Greece/EURO/shares etc...

[Old Hack]

I have come to the conclusion that the Germans now have the control over Europe they so desperately craved in WW2. Souinds a bit trite, but it feels true to me. Would be funny to see their traditional bed partner France renegotiate. Possibly a good time for the UK to start renegotiating.

I read a book that explained as powers were handed over to the EU from individual states, they couldn't be returned, there was no mechanism for returning power to the individual states, and I guess this is what is meant by pooling sovereignty. Sounds a bit hairy to me, sounds very war like...

[BlasterBates]

It wasn't the Germans who wanted the Euro, it was France under Mitterand, strongly supported by Club Med. Helmut Kohl agreed to it to smooth the way for German unification. Greece was keen to join and fiddled the figures to get in.

It's just that the Germans are an economic power house. They have the money to bail everyone out.

[Old Hack]

I was of the impression it was a collaborative effort on Germany and France. The EU was a wish of the Germans back in 57 and a common currency was always part of their plans. When the wall came down, it was put on the back burner by West Germany as it was worried about the costs, understanding it would be costing them a lot for reunification (and worried about devaluing the strong Mark), but they were told the UK and France would support unification if they committed to monetary union. That was 87.

The French were the real drivers of the Euro, I get that. But now, Germany is setting the dialogue at every meeting. The only noises you are hearing from Germany, just a state in the EU remember, is that they, the austerity measures, are not negotiable. They're the only ones saying this now.

I still believe it's occupation via the back door.

[BrilloPad]

I was of the impression it was a collaborative effort on Germany and France. The EU was a wish of the Germans back in 57 and a common currency was always part of their plans. When the wall came down, it was put on the back burner by West Germany as it was worried about the costs, understanding it would be costing them a lot for reunification (and worried about devaluing the strong Mark), but they were told the UK and France would support unification if they committed to monetary union. That was 87.

The French were the real drivers of the Euro, I get that. But now, Germany is setting the dialogue at every meeting. The only noises you are hearing from Germany, just a state in the EU remember, is that they, the austerity measures, are not negotiable. They're the only ones saying this now.

I still believe it's occupation via the back door.

The Germans always wanted the Fourth Reich.

[DodgyAgent]

What should be happening is that labour should be following the work within Europe so the Greek unemployed should be flooding in to Germany this would have the effect of reducing Greek unemployment and reducing the costs of investing in Greece whilst at the same time adding inflationary pressure onto Germany leading eventually to a recovery of the Greek economy. This would happen in the USA and indeed it does. Language and cultural differences are such that this does not happen.

I think I am going to set up a German language school!

[DodgyAgent]

It wasn't the Germans who wanted the Euro, it was France under Mitterand, strongly supported by Club Med. Helmut Kohl agreed to it to smooth the way for German unification. Greece was keen to join and fiddled the figures to get in.

It's just that the Germans are an economic power house. They have the money to bail everyone out.

True, intentionally or not though the Germans are the ones to have benefitted the most from the Euro - by a country mile.

[darmstadt]

The Germans are gradually taking over Europe - raping and pillaging it along the way- where have we seen this before?

Great Britain in the 18th and 19th centuries...

[darmstadt]

True, intentionally or not though the Germans are the ones to have benefitted the most from the Euro - by a country mile.

Perhaps if the UK had joined the Euro then they could have been the powerhouse of Europe, dictating terms, being an economic powerhouse...perhaps...

[SupremeSpod]

The Germans always wanted the Fourth Reich.

Funny you should say that...

BBC News - Viewpoint: Let Germans read Mein Kampf

[BlasterBates]

.....But now, Germany is setting the dialogue at every meeting. The only noises you are hearing from Germany, just a state in the EU remember, is that they, the austerity measures, are not negotiable. They're the only ones saying this now.

I still believe it's occupation via the back door.

I think you are going to see Hollande also taking a tough stance against the Greeks. His retoric with regard to austerity was mainly aimed at France, not handing over French money to the Greeks.

What I don't see in the UK is everyone jumping up and down pushing their government to handover billions to the Greeks. They could if they wanted, and then the Greeks wouldn't have to listen to the Germans, or indeed all the other countries hiding behind Germany who don't want to hand over billions to the Greeks either without them increasing the retirement age from 61, not paying pensions to dead people etc etc.