Resulting from warring European neighbors and culminating in World War II, the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) and the European Economic Community (EEC) sought to end conflict and primarily secure economic stability and lasting peace by forming the European Union (EU) through 6 original countries: Belgium, France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. It has now grown to 28 members.
In the EU’s 60+ years of existence, the world is now seeing and experiencing its colossal failure. Slovenia’s author Slavoj Zizek puts the question simply: “What went wrong in society that opened up the space for anti-immigrant racism?”
If the EU’s purpose was democracy and peace, why are so many people across Europe’s nations experiencing more poverty, racism, terrorism, and the rise of far-right political candidates & ideological policies within the EU itself?
Londoners voted to Brexit the EU in 2016.
National Party Candidate Marine Le Pen has pledged to remove France from the EU if elected.
Hungary’s second largest political party, Jobbik, promising economic improvement, also has one of the most intolerant foreign platforms in Europe. Ironically, 26 years after escaping Soviet Communism in hopes of economic improvement through the EU, Hungary remains one of the poorest nations, having near 1 million citizens without basic electricity and heat. Jobbik’s mostly young supporters see themselves as “cheap labor for western capitalism.”
In 2015, Hungary erected fencing along its border; other countries have followed.
Austria, Africa, Belgium, Greece, France, Hungary, Slovenia, Syria, etc., and even the United States are experiencing protest and unrest due to economic disparity. What leaders have yet to demonstrate, that they understand or care about, is that a nation’s “poverty leads to extreme actions.” -Noam Chomsky
People must realize that to end all terrorism, which always results from extreme economic disparity, the world must change the accepted rules of capitalism. For example, Americans recently elected a billionaire President—a model of capitalistic authority—believing that he can bring economic opportunity to all citizens. Yet, 63 days into his presidency, his party failed to formulate a health plan covering all people equally or inexpensively.
The poorest civilians don’t create poverty or economic inequality; they are extreme victims of it. Religious extremism is not the root of terrorism; economic imbalance is. Far Right or In-vs.-Out ideologies & policies will not solve capitalistic injustices—only worsen them.
Parisians have begun committee gatherings named NUIT DEBOUT (The Night Standing) discussing everything from economy and the environment to immigration/refugee issues, because they believe Parliament listens to and cares only for business, banking, and corporate interests.
Globally, people are shouting for fair capitalistic reformation. Hear/here is The Humanity Party®’s plan (backed by a $100K worldwide challenge) to provide every human their FBNL (five basic necessities of life) funded by a consumption-based taxation alongside a legislated controlled anti-inflation algorithm. Together, people end all discrimination.
Work Cited: Horvat, Srecko (2017) Europe’s Forbidden Colony Pt 1. Al Jazeera Special Series Human Rights VIDEO
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