uh huh
but I am not sure you got my point CoteDAzur.
Have we not been in debt for the last 200 years or had we enslaved and took advantage of half of the earths populations like our modern wealthy states have, perhaps we would have a stronger economy now and wouldn't need to borrow.
When things reach tipping point, then all hell breaks loose and the debt escalates. It is difficult to contain and deterioration cannot be linear. I do not see where I was wrong with the comment you quoted as you didn't seem to contradict it. Did you not like the fact that there the EU is accountable too?
I am not saying that we are not responsible for our debts, I am not deluded. But yes, the EU is largely responsible for promoting and encouraging unsustainable policies. There was a huge change indeed since we joined the euro, loans and investement were directed towards certain models and it was all about 'what we were told to do to make our economy similar (in type rather than value) to Central European ones'. You will not have felt that if you were residing in Britain, Germany and possibly Belgium and Austria, but ask other members of the eurozone
One of the main things we have to adapt to was European markets. Our market was deemed far too slow and certain changes took place to bring it in line with other European economies. Almost overnight since we joined the Euro, the price of milk and bread doubled, the average basic supermarket basket became for the first time more expensive than here, people were sent credit cards and encouraged to take up loans for any odd reason. Having lived and worked in Greece, Germany and the UK, I can guarantee you that in the after Euro Greece it felt more like living abroad. People suddenly behaved as if they were more wealthy and the goverment certainly backed this up. They also had a massive go at improving facilities and services as , fair enough, the standards were not the same as in mainland Europe. Of course all this comes at a cost, but one that we were majorly encouraged to take.
And as for the false figures, are you also aware that we were made to sign an agreement in 1992 that we won't ask for any WWII settlement money from Germany if we were accepted in the Eurozone? Huge scandal with a lot of evidence leaked in the press. Which is why they probably turned a blind eye at the figures.
Consider this:
A wealthy man approaches a working class man, let's say a builder, and encourages him to be part of his members only club, as this way he increases his customer base. He shows him his large house, collection of cars, profitable company and tells him they can be his too if he starts taking a risk and investing. He tells him that money need to change hands fast for a profit to be made. He takes him to his bank and become his guarantor in getting a loan to start his own company and a credit card to improve his personal life. However, the poor man has not got the connections or background (infrastructure) the wealthy man has, and he gets himself into trouble.
It is the poor man's fault for doing this, no doubt. But it poses a moral question..
And granted, Greek leadership must have made grave mistakes (although everything is grave when you are down already), but how would sacking people, cutting down their salaries by at least 1/3 and ridiculously increase taxes would help the economy take off? Because this is the instruction (not advice) from the German adviser in Greece, while I remember the exact opposite happening here when the crisis hit, where the people were supported and the economy kept moving. In Greece it is stale as almost no one has many savings left to keep consuming, and the knock off effect is terrible.
I can see that you have quite anti-Greek views, but do you think that the average person should suffer as Greeks do because its major players got it wrong?
And if anyone thinks that in today's world, outcomes are the result of one action or factor, and that there is transparency and honesty in politics, they are very naive indeed. Or anyone that thinks that politicians and governments freely choose their policies. It is unfortunate that the average British citizen is quite sheltered as everything here is very heavily censored. Corruption exists everywhere however and most of Europe is in trouble, you were just the first to go (and b e scrutinised for it).
On another less serious note, I think that Germany is hellbent on world domination at any cost: First they implanted royalty across European countries. Then they used their military power to control us. Now they use economics to make everyone enslaved to them.