Welcome Patrice Ayme
On the 22nd March, Learning from Dogs had the pleasure of a Post from our first Guest Author, Elliot Engstrom. We were then doubly delighted to have Per Kurowski join us as our second Guest Author with his introductory Post.
Now we have the additional honour of welcoming Patrice Ayme to the growing ranks of Guest Author to Learning from Dogs.
Patrice, like Elliot and Per, also is a prolific blogger. He describes himself as:
I was born in Europe, raised in Africa, and lived in America. So doing, I learned to compare different cultures, even during my early childhood, and to appreciate superiority of many of their traits, even the most surprising. I consider myself Senegalese, and proudly so. I studied, and know, several languages, not just Latin, and several cultures, deeply, by living through and inside them for years. I have done formal studies in mathematics and physics at three leading Universities receiving the highest degrees, and putting me in a good position to learn to differentiate between hard knowledge and wishful thinking, differently from many a common philosopher. I am a specialist of non commutative geometry, arguably the most abstract field of knowledge in existence (even hard core logic, model theory, is used in my approach).
Here is Patrice’s first Guest Post for Learning from Dogs.
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GREEK TROJAN HORSE TO CONQUER BETTER EUROPEAN UNION
Abstract:
The European currency, the euro, is, foremost, a solution to a problem. War. All other problems, and the euro solves many, pale in significance relative to this one.
Many talk about “problems” with the euro, and, oozing with glee all over, perceive weakness. They are right, there is weakness, but it is not European weakness. Just the opposite.
What those skeptics are seeing with their uncomprehending neurology is the further construction of the European imperium, according to its core principle: fix what needs to be fixed, but with complete consensus of the parties concerned, which means do it just so. It appears messy, because it’s democratic, and before the people (demos) can use its kratos (power), it needs to think right, which means it has to argue thoroughly. It looks like squabbling, but it is thinking aloud. Europe is not built for some parties to gain advantage anymore (as it was with Napoleon, or Hitler), but to solve problems and gain opportunities for all.
The euro is, for the first time, used as a weapon against Europe’s enemies. Hence all the squealing. Far from weakening Franco-German resolve, the recourse to the IMF adds another layer of authority to the European Communities. When the IMF, speaking in the name of Franco-German taxpayers, tell restive exploiters in Greece that they have to pay more taxes (only 6 plutocrats declare more than one million euro income in Greece, and more than 500 professions can retire at 50 years of age, whereas Germany just brought up the retirement age to 67!), they will have to submit under orders (imperare, to use the Roman notion)
When his friend Kanzler Kohl threatened to re-unite Germany right away, President Mitterand, in what was the most significant act of his 14 years as president of France, told him that he had to give something to France in exchange, something that would make France and Germany irreversibly closer than ever. It had to go beyond the Shengen agreement of 1985, which erased the borders between France, West Germany and the Benelux.
It was natural to turn the ECU (European Currency Unit, created in 1979, and itself extending its own predecessor) into a full blown mean of exchange (and not just the province of high finance). If nothing else, it would reduce impediments to travel and shopping comparisons throughout the European Economic Community. (European construction is a lot about reducing transnational impediments: the European Commission just suggested that the 350,000 transnational European marriages which happen each year were too messy, so now people with transnational loves will have to decide, prior to marriage, which country will adjudicate their divorce proceedings.)
The euro, long in planning by some European institutions, was introduced minimally, namely without the governmental apparatus generally associated to a currency. This is the way Europeans have found to progress peacefully towards greater harmony: do what is necessary, and nothing more than that, and do it with total consensus.
Everybody knew that a currency without a government to create and anchor it had never happened before, and was unlikely to endure.
(End of Part One)
By Patrice Ayme
Learning from Dogs 
Patrice
A large amount to digest. Thankyou, as I like good food for thought. However, one tiny quibble. You refer to the French and Germans having “solved the Greek problem.”
I put it to you that this problem will only be solved when the Greeks learn to live within their means. I am not convinced that bunging them billions of our taxes is going to do it.
As for France, Sarkozy seems destined for a long, slow death prior to the triumphant return of the Socialists led by that economic genius Martine Aubray. Much as I love France, I am not too sanguine about its economic future in the new socialist wonderland that is looming over the horizon.
I am not quite so enamoured of the Roman “unification” of Europe as you seem to be. The difference between them and nasty, interfering, invading fascists with too much power is not very clear to me. They they destroyed a flourishing Celtic civilisation in Gaul for no other reason than that Caesar wanted a marketing coup as a springboard to power in Rome.
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Dear Chris:
The flourishing Celts were indeed flourishing, but their nasty oligarchic theocracy prevented normal people to read and write (it seems), and they certainly practiced human sacrifices. Thus Rome outlawed their religion.
Vercingetorix was far from being followed by all. He was opposed by leading Celtic nobles, including his influential uncle. In truth, Gaul was ready for Roman civilization, and adopted it with so much enthusiasm that it progressively became the core of Roman civilization. The concept of civilizational progress was at work. Caesar’s vainglorious greed just facilitated it.
Martine Aubry is one of many famous socialists. The 35 hour week was opposed by her, initially. DSK is more popular (he had mentioned the 35 hours before anybody else). Sarkozy is far from dead. France is also as socialized as possible now, short of making the drastic changes in the financial system that I recommend (the END OF THE PRIVATE FRACTIONAL RESERVE MANDATE). Thus a socialist government would probably de-socialize some, a happened in the past.
Everybody has to learn to live within their means. Not just the Greeks. To have the Greeks to order around (which the trio France-Germany-IMF will do very well) will incite the French to look at their own retirement age (a ridiculous 60, whereas 63 for many in Greece, 67 in Germany, and I believe 70 in the UK). Aubry and Sarkozy mumbled obscure notions that way.
Of course those living the most outside of their means have been the Americans. The Greek problem is solved, in the sense that the socialist government there seems determined to fix the problem, and it can be fixed. The Greeks are stuck between Sarkozy, Merkel, and DSK (who is head of the IMF). The most delicate point: the French are asking the Greeks to reduce their military spending (4.8% of Greek GDP, aimed at EU applicant Turkey).
PA
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The retirement age for women is 60 and for men 65 in the UK but there are discussions under way to revise this – which means upwards!
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Yes, I have not ben following this retirement age situation closely. I saw the “70” number brandished as it were a done deal. The “67” in Germany is a reality, though.
I think it’s an outrage that people would be forced to retire. Even in delicate jobs, if they can perform, and want to, then OK. That is the USA situation, except for pilots and the like.
It is clear that France’s GDP was hit badly by the reduction in work time. And France’s retirement at 60 is grotesque, and, i would venture, even against human rights.
PA
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If nothing else, it would reduce impediments to travel and shopping comparisons throughout the European Economic Community.
Patrice! This is ALL THE BRITS WANT. We don’t want French-style taxes or bureaucracy. We do want to travel in Europe without keeping 15 currencies in our pocket ….
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The Greek situation shows that you cannot restrict it to the euro, Chris.
Instead, you have to go to Greece, with a big wide whip, and the will to use it. Then you have got to make the Greeks love the whip.
“French-style taxes”??? I reckon, my dear old chap, that you have not studied closely the top marginal rates in Britain and France recently. It’s like bonnet blanc and blanc bonnet, as the French say…
If anything, the convergence of top european countries towards the same solutions, all on their own, is in full swing. Even Obambi is trotting along to join the party, just watch…
PA
PA
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France’s retirement at 60 is grotesque, and, I would venture, even against human rights.
I lived in France for 10 years. Someone told me of a policeman aged 36 who was “retired” on a pension. I queried this and was told: “You just have to work 20 years in the police to get a pension, then you can retire. He joined the police at 16, so at 36 he retires ….
As for me, I am nearly 63 and still working. I admit I am an idiot. I think I must be …..
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Chris, I can think of many descriptions that one might use of you – but idiot isn’t one of them!
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There is nothing idiotic about working in some jobs. Just the opposite, as you well know.
The 20 years of work, then followed by retirement, is certainly found in the French military (hence in the enormous Gendarmerie), but it’s the same in the UK, USA, etc. Many a “contractor” in Iraq and AfPak is a “retired” military type, earning a fortune, thanks to the immense wealth of the American taxpayer and homeowner loser.
In Italy, teachers would retire fast (at most 20 years), and this early retirements have long been the source of much hollering on the right. And Greece I mentioned: 500 professions retire by 50.
In France, the air controllers are in the process of being unified with their beloved German brothers, so they went on strike, for the holidays, because the Germans sort of work twice more, or so, while being paid more. As new German like creatures, they fear that they will be forced to emulate them. For some reason, their strike encountered no solidarity from the French public.
Tyranosopher
http://patriceayme.wordpress.com/
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