, monetary policy, human rights etc. but it is highly lacking in its ablity to create a clear foreign policy, it lacks any semeblence of federal control and members can easily get opt outs of anything they don't like. In fact is only just now working out a vague document that resembles aconstitution, which they can't call a constitution because if they name it that it will be rejected out of hand.
Everytime it's been put to a vote in any European country it's been rejected last I read on it. The politicians there, like Blair, and now Brown in the U.K., and so forth in other countries, have basically said it will be done regardless. Doesn't sound like a free, democratic agenda to me. Sounds to me like a global fascist government in the making, with unelected officials making rules with the force of law if the goal of such globalists is fully implemented.
I am not sure if I understand this could you please explain what you mean by Government-enforce curreny? Do you mean the use of pegs, fx interventions and central banks or government set limits on currency transactions and investment?
What gives money value? Why do people accept small pieces of paper as if they're worth as much as whatever they're trading for it? There are two possibilities: either (A) those pieces of paper represent value that is stored somewhere else, like gold in a bank, or (B) they're merely promises backed by "the law", that is by government force. There are laws protecting the value of paper money: you can't refuse to take it as a settlement of debt. If you don't, you may be fined, if you refuse to pay the fine you may be jailed, and if you refuse to be arrested and resist then you may be killed. That's how a paper-based illusion becomes reality: at a barrel of a gun.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Randomstudent
Same with Government Powered Globalization, what do you mean here?
There is a natural tendency for people to specialize in their labor and trade with others, and as civilization advances scope of trade naturally grows until it encompass the whole world. It is natural for Alaska to sell salmon and for Brazil to sell oranges, etc - governments don't need to do anything to make that happen, they just need to stay out of the way, because they are the only limitations that currently exist on trade. It is natural for Toyota to want to sell its cars all over the world, and it's natural for people all over the world to buy Toyotas, if that's the best car they can buy. Etc.
Government-powered globalization, on the other hand, doesn't simply reduce government barriers to free trade, it creates additional multinational government bodies (i.e. NAFTA, EU, etc) which regulate trade for common interest of governments, not individuals. Instead of becoming free from the mafia don shaking you down for "protection money", the regional mafia dons form an alliance which makes them stronger and more difficult to escape.
Because of many reasons. Such a large government would never truly represent everyone. It would create a dramatic loss of freedom. Perfect opportunity for a global dictatorship at that. And frankly, competition is good to a large degree. Gives more choices as far as freedom, method of government, etc., and if one country collapses others may not. Global government screws up and the whole world is in big trouble. And this is only a brief start on a list of problems.
The same arguments were made in the 1700s when a federal government was proposed to unite the 13 colonies. With the right checks and balances, it seems to work pretty well and the ideological descendents of the opposition are today the most patriotic advocates of that union.
Corruption will happen anywhere power is concentrated until we evolve. Doesn't mean the alternative is necessarily better. Ironically, a global government is a necessary step before we can be free of government.
The same arguments were made in the 1700s when a federal government was proposed to unite the 13 colonies. With the right checks and balances, it seems to work pretty well and the ideological descendents of the opposition are today the most patriotic advocates of that union.
Corruption will happen anywhere power is concentrated until we evolve. Doesn't mean the alternative is necessarily better. Ironically, a global government is a necessary step before we can be free of government.
Oh really? Checks and balances are given lip service today by the federal government, the federal government has run amok. I tend to have similar opinions as Jefferson did, and I have been in favor of secession for many years now because the federal government uses the Constitution for toilet paper. Every single argument against the creation of the federal government has been proven correct in the over 220 years since the Constitution was written, largely because people have allowed it to get away with ignoring the limitations on the government for short-sighted reasons.
A global government will become worse than Nazi Germany was, and there will be no escaping it this go around. You are being too optimistic and assuming that what you want (peace, etc.) will be a reality. You must look to history and see how every government moves towards tyranny, and then ask yourself: do you really want one government governing the entire world?
Well, if you're of the secessionist ilk, then I guess your mind is made up.
We've had a pretty strong run as a nation - Lincoln, Roosevelts, Reagan, Clinton... their powers were expanded and contracted per the will of the people and the people simultaneously built a pretty incredible nation - best universities, forefront of innovation, the birth of the middle class... I agree that the government has run amok, but given the base motivations that often drive humanity over the edge, it could have been a lot worse without the basic framework of the Constitution strung together.
The same arguments were made in the 1700s when a federal government was proposed to unite the 13 colonies. With the right checks and balances, it seems to work pretty well [...]
No, it hasn't worked at all! The limits on federal government started to crack within decades, and by the time of Lincoln the intention of the founders has been subverted entirely, to say nothing of TR, FDR, and so on. The constitution is treated, to quote Bush, "like a god damned piece of paper", and based on his campaign promices Obama will be even worse!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluefly
[...] and the ideological descendents of the opposition are today the most patriotic advocates of that union.
Um, no. They're still anarcho-capitalists like me.
there is no such thing. all we did was open up our markets to the globe, and let our politicians make brownie points with the rest of the world. i just left Baja, a bunch of empty smart in final home depot and costco. mexican people come here to buy stuff.
rotten goods rotten service in baja. NAFTA my foot.
Exactly! And what is all oil in the world bought and sold with??
Credit. We can live without what we call money. I don't think things would fare so well without oil. The standard for the world is oil.... at least for now.
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