2 out of 3 Northern capitalists support the Euro

by iosaf Thu Nov 07, 2002 17:44

Today sees a referendum on amongst other things the introduction of the € to a small "loyalist" community in Gibraltar.

Now as one with a little sympathy for the causes of Catalan and Basque nationalism I find it hard to offer the government of España unthinking support on this one.
If you´re interested in Gibraltar you may goto the website of the Gibraltar chronicle which just like the "Limerick Leader" is a big hitting propaganda light news organ.
Gibraltar expects three new babies to be born today and their parents have all been reported by the Chronicle as haveing casted their votes on the unilaterally called referendum on the joint British / Spanish governments plans for "The Rock" as Gibraltar is known. It´s plucky loyal local first minster is Mr Peter Caruana.

Mr Peter Caruana "SAYS JOINT-SOVEREIGNTY WOULD DELIVER GIB TO SPAIN "SALAMI-STYLE", =(that´s the style of Gib journalism)
I remember contacting the Gib Chronicle last June when the same Peter Caruana said the joint declaration would leave Gibraltarians as "squatters in their own home". I inquired on behalf of the european occupation movement if Gibraltar had any provision for squatter rights or a clear policy on housing.
The answer was quite interesting,
"Well, we´ve had some squatters here on occassion but they generally pushed off.."

The population of Gibraltar is mostly spanish (andalusian) of ethnic origin. They currently use the Gibraltar pound as currency though they worry that in future they may be forced to use the Euro.

The entire population of Gibraltar were moved from the peninsula during the second world war whilst the engineers of the joint British and U.S. navies excavated the entire interior of the head. Along with the hills of Kowloon this is one of the areas of the world that most bristles with high-tech surveillance equipment.

Three IRA volunteers were killed by the SAS in Gibraltar many years ago on the orders of Thatcher.

¿Northern Ireland and the €?
Isn´t it curious that Irish business interests currently pursue a ´unionist cause´ with more economic weight than the businessmen of Ulster ever could have hoped for?
The psychological effects of Euro € introduction still haven´t been fully felt by masses in Europe. I´d love to direct you to something I wrote on that but it´s link isn´t with me at the moment, sorry.

by Dave D Thu Nov 07, 2002 21:23

The euro is not a simple left/right issue. The most vocal against the introduction of the euro in Britain are the far right and nationalist business men (remember Goldsmith).

Personally I don't envisage Sinn Fein arguing for the retention of the Queen's head on the currency of NI. Although I would find it funny if Adams and co went out against a single euro currency for Ireland.

by Student Activist Fri Nov 08, 2002 16:28

I agree to some extent that it is not a clear left-right divide in some respects, the media wont portray it as such.

But it is a left-right divide on the Euro on other fronts.

All genuine left wing activists will look for a No vote.

On the right wing there will be a divide. One part of the capitalist establishement want the Euro, another part are against it. It's a divide in Britain between Maufacturing capitalists and finance capitalists. It's a classic division among the bourgeoisie.

SF are an openly capitalist party in the North, in the South they are still seen by many as anti-establishemtn and even anti-capitalist by some. It will be interesting to see Adams's position on the Euro in the upcoming UK referendum.

by passive Fri Nov 08, 2002 20:10

why would genuine left wingers vote against the Euro? I would consider myself a left winger and I think the euro is a great thing. Maybe that's because I live in reality as opposed to a lot of the communist / socialist / anarchist heads that use indymedia. The Euro makes everything easier, not just business (although it is a boost to the economy. It may kill "radical left wingers" to admit it but we are all dependent on a strong economy, capitalist or not).

by iosaf Sat Nov 09, 2002 14:01

the introduction of the €
has meant a real term drop in the spending power of the poorest 10% of the EU.
The very people who could least afford the hidden inflation of a 1 cent increase here a 2 cent increase there, suffered from the last weeks of 2001. And they still do. The average workers wage in Catalúnya where I live is 460€ a month, it is considerably lower in Portugal the rest of Spain and Greece. The increase on basic foodstuffs of one or two cents happened without corresponding increase in wages, and was deemed by the EuroBank to be negligble and airbrushed out of inflation figures. The psychological effects of currency change effected different countries differently, the losers I believe were the Greeks and Italians. It might be worth remembering that the poorer Euro countries "feel poorer" now. For they most certainly are. The minimun wage in French adminstered Basque or Catalonia is double the minimum wage in Spain.
The Greeks didn´t even issue the 500€ note, it was simpy too big, more than two months wage.