globinfo
freexchange
During
his speech at the International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg, the
Greek PM, Alexis Tsipras, described clearly, already from the first
lines, Greece's new strategic dogma.
As
Tsipras noted:
“Many
of you may be wondering why I am here today and not in Brussels
negotiating. However, I am here, exactly because I think that a
country that wants to examine and explore possibilities for
succeeding, must have a multidimensional policy and engage with
countries that are currently playing a key role in global economic
developments. [...] While fully respecting our commitments as such,
we will also actively seek to become a bridge of cooperation both in
our region and beyond, with our traditional friends such as Russia,
but also with new global and regional organizations. Of course, as
you are all undoubtedly aware, we are currently in the middle of a
storm. But we are a seafaring people, well-versed in weathering
storms and unafraid of sailing in large seas, in new seas, in order
to reach new and more secure ports.”
Tsipras
sent a clear message to Brussels that Greece has other alternatives
and actually announced Greece's new strategic dogma, which is now
quite common in the multipolar world. Actually Greece delayed
significantly to adopt this new dogma.
According
to this dogma, most countries appear to put their interests in top
priority rather than staying absolutely faithful to traditional
alliances. A latest, characteristic example, is the fact that most of
the Western countries, even those in the hard core of the Western
neoliberal bloc, rushed to join the newly established Asian
Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), an institution under Chinese
influence.
“The
economic circumstances that resulted from the global crisis’
eruption in 2008 have led to a very different world. In Europe, we
had long been under the illusion that we were the center of the
world, taking into consideration only those developments occurring
just beyond the borders of our neighborhood to the other side of the
Atlantic. The world’s economic center of gravity, however, has
shifted. New emerging powers are playing an increasingly important
role–economically and geopolitically. International relations are
acquiring an increasingly multipolar nature. Moreover, the Eurasian
Union–this relatively new project for regional economic
integration–is potentially another source of new wealth production
and economic power.”
Tsipras
shows that he is fully aware of the dramatic geopolitical and
economical shift globally. He also referred to the Eurasian Union.
Apparently, this was another warning message to Brussels,
concerning Greece's alternatives against the brutal neoliberal
transformation of Brussels-Berlin axis.
We've
already mentioned that a possible request by Greece to join Eurasian
Union too should not be considered "out of question",
especially under current circumstances in Europe: “As
part of 1st April jokes, some websites in Greece had circulated the
false information that Tsipras is about to request the participation
of Greece in the Eurasian
Economic Union! However, such a
perspective should not surprise us eventually! The Greek government
may choose to show that there is no point to stay in the eurozone
under such catastrophic conditions imposed by the lenders. There is
no rule that forbids Greece to be part of the EU (not eurozone),
while at the same time participate in other country formations,
anyway.”
(fa.ev/increasing-probability-for-big-european.html)
“However,
these changes do not, in and of themselves, lead to a more peaceful
or a stable world. The existing significant social challenges remain,
including poverty, unemployment and social marginalization, while
regional conflicts, crises and tensions are intensifying. In the
Middle East, Africa, the Black Sea region. And in this sense, the
great challenge of this new era is whether the shift in the global
economic center of gravity will generate new possibilities for
addressing these global social challenges and inequalities, or
whether it will accelerate the uncontrolled course of the global
economy–aptly described as a 'casino-economy' by the former
President of the European Commission, Jacques Delors, shortly before
the resounding economic collapse in 2008.”
The
message here is also quite clear. If the new emerging powers,
especially BRICS, will chose to play the game with the terms of
catastrophic financial capitalism, it would be disastrous for the
global economy and stability. BRICS should promote a different way of
economical progress, based on the real economy, the wisely managed
growth, sustainability, respect for the physical environment.
Financial capitalism and the neoliberal doctrine should be considered
dangerous destructive forces for the global stability, and therefore
should be abandoned.
“For
the old financial center, particularly for Europe and the Western
world, the challenge will be whether it chooses to react positively
to new challenges by building bridges of cooperation with the
emerging world, or whether it will remain committed to old doctrines,
raising new walls of geopolitical conflicts. The crisis in Ukraine,
for example, opened a new wound of destabilization in the heart of
Europe, a bad omen for international developments. Instead of greater
economic and political cooperation in the region, there is a revival
of an obsolete Cold War. Which leads to a vicious cycle of aggressive
rhetoric, militarization and trade sanctions. This vicious cycle must
come to an end as quickly as possible; diplomatic initiatives, such
as implementing the Minsk Agreement, are valuable and should be
supported.”
Unfortunately,
there is no sign that the Western elites would accept easily the
change of the old dogma because this will put their sovereignty in
danger. The support of neo-nazis in Ukraine shows that they are
determined to use every mean in order to expand the neoliberal dogma
globally. Color revolutions are only one of their dirty tricks for this purpose.
Recently,
we saw in Greece pro-euro currency demonstrations in which many MPs
of the neoliberal Right participated. These demonstrations emerged
when the possibility of Grexit came on the table as an answer to
pro-government demonstrations by people who support the end of
austerity and ask from the Greek government not to retreat in
creditors absurd demands.
Obviously,
there is a dangerously polarized situation which starts to bring
memories from the civil war, when Greece was divided in the
Left-Right ideological basis. The US interference back then is well
known to most of the Greeks today. Therefore, these demonstrations today
have the smell of "color-revolutions" and the US interference again, as the US see the danger that
Greece may escape from the Western sphere of influence.
Finally,
Tsipras called for a change in the course of Europe, away from the
dangerous, destructive policies and closed his speech warning again
that the current dominant dogma cannot provide a stable future and
should be changed:
“The
EU, of which Greece is a member, must rediscover its true course by
returning to its founding statutory principles and declarations:
Solidarity, democracy, social justice. This will be impossible,
though, if the EU persists with austerity policies and the disruption
of social cohesion, which only serve to further the recession. Let us
not fool ourselves: the so-called Greek problem is not a Greek
problem. It is a European problem. The problem is not Greece. The
problem is the Eurozone, and its very structure. And the question
remains, whether the EU will allow room for growth, social cohesion
and prosperity. Whether it will allow room for political solidarity
instead of policies imposing dead ends and failed projects. [...] The
emerging new multipolar world will truly be innovative and pioneering
if it can free itself of the root problems fueling the global crisis.
But this cannot occur–it has never occurred in history–without
bold decisions. We cannot move forward in this new world while still
carrying the burdens of our past mistakes. Otherwise, we will be
doomed to repeat them and we will continue to fail–whereas the
challenge for us is to change in order to succeed. To face new
challenges and overcome them.”
Full
speech:
I'm unimpressed.
ReplyDeleteIf Greece believes the Euro is the root of its problems (and there are good reasons to think so) and wishes to exit the Euro, then it should do so without delay. There's nothing to stop it from leaving (except a spot of economic hardship for the coming 5-15 years).
In fact it was a mistake on Greece's part to join the Eurozone (as it did on the strength of falsified accounts, and a mistake on part of the Eurozone countries to accept Greece as a member).
As a Dutch citizen I am certainly not blind to the dangers and disadvantages of the Euro (e.g. how even one small member can threaten its stability and be a drain on its tax-payers), but I continue to believe that the Euro has a (modest) net benefit for its members. It certainly facilitates commerce, it encourages greater competition between suppliers, and it slowly provides EU firms with a "home" market that offers the same economies of scale as the US offers its own firms. So for the moment we'll keep the Euro and its concomitant (fairly strict) monetary policy, thanks.
As for Greece, it must choose. In (but then it implements economic reforms) or out (in which case it can set policy as it likes, and live with the consequences).
I would like to have been there to see the smiles as he unveiled the "seafaring people" analogy. Indeed, these are only stormy seas. Nothing the Greeks can't handle, if they will, if the leadership can do this right, and if the people will come aboard. I have great hope for them all.
ReplyDeleteI have nothing by disgust for EU. And the Euro is nothing but a tool of oppression. Is there any European country that truly believes its fate lies more secure in the Euro now than in its own currency? I mean, assuming good leadership of course. Brussels is rotten corrupt, as bad as the US and UK, and equally irredeemable. Good job of emulating the US market, EU. Corruption enjoyed economies of scale. Sovereignty perished. Same as the US.