Greece and Ireland - the feral and well behaved children of the EU

I've been on holiday to both. (Greece was dryer.) But these two countries are held up by Papa Sarkozi and Mama Merkel as examples of the bad behaviour and the good behaviour available to the infant progeny of the EU 'depending on what choices they make!' Time to grow up ... eh?

In a previous blog, when I was ranting about misguided lefties from Britain who wanted their own EU referendum as a means of fighting austerity, I argued that for Greece, on the other hand,
"It is completely right to hold a referendum (or some sort of popular vote) ... about the EU and its austerity plan." Let's take a peak at what the rites of passage imposed on the Greeks have meant so far - without recourse to part two of the EU's austerity plan. (Apologies to any Greek readers - as you are going through all this.)

Greek national output is already 9% below its 2008 level. Its industrial production is 23% lower. Unemployment is 17%. Such a drastic collapse already looks like the results of losing a great war. In anybody's terms, they are a national disaster. But Mama and Papa want their errant child to take more, much more, of the same medicine. This is not just an economic argument. No wonder the adults of Greece need to vote, either in a referendum or an election, to leave the EU family home. Otherwise they will need to overthrow their own parties and politicians that stand in the way in order to win the franchise back; to get that right to vote.

An what of the 'sensible' Irish? Well, their economy may have contracted by 12%. Unemployment may have risen to 15% but, as with the answer given as to why their was no social revolt in the US despite the horrors faced by people in the new cities throughout the 19th century - they had their own open frontier. For a decade and more Ireland was at last able to keep its youth, and their energy and talent. Now we return to the future; we are back to the 'good old days'. The place is dying again.  In the 1840s the British government-led potato famine starved Ireland back to the bone. Emigration served the same purpose for the following 140 years. Revolts were smashed. The country ticked along in gentile poverty. Back to what we know.

With their economies withering neither Greece nor Ireland have the slightest chance of 'paying back' their burden of debt to the banks and billionaires. But that is hardly the point. They are getting smashed up for something that cannot be done and is useless anyway.

I expect Cameron would tell me to "calm down dear".